The Way of The World

The Way of the
World
Study Guide by Course Hero
What's Inside d In Context
j Book Basics ................................................................................................. 1

Restoration Period
d In Context ..................................................................................................... 1
The Way of the World was written during England's Restoration
a Author Biography ..................................................................................... 2 period, which lasted from approximately 1660 to 1700. This
period of British history began with the return of the exiled
h Characters .................................................................................................. 3
Stuart King, King Charles II (1630-85), to the English throne
k Plot Summary ............................................................................................. 6 after a short revolutionary period of Puritan, parliamentary rule.
During parliamentary rule, secular entertainment had been
c Chapter Summaries ............................................................................... 11 disapproved of and frowned upon, and most theaters closed.
When King Charles returned from exile in France, however, he
g Quotes ........................................................................................................ 30
brought back with him a love of entertainment and leisure, two
l Symbols ..................................................................................................... 32 fascinations of the upper-class characters in The Way of the

World. During the Restoration Period, scholars and artists were
m Themes ...................................................................................................... 33 interested in reason, a characteristic they believed separated
humans from animals. Many artists acknowledged human
reason through satire, identifying a societal problem and
inspecting it through the lens of satirical humor and, often,
j Book Basics ridicule. However, it's important to note that The Way of the
World was written after the immediate overreaction to the
AUTHOR imposed conservatism. By then, the celebratory debauchery
William Congreve and overreaction of the Restoration had waned, welcoming
back order and etiquette within reason.
FIRST PERFORMED
1700
GENRE
Comedy of Manners
Comedy
The Way of the World is a quintessential example of a comedy
ABOUT THE TITLE of manners. This type of comedy emerged during the
The Way of the World is a quote from Act 5, Scene 13. The Restoration Period, satirizing the strict social graces of the
quote and title reference the way in which the play holds up a upper class. Comedies of manners typically rely on witty
mirror to society. In particular, The Way of the World argues dialogue rather than physical action occurring within a
that money may be necessary for life, but excessive greed for progressing plotline. Indeed, nearly all of The Way of the World
it can destroy lives and relationships. happens while the players stand still. Another important
element is over-the-top portrayals of the characteristics of
upper-class life. Characters in a comedy of manners may be
The Way of the World Study Guide Author Biography 2
excessively greedy, hypocritical, vain, foolish, or deceitful. and intrigue.

Congreve takes it a step further by actually giving his
characters names that reflect their flaws. The Way of the
World sees characters named Witwoud (meaning "dim-witted"),
a Author Biography
Foible, Petulant, and Wilfull. Other characteristics readers
might use to identify a comedy of manners include:
jokes based on sexual humor or double entendre in which Early Life and Education
the same words have different and often improper
secondary levels of meaning English dramatist William Congreve (1670–1729) was born on
complicated plots, schemes, and deceit January 24, 1670, in Leeds, England, to parents William
plots surrounding extramarital affairs or other sexual Congreve and Mary Browning. Congreve's father, a soldier,
intrigue was given a commission in Youghal, Ireland, which is where
one-dimensional or "stock" characters: the hero, the fool, young Congreve grew up. After his father was transferred to
the villain, etc. Carrickfergus, William attended Kilkenny boys' school and later
exaggerated physical or emotional traits. Trinity College in Dublin, where he befriended famed author
and fellow satirist Jonathan Swift (1667–1745). Sometime
around 1690, Congreve's father was sent to Staffordshire in
London Locales England's West Midlands, and the future playwright enrolled as
a barrister to study law at the Middle Temple, an exclusive
The setting for many scenes in The Way of the World give society in London. The Middle Temple is one of the four Inns of
great insight into the decadent life of the upper class in the Court, which are four institutions specializing in legal training
17th century. and education, dating back to antiquity, or before the Middle
Ages (c. 500–1000). Congreve didn't excel at law, preferring to
Chocolate Houses: In the 17th century, chocolate trade
pass his time writing dramatic parodies, including the romantic
reached Europe, but the commodity was so expensive that
comedy Incognita (1692), which he published under the pen
only the elite could afford to sample it. Chocolate houses
name "Cleophil."
were visited solely by members of the upper class who
could afford such luxury. Only men visited chocolate
houses, which functioned as gentleman's clubs: guests
discussed politics, gambled, and even fraternized with
Literary Career
prostitutes. One chocolate house was so debauched that it
Congreve staged his first play, The Old Bachelor, at the
was referred to as "the most fashionable hell in London."
Theatre Royal in London in 1693. The play was a smash
St. James's Park: This public park is bordered by
success and rocketed Congreve to sudden fame. His follow-
Buckingham Palace in London. King Henry VIII (1491-1547)
up, The Double Dealer (1693), flopped, but his third play, Love
purchased it in the 16th century as a deer park. Shortly after
for Love (1695), secured his reputation as a powerhouse
King Charles II ascended the throne in the mid-17th century,
English playwright. With a promise to write a new play every
the park was opened to the public. King Charles II frequently
year, Congreve became a manager of the Lincoln's Inn Fields
met with his mistress, Nell Gwyn, there, and it became
theatre in 1695. Congreve failed to write a play a year,
known as a place of sex and lechery. John Wilmot
however, staging only two more of his own productions, The
(1647-80), 2nd Earl of Rochester, described the debauched
Mourning Bride (1697), a drama, and The Way of the World
setting in his infamous R-rated poem "A Ramble in St
(1700), a comedy. Although The Way of the World remains
James's Park" (1661).
Congreve's best-loved and most frequently revived play,
Cabal Nights: "Cabal," which directly translates as "a secret
audiences initially panned it. Congreve later wrote librettos for
plot," comes from the French word cabale, meaning,
two operas and helped translate a French play for the English
"intrigue." Cabal nights were evenings where guests met in
stage, but he never attempted to write a play again. Around the
secret to gossip and scheme. These cliques often plotted
same time, English critic Jeremy Collierhad published a tract, A
ways to gain social power, often through lies, manipulation,
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The Way of the World Study Guide Characters 3
Short View of the Immorality and Profaneness of the English

