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Lord Darlington
The Duchess of Berwich is a respectable older woman and friend of Lady Windermere’s. She is Agatha’s mother and Augustus’s sister. In the first two acts, the Duchess serves as a comedic representation of the expectations of polite society, especially as it concerns women’s roles. She is preoccupied with presenting herself and her daughter in a positive light, and she seems to use Lady Windermere more as a means to social gain than as an actual friend. The Duchess loves to gossip and tells Lady Windermere about the rumors surrounding Lord Windermere and Mrs. Erlynne, thus setting into motion the central misunderstanding that drives the plot. The Duchess also succeeds in getting Agatha engaged to Mr. Hopper at the party.
The Duchess of Berwick Quotes in Lady Windermere’s Fan
The Lady Windermere’s Fan quotes below are all either spoken by The Duchess of Berwick or refer to The Duchess of Berwick . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act I
Quotes
LADY WINDERMERE: It is very kind of you, Duchess, to come and tell me all this. But I can’t believe that my husband is untrue to me.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK: Pretty child! I was like that once. Now I know that all men are monsters. (Lady Windermere rings bell) The only thing to do is feed the wretches well. A good cook does wonders, and that I know you have. My dear Margaret, you are not going to cry?
LADY WINDERMERE: You needn’t be afraid, Duchess, I never cry.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK: That’s quite right, dear. Crying is the refuge of plain women but the ruin of pretty ones.
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Explanation and Analysis:
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The Duchess of Berwick Quotes in Lady Windermere’s Fan
The Lady Windermere’s Fan quotes below are all either spoken by The Duchess of Berwick or refer to The Duchess of Berwick . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act I
Quotes
LADY WINDERMERE: It is very kind of you, Duchess, to come and tell me all this. But I can’t believe that my husband is untrue to me.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK: Pretty child! I was like that once. Now I know that all men are monsters. (Lady Windermere rings bell) The only thing to do is feed the wretches well. A good cook does wonders, and that I know you have. My dear Margaret, you are not going to cry?
LADY WINDERMERE: You needn’t be afraid, Duchess, I never cry.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK: That’s quite right, dear. Crying is the refuge of plain women but the ruin of pretty ones.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
