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Dramatic Irony
Genre
Explanation and Analysis:
In Lady Windermere's Fan, Wilde takes advantage of many of the possibilities of the dramatic genre. From the positioning of the characters on the stage to their use of props and costumes, the play is marked by an intentional use of theatrical conventions aimed at developing the characters and relationships between them, as well as at reinforcing the drama and comedy of the play's action.
In line with his chosen genre, Wilde didn't shy away from playing with the dramatic. In certain moments, the drama accentuates the conflict and tension. In other moments, the melodrama of characters' soliloquies and conversations brim over into comedy. This is related to the dual nature of the mood and tone. The play's mood is at times lighthearted and at times intense; the tone is at times desperate and at times satirical. Wilde attentively fills the dialogue and actions with a seriousness that feels comical and a wittiness that explores complicated dynamics.
When discussing the play's genre, it's also possible to classify Lady Windermere's Fan as satire. On one level, the play is a social satire, as Wilde mocks the hypocritical morality of the Victorian upper class—in order to critique the members of his audience. On another level, the play can be seen as an English satirical version of another European play that premiered just two years before. In Henrik Ibsen's play A Doll's House, the main character Nora leaves her husband in order to find independence. The two plays explore similar themes, but the playwrights have contrasting approaches. Ibsen drapes a heavy, somber mood over his play, while Wilde picks up on Ibsen's same subject matter with a much more playful mood.