Stage (1698), criticizing Congreve and his contemporaries for h Characters
their "profane" comedies. This might have contributed to
Congreve's self-imposed creative exile.
Mirabell
Personal Life and Death In a complicated play with multiple subplots and schemes,
most of the action surrounds Mirabell and his quest to win
After his retreat from theatrical life, Congreve lived out the rest
Millamant's hand in marriage. For this reason, he might be
of his life on funds from his inheritance and royalties from his
viewed as the play's protagonist. Young, handsome, and
plays. He worked briefly for the Civil Service and as a wine
charming, Mirabell draws the affection of nearly every woman
commissioner. He continued to write, although he preferred
in the play: Mrs. Marwood, Mrs. Fainall, Millamant, and Lady
poetry and scholarly articles over comedies. His social circle
Wishfort. His womanizing ways create complications when he
reached far and wide, including everyone from former
wants to settle down with Millamant, particularly because his
schoolmates to famous writers of the time. Although Congreve
flirtation offends Millamant's aunt, Lady Wishfort. He must
never married, he was rumored to have long romances with
concoct an elaborate plan to trick Lady Wishfort into agreeing
actress Anne Bracegirdle (1671-1748) and the second duchess
to his engagement.
of Marlborough, Henrietta Godolphin (1681-1733). Most
scholars believe Congreve to be the father of Godolphin's
daughter, Lady Mary Godolphin (1723-64), who would later be
the duchess of Leeds. He died on January 19, 1729, from
Lady Wishfort
wounds sustained after his carriage overturned. He was 58
Lady Wishfort is in some ways a grotesque representation of
years old. Congreve was buried in Westminster Abbey, and a
traditional society. She values her reputation above all else and
monument was erected in his honor.
believes her beauty to be her only offering to a man. Although
she claims to hate men, she's actually desperate for romance,
which explains her vengeful attitude toward Mirabell for
Legacy leading her on and her desperate attempts to woo Sir
Rowland. Lady Wishfort doesn't know whom to trust, lashing
Although Congreve had a brief period of literary creativity, his
out at those who love her and believing the lies of those who
influence was strong in the development of comedies of
deceive her. At the end of the play, she commits one of the
manners, plays that had less emphasis on plot and more on
play's only acts of true love in her willingness to hand over her
satirical observations of the contemporary morals and
fortune to protect her daughter's reputation.
exaggerated behaviors of the upper classes. He is attributed
with such famous quotations as "music has charms to soothe
the savage beast." His most popular play, The Way of the
World, recognized for its originality, subtlety, and craft, has
Millamant
inspired many modern-day performances and modernized
Millamant represents the more modern woman of the
adaptations. Centuries later, to rave reviews, critics, such as
Restoration Period. She's witty, beautiful, and independent.
Michael Billington of The Guardian and Sam Marlowe of The
Millamant enjoys the attention of her various suitors and won't
Stage, note that the play is "wonderfully fresh," crisp and funny,
give up her independence to marry anyone. Before she agrees
a "comic masterpiece" with "wicked wit."
to Mirabell's proposal, she creates a long list of terms he must
agree to. At the end of the play, Millamant does end up
engaged to Mirabell, but she also accepts Sir Wilfull's proposal
in an attempt to secure her inheritance. This act suggests that
money is more important to Millamant than love is.

