William Congreve’sThe Way of the World

ENGLISH LITERATURE(I) WEEK 14

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Restoration Theater

1642-60: Puritan Closing of the TheatersAudience: Courtiers and Hangers-on.Actors: Small Professional Companies/Relatively few Roles

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Neoclassic Tragedy

Heroic FigureTheme of Love and HonorUnities of Time, Place, and ActionBlank Verse (Lines of Unrhymed IambicPentameter)Locales in Greece/RomePlausibility

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Dryden’s All for Love: “the unities of time,place, and action are more exactlyobserved than perhaps the English theatrerequired.”

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Restoration Comedy

Comedy of Manners: “It deals with therelations and intrigues of men and womenliving in a sophisticated upper-classsociety, and relies for comic effect in largepart on the wit and sparkle of thedialogue[…]as well as on the violations ofsocial standards and decorum by

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would-be wits, jealous husbands,conniving rivals, and foppish dandies (AGlossary of Literary Terms)William Congreve, William Wycherley(The Country Wife), George Etherege,George Farquhar

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William Congreve’sThe Way of the World (1700)

Restoration ComedyComedy of MannersWit & False WitMoralityScene Shift(Whenever a character enters or exits,scene changes.)

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Summary(from The Norton Anthology of English Literature)

Mirabell (a reformed rake) is sincerely inlove with and wishes to marry Millamant,who, though a coquette and a highlysophisticated wit, is a virtuous woman.Mirabell some time before has married offhis former mistress, the daughter of LadyWishfort, to his friend Fainall. (NEXT)

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Fainall has grown tired of his wife and hasbeen squandering her money on hismistress, Mrs. Marwood. In order to gainaccess to Millamant, Mirabell haspretended to pay court to the elderly andamorous Lady Wishfort, who is theguardian of Millamant and as suchcontrols half her fortune. (NEXT)

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But his game has been spoiled by Mrs. Marwood,who nourishes a secret love for Mirabell and, toseparate him from Millamant, has made LadyWishfort aware of Mirabell’s duplicity. LadyWishfort now loathes Mirabell for making a foolof her—an awkward situation, because ifMillamant should marry without her guardian’sconsent she would lose half her fortune, andMirabell cannot afford to marry any but a richwife. (NEXT)

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It is at this point that the action begins.Mirabell perfects a plot to get such powerover Lady Wishfort as to force her toagree to the marriage, while Millamantcontinues to doubt whether she wishes tomarry at all.

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Characters’Stereotyped Names

Fainall: feign allMirabell: Mira (to look), bell (beautiful)Witwoud: wit, woud (would? wood?)Waitwell: wait, wellMrs. Marwood: Mar (to damage)Millamant: Mil (thousand), amant (lover)FoibleMincingPetulant

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Act 1 Outline

Mirabell and Fainall: the former’s plotwith Lady Wishfort discovered.Millamant’s financial statusWitwoud’s half-brother, Sir Wilfull iscoming to town.MIrabell’s use of Waitwell and Foible

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Act 1—A Chocolate House

* Social frameworkFAILALL Prithee, why so reserved? Something

has put you out of humor.MIRABELL Not al all. I happen to be grave

today, and you are gay; that’s all.FAINALL Confess, Millamant and you quarreled

last night after I left you; my fair cousin hassome humors that would tempt the patience of astoic. What, some coxcomb came in, and waswell received by her, while you were by?

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MIRABELL Witwoud and Petulant; and what wasworse, her aunt, your wife’s mother, my evilgenius; or to sum up all in her own name, my oldLady Wishfort came in.

FAINALL O, there it is then—she has a lastingpassion for you, and with reason.

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FAINALL Now I remember, I wonder notthey were weary of you: last night was oneof their cabal nights; they have ’em threetimes a week, and meet by turns, at oneanother’s apartments, where they cometogether like the coroner’s inquest, to situpon the murdered reputations of the week[…].

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MIRABELL And who may have been thefoundress of this sect? My Lady Wishfort,I warrant, who publishes her detestation ofmankind, and full of the vigor of fifty-five,declares for a friend and ratafia; and letposterity shift for itself, she’ll breed nomore.

