A Woman of No Importance is a four-act society comedy by Oscar Wilde, set during a single day at an English country-house gathering. Beneath the epigrams and drawing-room wit lie questions of reputation, motherhood and a woman's place in Victorian society. It is worth listening to for its carefully balanced dialogue and the quiet seriousness under the comedy.
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Text source: gutenberg.org · The work is in the public domain.
Opening of the book
A WOMAN OF
NO IMPORTANCE
A PLAY
BY
OSCAR WILDE
METHUEN & CO., LTD.
36 ESSEX STREET W.C.
LONDON
Eighth Edition
First Printed
1894
First Issued by Methuen and Co. (Limited Editions on
Handmade Paper and Japanese Vellum)
February
1908
Third Edition
September 1909
Fourth Edition
May
1910
Fifth Edition
December
1911
Sixth Edition
March
1913
Seventh Edition (Cheap Form)
October
1916
Eighth Edition
1919
The dramatic rights of ‘A Woman of No Importance’ belong to Sir Herbert
Beerbohm Tree and to Robert Ross, executor and administrator of Oscar
Wilde’s estate.
ТО GLADYS COUNTESS DE GREY [MARCHIONESS OF RIPON] THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY LORD ILLINGWORTH SIR JOHN PONTEFRACT LORD ALFRED RUfford MR. KELVIL, M.P. THE VEN. ARCHDEACON DAUBENY, D.D. GERALD ARBUTHNOT FARQUHAR, Butler FRANCIS, Footman LADY HUNSTANTON LADY CAROLINE PONTEFRACT LADY STUTFIELD MRS. ALLONBY MISS HESTER WORSLEY ALICE, Maid
MǡǪ. AǡœǼǵƒƿLjǵ
THE SCENES OF THE PLAY
Aŕǵ I. The Terrace at Hunstanton Chase.
Aŕǵ II. The Drawing-room at Hunstanton Chase.
Aŕǵ III. The Hall at Hunstanton Chase.
Aŕǵ IV. Sitting-room in Mrs. Arbuthnot’s House at Wrockley.
TƗƽŧ: The Present.
PƯĵŕŧ: The Shires.
The action of the play takes place within twenty-four hours.
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