Fainall
Fainall is a classic villain. As the play progresses, his character
goes from bad, to worse, to monstrous in his unyielding pursuit
of money and power. He starts out having an affair with Mrs.
Marwood (bad). He then tries to blackmail his mother-in-law
out of her fortune (worse). When that fails, he tries to beat his
wife (monstrous).
Mrs. Fainall
Mrs. Fainall experiences deep character growth as the play
progresses. She eventually dismisses the traditional views of
her wifely role and embraces the new independence of the
Restoration Period. At the start of the play, Mrs. Fainall toils in
a loveless marriage, secretly pining for her old lover, Mirabell.
As Fainall's terrible treatment intensifies, Mrs. Fainall realizes
she must make more of her own happiness rather than wait for
a man to offer it. She ends the play by reclaiming her name,
Arabella, and telling her husband that she despises him.
Mrs. Marwood
Mrs. Marwood is Fainall's lover. She plots against Mirabell
throughout the play as revenge for her unrequited love. Mrs.
Marwood has as much wit and beauty as Millamant, but she
uses these characteristics to exploit others. She takes what
she wants from others until she's finally discovered and
expelled at the end of the play.

Character Map
Millamant
Independent, attractive
aristocrat
Aunt and
guardian
Mrs. Marwood Lovers

Lady Wishfort
Untrustworthy friend Wealthy older woman
Plots
against
Antagonists
Mirabell
Lovers Desirable and foolish Aunt
young man
Rivals
Fainall Former Sir Wilfull

Greedy villain lovers Drunken country bumpkin
Spouses
Mother
Mrs. Fainall
Kind-hearted friend and wife
Main Character
Other Major Character
Minor Character

The Way of the World Study Guide Plot Summary 6
Full Character List Sir Rowland is Mirabell's wealthy uncle.

However, the real Sir Rowland does not
Sir Rowland appear in the play. Waitwell, as part of
Mirabell's scheme to trick Lady
Character Description
Wishfort, pretends to be Sir Rowland.
Mirabell is a handsome, desirable "fop,"

Sir Wilfull is Lady Wishfort's drunken,
Mirabell or fool, who concocts an elaborate plot
country bumpkin nephew who makes a
to win the hand of his love, Millamant. Sir Wilfull
play for Millamant's hand to secure her
inheritance.
Lady Wishfort is a wealthy older woman,
Lady Wishfort desperate for romantic attention and
Waitwell is Mirabell's valet who pretends
prone to dramatics. Waitwell
to be Sir Rowland to woo Lady Wishfort.
Millamant is the highly sought-after

Witwoud is one of Millamant's many
upper-class niece of Lady Wishfort. Witwoud admirers. He is also Sir Wilfull's half
Millamant Millamant will not receive her brother.
inheritance until she marries a man her
aunt approves of.
Fainall
Fainall is the play's villain. He tries to
swindle Lady Wishfort and Millamant k Plot Summary
out of their fortunes, which he plans to
spend on his mistress, Mrs. Marwood.
Mrs. Fainall is Lady Wishfort's Who Loves Whom?

Mrs. Fainall kindhearted daughter who is married to
Fainall. The Way of the World is a comedy about deception, greed, and
love. The play opens with a scene of two fashionable young
Mrs. Marwood, a friend of Lady men, Mirabell and Fainall, playing cards at a chocolate house.
Mrs.
Wishfort, is having an affair with Fainall,
Marwood Mirabell is distracted, waiting for a particular bride and groom
Lady Wishfort's son-in-law.
to return. As the play progresses, it is revealed that Mirabell
loves Millamant, the debutante niece of the aristocratic and
Betty is a servant at the chocolate
Betty eccentric Lady Wishfort. Lady Wishfort controls Millamant's
house.
fortune and will not hand it over until Millamant has married a
Foible is Lady Wishfort's maid who man Lady Wishfort approves of. In his eagerness to impress
Foible marries Waitwell as part of Mirabell's Lady Wishfort and earn her approval, Mirabell became overly
plot. flirtatious, leading Lady Wishfort to think he desired her,
despite her age, instead of Millamant. When the truth was
Mincing is Millamant's maid who helps revealed, Lady Wishfort felt so embarrassed she refused to
Mincing reveal the true plots at the end of the
play. agree to Mirabell's engagement to Millamant. Now, Mirabell has
hatched a plot to force Lady Wishfort to agree to the
Petulant is one of Millamant's many engagement.