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FAINALL The discovery of your shamaddresses to her, to conceal your love toher niece, has provoked this separation.Had you dissembled better, things mighthave continued in the state of nature.

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MIRABELL I did as much as man could, with anyreasonable conscience: I proceeded to the verylast act of flattery with her, and was guilty of asong in her commendation. Nay, I got a friendto put her into a lampoon and compliment herwith the imputation of an affair with a youngfellow, which I carried so far that I told her themalicious town took notice that she was grownfat of a sudden; and when she lay in of a dropsy,persuaded her she was reported to be in labor.(NEXT)

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The devil’s in it, if an old woman is to beflattered further, unless a man should endeavordownright personally to debauch her; and thatmy virtue forbade me. But for the discovery ofthis amour, I am indebted to your friend, or yourwife’s friend, Mrs. Marwood.

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Repartee between the Two Men

FAINALL You are a gallant man, Mirabell;and though you may have cruelty enoughnot to satisfy a lady’s longing, you havetoo much generosity not to be tender ofher honor. Yet you speak with anindifference which seems to be affected,and confesses you are conscious of anegligence.

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MIRABELL You pursue the argument witha distrust that seems to be unaffected, andconfesses you are conscious of a concernfor which the lady is more indebted to youthan is your wife.

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Mirabell’s Plot

MIRABELL Well, is the grand affair over? Youhave been something tedious.

FOOTMAN Sir, there’s such coupling at Pancrasthat they stand behind one another, as ’twere in acountry dance. Ours was the last couple to leadup; and no hopes appearing of dispatch, besidesthe parson growing hoarse, we were afraid hislungs would have failed before it came to ourturn; so we drove around to Duke’s Place, andthere they were riveted in at trice.

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MIRABELL So, so, you are sure they aremarried?

FOOTMAN Married and bedded, sir. I amwitness.

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Social Criticism

FAINALL He [Squire Witwoud’s brother,Sir Wilfull]] comes to town in order toequip himself for travel.

MIRABELL For travel! Why the man that Imean is above forty.

FAINALL No matter for that; ’tis for thehonor of England that all Europe shouldknow that we have blockheads of all ages.

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MIRABELL I wonder there is not an Act ofParliament to save the credit of the nation,and prohibit the exportation of fools.

FAINALL By no means, ’tis betteris ’tis; ’tis better to trade with a little lossthan to be quite eaten up with beingoverstocked.

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Witticism

MIRABELL Pray, are the follies of this knight-errant, and those of the squire his brother,anything related?

FAINALL Not at all. Witwoud grows by theknight, like a medlar grafted on a crab. One willmelt in your mouth, and t’other set your teeth onedge; one is all pulp, and the other all core.

MIRABELL So one will be rotten before he beripe, and the other will be rotten without everbeing ripe at all.

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False Wit

WITWOUD That’s hard, that’s very hard. Amessenger, a mule, a beast of burden, he hasbrought me a letter from the fool my brother, asheavy as a panegyric in a funeral sermon, or acopy of commendatory verses from one poet toanother. And what’s worse, ’tis as sure aforerunner of the author as an epistle dedicatory.

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MIRABELL A fool, and your brother, Witwoud!WITWOUD Aye, aye, my half brother. My half

brother he is, no nearer upon honor.MIRABELL Then ’tis possible he may be but half

a fool.WITWOUD Good, good, Mirabell, le drôle!

Good, good. Hang him, don’t let’s talk of him.

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PETULANT Explain? I know nothing.—Why,you have an uncle, have you not, lately come totown, and lodges by my Lady Wishfort’s

MIRABELL True.PETULANT Why, that’s enough.—You and he

are not friends; and if he should marry and havea child, you may be disinherited, ha?

