In Oscar Wilde’s 19th century comedy of manners ‘Lady Windermere’s Fan’ the characters are used to expose the flaws and the hypocrisy in the upper class of the Victorian society and to bring the double standards into light. I intend to allow the audience to notice how the marriage proposal is very forward considering Lady Agatha and Hopper have only just met, i would also intend to show how intruding the Duchess is on the relationship between the two. By stressing how fast the proposal came about allows the audience to see Lady Agatha as the typical victorian woman as her only concern is to get married, under the influence of her mother. I would like to continue this stress throughout the sections in which we briefly see the relationship in order to mock the way that the upper class see ‘love’ and how naive the first stages of a relationship are. I would cast Lady Agatha as a petite, blonde, pale skinned woman which would embody the desired look of that era. I would cast Mr Hopper as average height with darker skin which would link in with his Australian background.

As Hopper crosses the stage from DSR he should run his fingers over his hair, to show that he is equally as nervous about his appearance as Lady Agatha is, hinting to the audience that they will be the perfect patch for each other. His walk should slow down and his steps should become lighter, showing that the confidence he first arrived with was, in fact a front and that he seeks approval from Lady Agatha, making him nervous. As his first conversation is with the Duchess he would speak with ease, trying to impress the Duchess as in the victorian era a man needed to have approval from both the mother and the father before being allowed to marry the daughter. I would like Hopper’s gaze to flicker to Lady Agatha whilst speaking to the Duchess, this would solidify any thoughts that the audience might have had about the two of them being interested in each other. Whist this is happening i would want Lady Agatha to look down again, blushing this time, which would remind the audience of her young age. As the Duchess catches on to the connection between the two her disapproval becomes obvious, she would turn away from Hopper on the line ‘now I mustn’t keep you’ to show that she wants him to move on, the movement of turning herself away from him slightly would be blocking him off from Lady Agatha, forcing him to move around the Duchess to announce the line ‘But i should like to dance with Lady Agatha, Duchess’. As hopper moves around the Duchess before saying this line he should frown slightly to show his concern with the obvious disapproval he has just received, this would show the audience how genuine his attraction is to Lady Agatha. Hopper would then smile proudly and hold out his hand in a charming manner, with the other hand behind his back, when delivering the line ‘May I have the dance?’. He would tilt his head to the side in an almost childish way, as if trying to convince Lady Agatha to dance with him. Lady Agatha should smile in reaction to Hoppers actions and keep eye contact with him while putting her hand out timidly into his. The Duchess would be staring at Agatha as she does this, with her eyes squinted and lips tight together to make it obvious that she does not what Agatha to accept. By ignoring her mothers wishes it shows how Agatha is slowly becoming more independent, however she would still be going from one controlling relationship to the next as women were expected to obey their partners during this time. This will highlight to the audience that Agatha’s decisions are always being influenced by someone, mocking the way in which women were treated in that era.

Although the development of the relationship is brief, it still demonstrates how women were seen as objects during the Victorian Era and how they had little say until they were respected within society, much like the Duchess. The relationship should show how young and naive Agatha is and how she has been brainwashed into thinking her main goal in life should be to get married, this is seen with her instant obsessive love for Hopper.