admirers. Terribly vain and dim-witted,
Petulant
Petulant provides many of the play's
most comedic moments.
Plots and Counterplots
Mirabell's plan is to put his valet, Waitwell, in costume and
pretend he is Sir Rowland, Mirabell's wealthy uncle. As Sir
Rowland, Waitwell will woo Lady Wishfort and propose to her.

Before the actual wedding, however, Mirabell will reveal the

truth and promise not to humiliate Lady Wishfort by making the More Plots and Revelations
facts public if she agrees to his engagement to Millamant. To
prevent Waitwell from double-crossing him and actually going While Lady Wishfort considers her options, Millamant secretly
through with the marriage, Mirabell arranges for him to marry agrees to marry Sir Wilfull to save her inheritance. Mirabell
Foible, Lady Wishfort's maid, beforehand. This is the happy plots a new way to win Millamant, which he reveals with the
couple Mirabell awaits on the day he plays cards with Fainall. help of Foible and Mincing, two maids who witnessed Fainall
and Mrs. Marwood's affair. When Fainall returns to demand
At the same time, Fainall, who is married to Lady Wishfort's Lady Wishfort's agreement to his terms, Millamant and Sir
daughter, is having an affair with Mrs. Marwood, Lady Wilfull reveal their engagement. The maids also reveal Fainall
Wishfort's friend. They hatch their own plot to reveal Mirabell's and Mrs. Marwood's affair. Lady Wishfort and Mrs. Fainall kick
plan and secure the inheritance money for themselves. The the villains out of their house, and Lady Wishfort agrees to
key detail of this plan is the information that while she was break the engagement between Millamant and Sir Wilfull so
widowed and before she married Fainall, Mrs. Fainall had a Millamant can marry Mirabell.
romantic fling with Mirabell. Fainall believes this information
would ruin Mrs. Fainall's—and by extension Lady
Wishfort's—reputation, so he plans to blackmail Lady Wishfort.
Their conversation further reveals that Mirabell chose Fainall
to marry Lady Wishfort's daughter to protect her should she
become pregnant from their romantic affair. Even after their
affair ended and the Fainalls were married, Mrs. Fainall and
Mirabell remain close friends, which is unusual since she is
married to someone else.
Proposals and Revelations

That afternoon, Mirabell visits Millamant and proposes to her.
She accepts, despite the fact that Lady Wishfort has arranged
for her to marry her cousin, the drunken country bumpkin Sir
Wilfull. "Sir Rowland" arrives, and although she had originally
planned to welcome Sir Rowland as a suitor for her niece, Lady
Wishfort basically throws herself at him once he shows the
slightest interest. (Remember: Sir Rowland is actually Waitwell
and has been put up to flirting with Lady Wishfort at Mirabell's
request.) After overhearing the truth of Mirabell's plot while
hiding in the closet and spying on Mrs. Fainall, Mrs. Marwood
and Fainall set off to reveal the truth, humiliating everyone. At
first, it seems their plan will work. Fainall reveals Sir Rowland's
true identity, mortifying Lady Wishfort. Fainall also reveals the
truth about Mrs. Fainall's previous romance with Mirabell,
promising to divorce his wife and soil the family reputation
unless Lady Wishfort transfers over her wealth, her daughter's
fortune, and Millamant's inheritance to him.

Plot Diagram
Climax
Rising Action 4 Falling Action

6
3
2 7
1
Resolution
Introduction
Falling Action
Introduction
6. Millamant agrees to marry Wilfull to save her inheritance.
1. Mirabell and Mrs. Fainall plot against Lady Wishfort.
Resolution
Rising Action
7. Mirabell wins Millamant's hand in marriage.
2. Mrs. Marwood overhears Mirabell's plan.
3. Mirabell and Millamant get engaged.
4. Mrs. Marwood's letter about Sir Rowland arrives.
Climax
5. Lady Wishfort learns that she has been deceived.