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Act 2 Outline

Mrs. Fainall and Mrs. Marwood’s mutualdeceptions and probingsFainall and Mrs. Marwood’s quarrelMirabell and Mrs. Fainall’s talk abouttheir past and the former’s new plotMirabell, Witwoud the false wit, andMillamant the hard-to-get

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Act 2—St. James’s Park

* undercurrentsMRS. MARWOOD Certainly. To be free, I have

no taste of those insipid dry discourses withwhich our sex of force must entertain themselvesapart from men. We may affect endearments toeach other, profess eternal friendships, and seemto dote like lovers; but ’tis not in our nature longto persevere. Love will resume his empire in ourbreasts, and every heart, or soon or late, receiveand readmit him as its lawful tyrant.

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Battle of the Sex

MRS. FAINALL Bless me, how have I beendeceived! Why, you profess a libertine.

MRS. MARWOOD You see my friendship by myfreedom. Come, be as sincere, acknowledge thatyour sentiments agree with mine.

MRS. FAINALLL Never.MRS. MARWOOD You hate mankind?MRS. FAINALL Heartily, inveterately.

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MRS. MARWOOD Your husband?MRS. FAINALL Most transcendently; aye,

though I say it, meritoriously.MRS. MARWOOD Give me your hand

upon it.MRS. FAINALL There.MRS. MARWOOD I join with you. What I

have said has been to try you.

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Lovers’Quarrel

MRS. MARWOOD And wherewithal canyou reproach me?

FAINALL With infidelity, with lovinganother, with love of Mirabell.

MRS. MARWOOD ’Tis false. I challengeyou to show an instance that can confirmyour groundless accusation. I hate him.

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FAINALL And wherefore do you hate him?He is insensible, and your resentmentfollows his neglect. An instance! Theinjuries you have done him are a proof:your interposing in his love. What causehad you to make discoveries of hispretended passion? To undeceive thecredulous aunt, and be the officiousobstacle of his match with Millamant?

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MRS. MARWOOD And wherewithal canyou reproach me?

FAINALL With infidelity, with lovinganother, with love of Mirabell.

MRS. MARWOOD ’Tis false. I challengeyou to show an instance that can confirmyour groundless accusation. I hate him.

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FAINALL And wherefore do you hate him?He is insensible, and your resentmentfollows his neglect. An instance! Theinjuries you have done him are a proof:your interposing in his love. What causehad you to make discoveries of hispretended passion? To undeceive thecredulous aunt, and be the officiousobstacle of his match with Millamant?

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FAINALL Why, what will you do?MRS. MARWOOD Disclose it to your wife; own

what has passed between us.FAINALL Frenzy!MRS. MARWOOD By all my wrongs I’ll do’t—

I’ll publish to the world the injuries you havedone me, both in my fame and fortune: with bothI trusted you, you bankrupt in honor, as indigentof wealth.

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FAINALL Your fame I have preserved. Yourfortune has been bestowed as the prodigality ofyour love would have it, in pleasures which weboth have shared. Yet, had not you been false, Ihad e’er this repaid it.—’Tis true—had youpermitted Mirabell with Millamant to havestolen their marriage, my lady had been incensedbeyond all means of reconcilement: (NEXT)

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Millamant had forfeited the moiety of herfortune, which then would have descendedto my wife—and wherefore did I marry,but to make lawful prize of a rich widow’swealth, and squander it on love and you?

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Mirabell the “Reformed Rake”

MRS. FAINALL You have been the cause that Ihave loved without bounds, and would you setlimits to that aversion, of which you have been theoccasion? Why did you make me marry this man?

MIRABELL Why do we daily commit disagreeableand dangerous actions? To save that idol,reputation. If the familiarities of our loves hadproduced that consequence, of which you wereapprehensive, where could you have fixed afather’s name with credit, but on a husband?(NEXT)

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I knew Fainall to be a man lavish of his morals,an interested and professing friend, a false and adesigning lover; yet one whose wit and outwardfair behavior have gained a reputation with thetown, enough to make that woman stand excusedwho has suffered herself to be won by hisaddresses. A better man ought not to have beensacrificed to the occasion; a worse had notanswered to the purpose. When you are wearyof him, you know your remedy.

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MIRABELL Waitwell and Foible. I wouldnot tempt my servant to betray me bytrusting him too far. If your mother, inhopes to ruin me, should consent to marrymy pretended uncle, he might, like Moscain The Fox, stand upon terms; so I madehim sure beforehand.

