The way of the world

'The Way of the World' is a comedy of manners written by William Congreve

1. Gnaneswara T N Assistant Professor of English Government First Grade College Jalahalli Deodurga Tq . Raichur Dist. Karnataka India

2. The Way of the World A play by William Congreve

3. William Congreve born in England in 1670 studied at the Trinity College in Dublin wrote four comedies : The Old Bachelor, The Double Dealer, Love for Love and The Way of the World. The Way of the World (1700) is his masterpiece. died in London in 1729 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

4. The Way of the World Restoraton Comedy / Comedy of manners The Restoration period begins in 1660 the year in which King Charles II was restored to the English throne. Comedy of manners comic or satiric representation of aristocratic sexual license unsentimental, cynical and amoral scandal or the threat of scandal Oscar Wilde and William Congreve are the most celebrated authors of Comedy of Manners

5. Characters Mirabell , a young man, in love with Millamant Millamant , a very charming young lady, niece to Lady Wishfort and in love with Mirabell Fainall , a young man, who married his wife for her money Mrs. Fainall , wife of Fainall and daughter of Lady Wishfort Mrs. Marwood , friend to Fainall and likes Mirabell

6. Characters Lady Wishfort (55), guardian of Millamant Sir Wilfull Witwoud , Lady Wishfort’s choice as a suitor for Millamant Young Witwoud , Sir Witwoud’s younger brother Waitwell , Mirabell’s servant Foible , Lady Wishfort’s maid Petulant , Witwoud’s friend Mincing , Millamant’s maid Peg , a maid in Lady Wishfort’s house

7. An Overview The play is based around two lovers Mirabell and Millamant . To receive Millamant’s full dowry , Mirabell must receive the blessing of Millamant’s aunt, Lady Wishfort . Unfortunately, Lady Wishfort wants her nephew, Sir Wilfull , to wed Millamant . Meanwhile Lady Wishfort wants to marry Sir Rowland . Waitwell , on Mirabell’s command, tries to trick Lady Wishfort into a false engagement . Finally, Lady Wishfort consents to the marriage of Mirabell and Millamant .

8. Before the Play begins Arabella ’s first husband Languish has died and left over his fortune. She begins a secret affair with Edward Mirabell . They end the affair and she gets married to a man Mirabell has selected ( Fainall ). Mirabell begins courting Mrs. Fainall’s cousin, Millamant who lives with her aunt Lady Wishfort .

9. Before the Play begins To gain Wishfort’s favour , Mirabell flatters Wishfort . Wishfort becomes convinced that he loves her . After Wishfort’s friend Mrs. Marwood reveals what Mirabell was upto , her feelings change from love to hate . She denies permission for Mirabell to marry Millamant . If she will not consent to the Marriage Mirabell cannot get Millamant’s £6000 dowry .

10. Act 1 Act 1 is set in a chocolate house where Mirabell and Fainall have just finished playing cards . A footman tells Mirabell that Waitwell and Foible were married that morning. Witwoud and Petulant appear and inform Mirabell that he will only get £6000 of Millamant’s inheritance if he can make Lady Wishfort consent to his and Millamant’s marriage.

11. Act 2 Act 2 is set in St. James’ park . Mrs. Fainall and Mrs. Marwood are discussing their hatred of men. Fainall appears and accuses Mrs. Marwood of loving Mirabell . Meanwhile, Mrs. Fainall and Mirabell begin to plot about tricking Lady Wishfort to give her consent to the marriage. Millamant appears in the park. She is angry about the previous night’s Mirabell’s encounter with Lady Wishfort . After she leaves, newly wed servants appear and Mirabell reminds them of their roles in the plan.

12. Act 3 Act 3 is set in Lady Wishfort’s home . Lady Wishfort is encouraged to marry Sir Rowland ( Waitwell in disguise) Waitwell is a servant while Lady Wishfort is an aristocrat . Mirabell offers to help her out of the embarrassing situation if she consents to his marriage. Later Mrs. Fainall discusses this plan with Foible . But this is overheard by Mrs. Marwood . She later tells this to Fainall who decides that he will take his wife’s money and go away with Mrs. Marwood .

13. Act 4 Mirabell and Millamant discuss in detail the conditions under which they would accept each other. Mirabell finally proposes to Millamant and Millamant accepts . Mirabell leaves as Lady Wishfort arrives. She tells that she wants Millamant to marry her nephew Sir Wilfull Witwoud . Later Lady Wishfort gets a letter about the Sir Rowland plot.

14. Act 5 Fainall uses the information of Mrs. Fainall’s previous affair with Mirabell and Millamant’s contract to marry him to blackmail Lady Wishfort , telling that she should never marry and that she is to transfer all the money over to him. Lady Wishfort tells Mirabell that she will consent his marriage if he can save her fortune and honour . Waitwell brings a contract from the time before the marriage of the Fainalls in which Mrs. Fainall gives all her property to Mirabell . Fainall is left with no claim to make and Lady Wishfort consents to the marriage of Mirabell with Millamant .

15. Themes Marriage True love v/s fake love Accumulation of property through marriage Appetite for sex and money Deceit Social class Pretence and hypocrisy Vanity