Timeline of Events
Before the play begins
Mirabell and Mrs. Fainall have an affair.
Soon after
Mirabell arranges for Arabella (Mrs. Fainall) and Fainall to

marry.
Around the same time
Mirabell offends Lady Wishfort.
Start of play, morning
Mirabell and Fainall play cards at the chocolate shop.
Shortly after
Mirabell reveals his plan to Mrs. Fainall.
1:00 p.m.
Foible and Waitwell return from their wedding.
Later that afternoon
Mrs. Marwood hides in the closet.
At the same time
Sir Wilfull arrives.
Early evening
Lady Wishfort tries to woo Sir Rowland, who is actually

Waitwell in disguise.
After dinner
Lady Wishfort discovers the truth.
Soon after
Mirabell pleads for forgiveness.
That night

Sir Rowland arrives with the deed to Mrs. Fainall's

fortune.
Soon after
The villains are expelled.

The Way of the World Study Guide Chapter Summaries 11
Act 1, Scene 3
c Chapter Summaries
Fainall returns and asks Mirabell why he's so pleased. Mirabell
The Way of the World has five acts and 65 scenes. For the admits being "engaged in a matter of some sort of mirth," but
purpose of summary and analysis, this guide groups scenes doesn't reveal what. He asks Fainall whether he's jealous of his
together, ranging from two to six scenes per section. wife's participation in the cabal nights. Fainall says he has
nothing to be jealous of because it's mostly women, and the
few men who join are too "contemptible" to draw scandal.
Act 1, Scenes 1–5 Mirabell disagrees, saying "a woman who is not a fool can have
but one reason for associating with a man who is." Fainall
counters by asking whether Mirabell is jealous of the attention
Summary Millamant shows Witwoud and Petulant, her other suitors.
Mirabell claims to "like her for all her faults." He expounds
romantically, listing all his reasons for loving her—including her
Act 1, Scene 1 imperfections. Fainall tells Mirabell to marry her.
Two handsome, fashionable men, Mirabell and Fainall, sit in the

drawing room of a chocolate house playing cards. Fainall is Act 1, Scene 4
annoyed by Mirabell's reserved mood and presumes that
A messenger arrives with a letter for Witwoud. Betty directs
Mirabell fought with his love interest, Millamant (also Fainall's
him to the next room.
cousin), the previous night. Mirabell admits that when he
arrived at the "cabal" night, both Millamant and her "evil genius"
aunt, Lady Wishfort, asked him to leave. Mirabell feels further
Act 1, Scene 5
annoyed that even though the parties are little more than
women's gossip sessions, some men, including Petulant and Mirabell and Fainall gossip about Sir Wilfull, Lady Wishfort's
Witwoud, have been allowed to attend. When Mirabell showed nephew. Sir Wilfull is "above forty" but still wants to better
up, the women "put on their grave faces, whispered one himself through travel, which the young men mock. Fainall
another ... [and] fell into a profound silence." Mirabell and describes Sir Wilfull as a country bumpkin who's "as loving as
Fainall discuss why Lady Wishfort dislikes Mirabell as a suitor [a] monster" when drunk. Mirabell agrees that Sir Wilfull's best
for her niece, Millamant, whose fortune she controls. To quality is that he accepts every affront as if it were a joke,
conceal his love for Millamant, Mirabell had flattered Millamant viewing "downright rudeness" as "satire."
and Wishfort equally. Embarrassed to have been fooled,
Wishfort now retaliates by thwarting Mirabell's advances
toward Millamant. Mirabell further suggests that Mrs. Marwood Analysis
works to foil his romance with Millamant.
The main purpose of these opening scenes is to set the stage
for the action to come. The primary conflict of the play
Act 1, Scene 2 revolves around Lady Wishfort's disproval of Millamant and
Mirabell's relationship. As a charming, handsome bachelor,
Mirabell asks a servant whether "the grand affair" is over. He
Mirabell overplayed his hand by flirting too much with Lady
appears to be talking about the wedding of his valet, Waitwell.
Wishfort, leading her to believe he actually loved her. When she
The servant states that the couple is "married and bedded,"
discovered the truth, she was so embarrassed that she banned
and he has brought the marriage certificate as proof. He also
him as a suitor for anyone in the house, including her niece,
says that the tailor has delivered the clothes for Waitwell that
Millamant. Lady Wishfort's dramatic reaction not only
Mirabell ordered. Before he dismisses the servant, Mirabell
characterizes her as a drama queen; it also hints at the
asks him to deliver a secret message to the newlyweds to
importance of reputation during England's Restoration Period.
meet him at Rosamond's pond.
The Way of the World is a comedy of manners, a timely piece