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MRS. FAINALL So, if my poor mother iscaught in a contract, you will discover theimposture betimes; and release her byproducing a certificate of her gallant’sformer marriage.

MIRABELL Yes, upon condition that sheconsent to my marriage with her niece,and surrender the moiety of her fortune inher possession.

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Mirabell and Millamant Meeting

MIRABELL Here she comes, i’faith, full sail, withher fan spread and streamers out, and a shoal offools for tenders.—Ha, no, I cry her mercy.

MRS. FAINALL I see but one poor empty sculler,and he tows her woman after him.

MIRABELL You seem to be unattended,madam.—You used to have the beau mondethrong after you; and a flock of gay fine perukeshovering round you.

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False Wit

WITWOUD Like moths about a candle—I hadlike to have lost my comparison for want ofbreath.

MILLAMANT O, I have denied myself airs today.I have walked as fast through the crowd—

WITWOUD As a favorite just disgraced; and withas few followers.

MILLAMANT Dear Mr. Witwoud, truce withyour similitudes: For I am as sick of ’em—

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WITWOUD As a physician of a good air—Icannot help it, madam, though ’tis againstmyself.

MILLAMANT Yet again! Mincing, standbetween me and his wit.

WITWOUD Do, Mrs. Mincing, like ascreen before a great fire. I confess I doblaze today, I am too bright.

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MIRABELL Aye, aye, suffer your crueltyto ruin the object of your power, to destroyyour lover.—And then how vain, how losta thing you’ll be! Nay, ’tis true: you areno longer handsome when you’ve lostyour lover; your beauty dies upon theinstant: for beauty is the lover’s gift […].

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Millamant’s Wit

MILLAMANT O, the vanity of these men!Fainall, d’ye hear him? If they did not commendus, we were not handsome! Now you mustknow they could not commend one, if one wasnot handsome. Beauty the lover’s gift?—Lord,what is a lover that it can give? Why, one makeslovers as fast as one pleases, and they live aslong as one pleases, and they die as soon as onepleases, and then if one pleases one makes more.

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WITWOUD Very pretty. Why, you makeno more of making of lovers, madam, thanof making so many card-matches.

MILLAMANT One no more owes one’sbeauty to a lover than one’s wit to an echo.

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Plot Suspected

MIRABELL Stand off, sir, not a penny. Go onand prosper, Foible. The lease shall be madegood and the farm stocked if we succeed.

FOIBLE I don’t question your generosity, sir.And you need not doubt of success. If you haveno more commands, sir, I’ll be gone; I’m suremy lady is at her toilet, and can’t dress till Icome. O dear, I’m sure that [Looking out.] wasMrs. Marwood that went by in a mask; if she hasseen me with you I’m sure she’ll tell my lady

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Waitwell’s New Status

WAITWELL Why, sir, it will beimpossible I should remember myself—married, knighted, and attended all in oneday! ’Tis enough to make any man forgethimself. The difficult will be how torecover my acquaintance and familiaritywith my former self; and fall from mytransformation to a reformation into

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Waitwell. Nay, I shan’t be quite the sameWaitwell neither—for now I remember me,I’m married and can’t be my own managain.

Aye, there’s my grief; that’s the sadchange of life;

To lose my title, and yet keep my wife.

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Act 3 Outline

Lady Wishfort’s waiting for Sir RowlandMrs. Marwood’s discovery of Foible’streacheryMillamant’s songMrs. Marwood and Fainall’s plot to getLady Wishfort’s inheritance

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Act 3—A Room inLADY WISHFORT’S House* Some Awareness of the Undercurrents

LADY WISHFORT at her toilet, PEG waiting.LADY WISHFORT Merciful, no news of Foible

yet?PEG No, madam.LADY WISHFORT I have no more patience. If I

have not fretted myself till I am pale again,there’s no veracity in me. (NEXT)

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Fetch me the red—the red, do you hear,sweetheart? An errant ash color, as I’m aperson. Look you how this wench stirs!Why dost thou not fetch me a little red?Didst thou not hear me, mopus?

