Why is "The Way of the
World" considered to be a comedy of manners?
The Comedy of Manners was a particular type of comedy which was very popular
during the Restoration Age. William Congreve's [1670-1729] "The Way of the
World" was first staged in London
in the year 1700. It is generally regarded as one of best examples of the
comedy of manners.
Some of the important features of the
comedy of manners are as follows:
1. The action always takes place in London. There are many references in the play
to actual localities in London
city, for example the servant reports to Mirabell how the marriage between
Waitwell and Foible took place:
Sir, there's such coupling at Pancras
that they stand behind one another, as 'twere in a country-dance. Ours was
the last couple to lead up; and no hopes appearing of dispatch, besides,
the parson growing hoarse, we were afraid his lungs would have failed
before it came to our turn; so we drove round to Duke's Place,
and there they were riveted in a trice.
During Congreve's time both Pancras and
Duke's Place in London
were notorious places where couples could get married easily without questions
being asked.
2. There is always a
contrast between the rural and the urban. Squire Witwoud is from the county of Shropshire
and his arrival in London
results in a lot of amusement and humour as Petulant and the others mock at
him.
3. The presence of atleast one pair of very intelligent
young lovers. Mirabell and Millamant are witty lovers in this play.
4.
Witty dialogue is perhaps the most
important feature of the Comedy of Manners. The best example of a scene of
witty dialogue is the 'proviso' scene in which Millamant specifies her
conditions before she agrees to accept Mirabell as her husband and he in turn
also states his conditions. Millamant insists,
Let us be as strange as if we had been
married a great while, and as well-bred as if we were not married at
all.
5. All the other aspects of the play are usually sacrificed
for the sake of contriving a situation which would give rise to 'witty'
dialogue.
6. The appeal of the Comedy of Manners is to the
intelligence of the audience/reader and not to the emotions.
7. The 'witty' dialogue was usually obscene, for the
theatres had just reopened after the Restoration after being closed during the
Puritan rule of Oliver Cromwell. Petulant especially is notrious for
embarrassing the ladies by his filthy conversation and Mirabell avoids his
company thus,
Pray then walk by yourselves. Let not us
be accessory to your putting the ladies out of countenance with your senseless
ribaldry, which you roar out aloud as often as they pass by you,
and when you have made a handsome woman blush, then you think you have
been severe.
8
.The women in these plays were very
emancipated and bold and independent, unlike the heroines of the Sentimental
dramas.
9. The institution of marriage was always held to ridicule.
Both husbands and wives openly expressed their dissatisfaction of their
spouses:
MRS. FAIN. Is it possible? Dost thou
hate those vipers, men?
MRS. MAR. I have done hating 'em, and am now come to despise 'em; the next
thing I have to do is eternally to forget 'em.
10. These plays were mainly intended for the elegant and
sophisticated audiences of London
city. Hence the characters were almost always from the upper class society of London.
11. These plays portrayed the lifestyle of the idle rich of London city very
realistically. Lady Wishfort wakes late in the day and cannot dress without the
help of her servant Foible. Peg another servant remarks:
Lord, madam, your ladyship is so
impatient.--I cannot come at the paint, madam: Mrs. Foible has locked it
up, and carried the key with her.
12.
The plays were mildly satirical-the
playwright could not afford to hurt his upper class audience. Congreve remarks
in his 'prologue' with tongue in cheek irony:
موضوع: Why is "The Way of the World" considered to be a comedy of manners? 
الأربعاء يناير 12, 2011 1:19 pm
