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:
He'll
not instruct, lest it should give offence.
Should he by chance a knave or fool
expose,
That hurts none here, sure here are none of
those.
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