PEG The red ratafia does your ladyshipmean, or the cherry brandy?

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LADY WISHFORT Ratafia, fool. No, fool.Not the ratafia, fool. Grant me patience! Imean the Spanish paper, idiot—complexion, darling. Paint, paint, paint,dost thou understand that, changeling,dangling thy hands like bobbins beforethee? Why dost thou not stir, puppet?Thou wooden thing upon wires.

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MRS. MARWOOD O madam, you cannot suspectMrs. Foible’s integrity.

LADY WISHFORT O, he carries poison in histongue that would corrupt integrity itself. If shehas given him an opportunity, she has as good asput her integrity into his hands. Ah dearMarwood, what’s integrity to an opportunity?Hark! I hear her—dear friend, retire into mycloset, that I may examine her with morefreedom. (NEXT)

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Collier’s “Short View of the Stage”

You’ll pardon me, dear friend, I can makebold with you. There are books over thechimney—Quarles and Prynne, and theShort View of the Stage, with Bunyan’sworks to entertain you.

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Lady Wishfort’s Waiting

FOIBLE Your ladyship has frowned a little toorashly, indeed, madam. There are some cracksdiscernible in the white varnish.

LADY WISHFORT Let me see the glass.—Cracks, say’st thou? Why I am arrantly flayed—I look like an old peeled wall. Thou must repairme, Foible, before Sir Rowland comes, or I shallnever keep to my picture.

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Mrs. Marwood’s Plot

MRS. MARWOOD Methinks Mrs.Millamant and he [Sir Witwoud, nephewto Lady Wishfort] would make a very fitmatch. He may travel afterwards. ’Tis athing very usual with young gentlemen.

LADY WISHFORT I promise you I havethought on’t—and since ’tis yourjudgment, I’ll think on’t again.

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Millamant’s Song

Love’s but the frailty of the mind,When ’tis not with ambition joined;A sickly flame, which if not fed expires;And feeding, wastes in self-consumingfires…………………………………………

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Then I alone the conquest prize,When I insult a rival’s eyes;If there’s delight in love, ’tis when I seeThat heart which others bleed for, bleedfor me.

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Fainall and Mrs. Marwood’s Plot

FAINALL The means, the means.MRS. MARWOOD Discover to my lady your

wife’s conduct; threaten to part with her.—Mylady loves her and will come to any compositionto save her reputation. Take the opportunity ofbreaking it, just upon the discovery of thisimposture. My lady will be enraged beyondbounds and sacrifice niece and fortune and all atthat conjuncture. And let me alone to keep herwarm; if she should flag in her part, I will notfail to prompt her.

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FAINALL So, so, why this point’s clear. Well,how do we proceed?

MRS MARWOOD I will contrive a letter whichshall be delivered to my lady at the time whenthat rascal who is to act Sir Rowland is with her.It shall come as from an unknown hand—for theless I appear to know of the truth, the better I canplay the incendiary. Besides, I would not haveFoible provoked if I could help it, because youknow she knows some passages—nay, I expectall will come out. But let the mine be sprungfirst, and then I care not if I am discovered.

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FAINALL If the worst come to the worst,I’ll turn my wife to grass—I have alreadya deed of settlement of the best part of herestate, which I wheedled out of her; andthat you shall partake at least.

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Act 4 Outline

Millamant brooding Suckling’s poems.Sir Wilfull not suiting MillamantMillamant and Mirabell’s contractMrs. Marwood’s letter

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Act 4—A Room inLADY WISHFORT’S House* Contrast: Millamant, Mirabell/ Lady Wishfort,

Sir WilfullMILLAMANT [Repeating.]

I swear it will not do its part,Though thou dost thine, employ’st thy power and art.Natural easy Suckling!SIR WILFULL [WITWOUD] Anan? Suckling?

No such suckling neither, cousin, nor stripling: Ithank heaven I’m no minor.

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Sir Wilfull Paying Court toMillamant

MILLAMANT Ah rustic, ruder than Gothic.SIR WILFULL Well, well, I shall

understand your lingo one of these days,cousin. In the meanwhile I must answer inplain English.