that pokes fun at high society's etiquette and rules, which are
dutifully followed by the upper class to preserve their Act 1, Scenes 6–9
reputation and control the way the others view them. Lady
Wishfort wasn't brokenhearted about Mirabell's lack of love for
her. She was embarrassed that people would view her as an Summary
eager, foolish older woman. Her reputation was damaged, so
she lashed out, which motivates the action of the play.
Act 1, Scene 6
Further evidence of the importance of reputation comes with
the introduction of Sir Wilfull's character. As Lady Wishfort's Sir Wilfull's half-brother, Witwoud, arrives, complaining about
nephew, Sir Wilfull could enjoy some version of an aristocratic his "fool" brother. Witwoud asks Fainall about his marriage to
life, but he prefers to live by simpler means. Mirabell and Fainall "the best woman in the world." Fainall claims Witwoud's
gossip brutally about Sir Wilfull, calling him a country bumpkin compliments might make him "vain or jealous," and Mirabell
who is beneath them and a fool for wanting to better himself suggests Witwoud check with Mrs. Fainall before
through travel. Similarly, by the end of this section, it's clear complimenting the marriage. Witwoud gasps at Mirabell's
Mirabell and Fainall are not friends. Just as they are cheekiness. The conversation turns to Witwoud's friend
competitors in card games, they will "compete" to win Petulant, who is out on the town spending the money he won
Millamant's inheritance. In these early scenes the men ask at cards. Mirabell and Fainall tease Witwoud, saying he can't
prodding questions and make innuendoes in an attempt to have both wit and fortune. Witwoud defends Petulant, calling
garner information about each other. The expectation of social him honest and "pretty." Eventually, Witwoud agrees that
niceties and the need to follow the rules of etiquette prevent Petulant will "lie like a chambermaid," often telling farfetched
the men from asking pertinent questions outright, so they must lies only because he's too dimwitted to think of clever ones.
mask their questions using sarcasm and wit to move the play
along.
Act 1, Scene 7
These early scenes also help characterize society at the time.
The main players belong to the aristocratic upper class, and A coachman asks whether Petulant is available, claiming three
they maintain their daily lives through the service of their staff, women in a coach want to see him. Fainall remarks, "O brave
including ladies' maids like Foible and Mincing and valets like Petulant! Three!" The coachman requests soothing cinnamon
Waitwell. Men and women often spend their social time water and chocolates for the waiting women.
separately, as with the men playing cards at the chocolate
house and the women meeting for gossip sessions on cabal
nights. "Cabals" are secret meetings where plots are hatched, Act 1, Scene 8
but the women meet to discuss the "murdered" reputations of
fellow society members, once again highlighting the Witwoud suggests that the three women waiting in the
importance of reputation during the Restoration Period. carriage have been hired by Petulant himself, claiming Petulant
pays the women to follow him around town requesting his
The popularity of cabals—Mirabell feels offended not to be company. He goes on to claim that Petulant concocts various
included—highlights the general importance of intrigue in the plots to make himself look more popular, saying that Petulant
play. Characters wear masks, hide their identities, and plot would slip away from the chocolate house "as soon as your
against each other to jockey for better positions within strict back was turned," run back to his lodging, put on a disguise,
social expectations. When Fainall suggests he needn't be then return to the chocolate house and "call for himself,"
jealous of male attendants at cabal nights because they're too sometimes even leaving a letter for himself. Mirabell delights in
stupid to pose him any threat, Mirabell warns that "the greater Petulant's "extraordinary" behavior.
the coxcomb, always the more the scandal," suggesting the
ever presence of manipulation and rumor. Essentially, Mirabell
is saying it wouldn't surprise him if the men feigned ignorance
to get what they want: time alone with beautiful women.

