FWD: 4788

By the use of a mundane situation, Wilde, sheds light on both the characters' underlying ideals and the sort of society that the three of them live in.  These are most clearly demonstrated in both the way the characters interact with each other and their opinions.

Lady Windermere, Lord Darlington, and the Duchess of Berwick each hold a different set of values, though the Lady's and the Duchess' are closer to each other's than the Lord's.  Lady Windermere is chiefly concerned with resolutely leading an upright life. She makes this clear with her steadfast adherence to her high standard for letting others come into her home.  However, it also becomes apparent that she feels more strongly about women's morality than that of men, as she consents for Lord Darlington to come to her birthday party, though only on the condition that he not speak so rashly as he might at any other occassion. Lord Darlington signifies his acceptance of her temrs by telling her she is "beginning to reform (him)", which shows that he is not as much of a ruffian as the two women say he is.  He actually seems to be more of a playful intellect that a "wicked" man (as the Duchess calls him).  In discussing marriage, he calls it a "game" and then proceeds to make a clever comparison to the playing of cards.  His good natured teasing of the women amuses them, but they both verbally condemn him because his comments tend to be less than proprietous in their terms.  The most direct example of this is when Lord Darlington jokingly insinuates that husbands should be called "odd tricks" (a pun on his earlier cards metaphor). Duchess Berwick, as a married woman, promptly derides him as "thoroughly depraved". Whereas Lord Darlington feels cynical towards the institution of marriage, the Duchess holds uplifting marraiage as one of her principal values.  She also feels that appearances and reputation are important, as is evidenced by her prejudice against Lord Darlington and her gossip about how horrid Lady Markby's tea was just before she came to meet Darlington and Lady Windermere.  

Such gossip is only one example of how trivial their high English society really can be.  The Duchess' praise of Lady Windermere's practice of having extremely exclusive parties is another.  Also, the women's perception of Lord Darlington as a disreputable person merely because he says unexpected and mildly disconformist things highlights the shallow and critical nature of the society the characters live in.

Overall, the characters' values and the way they play against each other illuminates the audience to a society of social functions, reputations and shallow criticism.