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The Marriage Contract

MILLAMANT Positively, Mirabell, I’ll lie abed ina morning as early as I please.

MIRABELL Then I’ll get up in a morning as earlyas I please.

MILLAMANT Ah! Idle creature, get up whenyou will—And d’ye hear, I won’t be callednames after I’m married; positively I won’t becalled names.

MIRABELL Names!>>NEXT

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MILLAMANT Ay, as wife, spouse, mydear, joy, jewel, love, sweetheart, and therest of that nauseous cant, in which menand their wives are so fulsomelyfamiliar—I shall never bear that—GoodMirabell, don’t let us be familiar or fond,no kiss before folks, like my Lady Fadlerand Sir Francis: (NEXT)

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nor go to Hyde Park together the first Sunday ina new chariot, to provoke eyes and whispers; andthen never to be seen there together again; as ifwe were proud of one another the first week, andashamed of one another ever after. Lt us nevervisit together, nor go to a play together, but let usbe very strange and well bred: let us be asstrange as if we had been married a great while;and as well bred as if we were not married at all.

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MIRABELL Item, I article, that you continue tolike your own face as long as I shall; and while itpasses current with me, that you endeavor not tonew coin it. To which end, together with allvizards for the say, I prohibit all masks for thenight […]. Item, I shut my doors against allbards with baskets, and pennyworths of muslin,china […].

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MIRABELL I denounce against all straitlacing, squeezing for a shape, till you moldmy boy’s head like a sugar loaf; andinstead of a man-child […].

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Act 5 Outline

Foible and Mincing revealingFainall’s demandMirabell’s solution

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Act 5—A Room inLADY WISHFORT’S House*Appearance and RealityLADY WISHFORT O my dear friend, how can I

enumerate the benefit that I have received fromyour goodness? To you I owe the timelydiscovery of the false vows of Mirabell; to you Iowe the detection of the imposter Sir Rowland.And now you are become an intercessor with myson-in-law, to save the honor of my house, andcompound for the frailties of my daughter.

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Fainall’s DemandFAINALL O, if you are prescribed marriage, you

shall be considered; I will only reserve to myselfthe power to choose for you. […]. Next, mywife shall settle on me the remainder of herfortune not made over already; and for hermaintenance depend entirely on my discretion.[…]. Lastly, I will be endowed, in right of mywife, with that six thousand pound, which is themoiety of Mrs. Millamant’s fortune in yourpossession; and which she has forfeited […] byher disobedience […].

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Mirabell’s Revelation

MIRABELL Mr. Fainall, it is now time thatyou should know that your lady, while shewas at her own disposal, and before youhad by your insinuations wheedled her outof a pretended settlement of the greatestpart of her fortune—

FAINALL Sir! Pretended!>>NEXT

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MIRABELL Yes, sir. I say that this lady while awidow, having, it seems received some cautionsrespecting your inconstancy and tyranny oftemper, which from her own partial opinion andfondness of you she could never havesuspected—she did, I say, by the wholesomeadvice of friends and of sages learned in the lawsof this land, deliver this same as her act and deedto me in trust, and to the uses within mentioned[…].

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Question 1

After Foible has exposed thelove affair between Mrs.Marwood and Fainall, Fainallsays, “If it must all come out, whylet ’em know it, ’tis but the way ofthe world.” What does Fainallmean by “the way of the world”?

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Question 2

The “proviso” scene betweenMirabell and Millamant is famous.In which ways does their provisoreact against the way of the world?What are their concepts ofmarriage?

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Question 3

Is Congreve’s The Way of theWorld moral or immoral?

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Question 4

What is the function of wit in this play?

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Question 5

Can you analyze the characters in terms ofthe discrepancy between appearance andreality?

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Question 6

Mirabell is a “reformed rake”. What doesthat mean? Can you find examples in thetext?

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Question 7

Why is Lady Wishfort so repulsive?

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Question 8

What is the significance of the classinversions in the play ( such as Waitwellbecoming a knight)?

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Question 9

How might the design of the theater affectthe staging and acting of this play?