he is clearly no match for Mirabell. Similarly, Petulant's

Act 1, Scene 9
ridiculous ploys to make himself appear popular and
Petulant enters, making a grand show of dismissing the women promiscuous offer comparison for audiences to appreciate the
even if they "snivel and cry" in the carriage. The other men sophistication of Mirabell's schemes.
tease Petulant for his cruelty, and Petulant snaps back that the
Scenes 7–9 present a comedic scene of Petulant trying to fool
women were actually Witwoud's family—his cousins Mrs.
his friends into thinking he's more popular than he actually is.
Fainall and Millamant and his aunt Lady Wishfort. He further
As noted, reputation was of utmost importance during the
insults the dismissed women, saying, "anger helps complexion,
Restoration Period, and Petulant wants to build one based on
saves paint." Mirabell jokingly warns Petulant that he'll "cut [his]
popularity. But as Witwoud points out, Petulant lacks the wit to
throat" if he pursues Millamant, to which Petulant replies,
concoct believable lies. He tries to convince the men that the
"There are other throats to be cut." He insinuates that
three women in the carriage are his lovers. His brash command
Mirabell's uncle has recently come to town and is interested in
to dismiss the women even if they "snivel and cry their hearts
Millamant. Should Mirabell's uncle marry and have a child,
out" highlights his ridiculous bravado and hints at the poor
Mirabell would be disinherited. Petulant claims not to know any
treatment of women in this era. Men have the freedom to
more but later agrees to investigate further in exchange for
explore sexuality, but women who do are regarded as "whores"
Mirabell publicly declaring that he finds Petulant intelligent.
who are used up and discarded. The imbalance of sexual
Fainall arrives and asks Mirabell whether he's worried about freedom and social expectations for women's behavior will be
Petulant and Witwoud's flirtations with Millamant. Witwoud explored more deeply in later scenes, but audiences are
butts in, saying that he appreciates Millamant's beauty but he reminded of the male view through Petulant's closing line: "I
isn't seriously interested in her: "It is almost a fashion to admire take the blushing either for a sign of guilt or ill-breeding." He
her." Both Witwoud and Petulant claim Mirabell's uncle showed references his own bawdiness, suggesting that it would be the
interest in Millamant at the party, although they are unsure woman's fault should she be offended because any upstanding
whether the Millamant and the uncle met. To blow off steam, girl would have the "modesty" and good manners of a chaste
Mirabell invites Fainall to walk with him on the mall. Witwoud mind. Petulant's cruel comments about the women's
tries to invite himself along because "ladies talked of being appearances—"anger helps complexion, saves paint"—further
there," but Mirabell insists that Witwoud and Petulant should contrasts him with Mirabell, who delivered a romantic
stay behind because their "senseless ribaldry" makes women monologue in Scene 3 about his love for Millamant. When it
blush. Petulant snaps that any woman who blushes at a crude becomes clear that the men don't buy Petulant's lie, he lashes
joke shows herself open to "guilt or ill-breeding." out, essentially saying he slept with Millamant, Lady Wishfort,
and Mrs. Fainall. Moments like this prove his petulance and
further contrast him with the genteel Mirabell.
Analysis In the play, there's always deeper meaning hiding beneath the
conversation. Mirabell's offhand comment that Witwoud should
Much of this section surrounds the comedic characterization
speak to Mrs. Fainall before praising her marriage suggests an
of Petulant, one of Millamant's insignificant suitors. The primary
unhappy union. Such a statement shocks Witwoud for its
purpose for introducing characters like Petulant and Witwoud
boldness and for its cutting edge. Even though Mirabell
is their comedic value, but the two characters also provide
disguises the barb as a joke, he dares to break the protocol of
important foils for Mirabell. The characters names, Witwoud
social niceties to shame Fainall in public.
and Petulant, describe the two main characteristics of the men
in Congreve's Restoration Period. They are childish ("Petulant")
and lack intelligence ("Witwoud"). When surrounded by vain,
dim-witted, crass competition, a man with charm and wit—like
Act 2, Scenes 1–3
Mirabell—stands out as a more desirable match. In Scene 6,
the audience sees a direct match of wit between Mirabell and
Witwoud, with Witwoud bumbling incoherently through the
conversation, constantly forgetting what he was going to say;

end of Mirabell's romance with Millamant. Outraged, Mrs.

