J. M. Barrie 
What Every Woman Knows 

‘What Every Woman Knows’ is a thought-provoking four-act play by J.M. Barrie, exploring the societal expectations and limitations of women in the early 20th century. The story follows Maggie Wylie, a plain but intelligent young woman from an uneducated Scottish family, who agrees to fund the education of John Shand, a serious university student in exchange for his marriage. Although John doesn’t love Maggie, she quietly uses her intelligence and connections to propel his career forward, never allowing him to see that she is the true force behind his success. When John takes up with Lady Sybil Lazenby, a beautiful and high-born young Englishwoman, he begins to believe that Maggie is too plain for him. However, when he needs inspiration for a crucial speech, he discovers that Maggie is the one who truly knows and understands him.