Two Restoration Comedies that I want to discuss are William Wycherley’s The Country
Wife (1675) and William Congreve’s Love for Love (1695). Both plays were written in a time
when libertinism prevailed and male stereotypes like rakes and fops and female stereotypes
like wives and virgins were popular. Needless to say, both plays not only deal with
Restoration society but also with its problems, concerns, and difficulties at the time. And
especially, Love for Love, which was written fairly at the end of the Restoration era, still is a
conventional play in terms of being libertine-satirical but it already includes some features of
sentimentalism. So it is not a postponement from libertinism to sentimentalism yet, but I want
to argue in this essay that both plays are rather conventional libertine Restoration plays which
include features of early sentimentalism.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Love and Marriage
1.1. Women and Marriage
1.2. Men and Marriage
2. Marriage Types
2.1. Jealousy and Cuckolding
2.2. Love Marriage
2.3. Trick Marriage
2.4. Mercenary Matches
2.5. Love between Valentine and Angelica
3. Love in Restoration Comedy
3.1. The Country Innocence
3.2. Town People
Summary
Research Objectives and Themes
This essay explores the portrayal of love and marriage in William Wycherley's The Country Wife and William Congreve's Love for Love, arguing that these plays function as conventional libertine-satirical works that simultaneously incorporate early elements of sentimentalism.
- Libertinism and the role of the rake in Restoration society
- Gender-specific attitudes towards marriage and obedience
- Satire of marriage conventions including jealousy and mercenary matches
- The influence of the town versus country dichotomy on character development
- The emergence of sentimental emotionality within comic structures
Excerpt from the Book
1.1. Women and Marriage
But for a woman love was not the only important feature to have in a marriage, she also needed to obey her husband. “Women were told that they must love the man they married to obey him” (Tague 85). For people said a good wife would be a woman who supports and does not resist her husband. Most wives living in that time were also inferior to their husbands and hence had to obey their husbands in order to honour them. A very good example for this obedience is Margery Pinchwife in The Country Wife who cuckolds her husband, Mr. Pinchwife, while claiming she and Mr. Horner are having an affair which is not true but yet her husband does not know. So Mr. Pinchwife makes his wife write letters to Mr. Horner. This letter-writing scene perfectly shows Mrs. Pinchwife’s obedience to her husband.
Pinchwife. Come, begin. [Dictates] ‘Sir’ –
Mrs. Pinchwife. Shan’t I say, ‘Dear Sir’? – You know one says always something more than bare ‘Sir’.
Pinchwife. Write as I bid you, or I will write whore with this penknife in your face.
Mrs. Pinchwife. Nay, good bud. [She writes] ‘Sir’ –
Pinchwife. ‘Though I suffered last night you nauseous, loathed kisses and embraces.’ - Write.
Mrs. Pinchwife. Nay, why should I say so? You know I told you he had a sweet breath.
Pinchwife. Write!
Mrs. Pinchwife. Let me but put out ‘loathed’.
Pinchwife. Write, I say!
Mrs. Pinchwife. Well then. [Writes.] (IV.ii.215).
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the scope of the study, defining the transition from libertine-satirical conventions to early sentimentalism in late seventeenth-century comedies.
1. Love and Marriage: Examines the differing societal expectations for men and women regarding marriage and the gendered dynamics of obedience.
2. Marriage Types: Categorizes various marital conflicts and interactions, including jealousy, mercenary motives, and calculated tricks.
3. Love in Restoration Comedy: Discusses the function of stereotypes, particularly the town-versus-country distinction, in shaping the dramatic plot.
Keywords
Restoration Comedy, Libertinism, Satire, Marriage, Gender Roles, The Country Wife, Love for Love, William Wycherley, William Congreve, Sentimentalism, Cuckolding, Rake, Town-Country Dichotomy, Obedience, Infidelity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this academic paper?
The paper examines how love and marriage are portrayed in William Wycherley's The Country Wife and William Congreve's Love for Love, analyzing how both plays balance libertine-satirical elements with emerging sentimental themes.
Which central themes are explored throughout the text?
Central themes include the social constraints of marriage, the power dynamics between men and women, the satire of infidelity and jealousy, and the contrasting stereotypes of town sophistication versus country innocence.
What is the primary objective of this study?
The goal is to argue that, despite the prevalence of libertine tropes, both plays utilize satire to critique social behaviors and reflect the complexities of relationships in the late seventeenth century.
Which methodology is employed in this research?
The author uses a comparative literary analysis of the two plays, supported by historical context and scholarly criticism regarding Restoration theatre and morality.
What topics are covered in the main section of the essay?
The main sections delve into the definitions of libertinism and sentimentalism, detailed analyses of marriage types (such as trick marriages and mercenary matches), and character archetypes like the rake, the fop, and the country innocent.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Restoration Comedy, Libertinism, Satire, Marriage, Gender Roles, and the comparative analysis of the specific works by Wycherley and Congreve.
How does the author characterize the role of the "rake" in these comedies?
The rake is defined as a rich, fashionable man with low moral standards, exemplified by characters like Horner or Scandal, who frequently view women as objects and marriage as a target for mockery.
Why is the "china scene" in The Country Wife significant to the author's argument?
The scene is cited to illustrate Horner's role as the personification of the libertine and to demonstrate how his intrigue successfully exposes the follies and affectations of other characters.
What role does the "town versus country" dichotomy play in these narratives?
The contrast serves as a comedic device; the country represents traditional values and restriction, while the town offers excitement, leading to various social collisions when country characters enter the urban sphere.
- Quote paper
- Magister Anke Werckmeister (Author), 2007, Restoration Comedies: Discussion of Love and Marriage, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/202057