Summary Marwood defends herself by saying she was protecting her
friend, Lady Wishfort, from embarrassment and that she had
no ulterior motive. Fainall mocks the idea of "the pious
Act 2, Scene 1 friendships of the female sex" by pointedly saying, "You are my
wife's friend too." Enraged, Mrs. Marwood shouts that Fainall
Mrs. Marwood and Mrs. Fainall walk through the park
has no right to criticize her. She accuses him of displacing the
discussing their hatred of men. Mrs. Fainall suggests that
guilt of his own infidelity onto her and suggests he should be
because men are so flippant with their affection, women would
grateful she has treated his wife kindly.
be better off avoiding romance altogether. Mrs. Marwood
counters that it's better to love and lose than to "pass our Mrs. Marwood is so angry that she threatens to tell Mrs. Fainall
youth in dull indifference." Surprised, Mrs. Fainall accuses Mrs. the truth. She would rather have the truth about herself be
Marwood of lying about her hatred of men to appease Lady known than live with any more of Fainall's bad treatment.
Wishfort on cabal nights. Mrs. Marwood maintains her position, Fainall grabs Mrs. Marwood's hands and begs her to forgive
encouraging to Mrs. Fainall to side with her and admit that him, even promising to divorce his wife and "rob her of all she's
deep down, she likes men. Mrs. Fainall refuses, insisting that worth." Mrs. Marwood weeps and laments that she hates
she hates all men, including her husband. Satisfied, Mrs. "mankind, myself, and the whole treacherous world." As
Marwood admits she had been lying to see if Mrs. Fainall could Mirabell and Mrs. Fainall approach, Fainall tells Mrs. Marwood
be trusted; she does indeed hate men, and she wants to to cover her crying face with a mask and walk away.
concoct a plan to marry a particularly hated man and then
humiliate him by making him believe she's having an affair. Mrs.
Fainall laments that it's too bad Mrs. Marwood isn't married to Analysis
Mirabell, a thought that makes Mrs. Marwood blush.
Mrs. Fainall and Mrs. Marwood's conversation at the start of
Act 2 directly mirrors the conversation between Mirabell and
Act 2, Scene 2 Fainall at the opening of Act 1. The two women feign friendship
out of social nicety, but it's clear neither woman speaks
The women spot Mirabell and Fainall in the distance. The men
honestly with the other and neither trusts the other. They goad
approach, and Fainall shows concern for his wife's
each other, trying to uncover the other's dishonesty. Mrs.
appearance. Mirabell tells her not to listen to her husband; she
Marwood deceives Mrs. Fainall into thinking she hates men, but
looks lovely. Mrs. Fainall asks Mirabell what he had been
she's actually having an affair with Mrs. Fainall's husband. At
discussing when her mother, Lady Wishfort, kicked him out of
the same time, Mrs. Fainall suggests Mirabell as the victim of
the party. They walk off together to gossip, leaving Fainall and
Mrs. Marwood's cuckolding plot, which suggests she hates
Mrs. Marwood behind.
Mirabell, but in reality, they're close friends and former lovers.
Through their veiled barbs, each woman reveals her true views
Act 2, Scene 3 on love. Mrs. Fainall bemoans the flippancy of a man's
affection. She describes how men lose interest as soon as the
Mrs. Marwood suggests that she and Fainall should follow
passion fades and view women as "ghosts of what we were."
Mirabell and Mrs. Fainall. Fainall accuses Mrs. Marwood of
Her loveless marriage clearly influences her views. The
being jealous that Mirabell wanted to spend time with Mrs.
audience knows about the affair between Fainall and Mrs.
Fainall. Annoyed, Mrs. Marwood states that because she loves
Marwood, but Mrs. Fainall does not. Mrs. Marwood's flippant
Fainall, she's trying to preserve his honor. She claims Mrs.
response that "'tis better to be left than never to have been
Fainall doesn't hate Mirabell and insinuates that they're more
loved" seems cruelly poisonous once audiences realize she's
than friends. Fainall doubles down on his accusation that Mrs.
taunting Mrs. Fainall about the affair. Throughout the entire
Marwood loves Mirabell, claiming that she only pretends to
interaction, the women hide their truths, which adds another
hate him. Fainall further accuses Mrs. Marwood of revealing
layer of lies in the theme of deceit. This theme is returned to at
Mirabell's pretend attraction to Lady Wishfort, ensuring the
the end of Scene 3, when Mrs. Marwood puts on a physical

mask to cover her true emotion. badly taking advantage of him.
Mrs. Marwood's nasty, deceptive plot reveals a deeper level of Their topic of conversation switches to Mirabell's current plan
hatred than that which the other female characters show. Mrs. to win Millamant's hand. He confesses having his valet,
Fainall hates her husband, and Lady Wishfort hates Mirabell, Waitwell, pretend to be his estranged uncle. The plan is for
but their hatred is personal, in response to poor behavior from Waitwell, calling himself Sir Rowland, to woo Lady Wishfort and
the men. Mrs. Marwood's hatred is toward all men, even her propose to her. Before the wedding day, however, Mirabell will
"lover" Fainall. This hatred casts her as a true villainess promise Lady Wishford information that will save her from
amongst the women of the society. Despite her casual humiliation (Sir Rowland's true identity becoming known to all),
boasting to Mrs. Fainall, Mrs. Marwood's emotional outburst in exchange for her blessing in his marriage to Millamont.
during her fight with Fainall suggests that even a villainess has Previously, Mirabell had Waitwell marry Lady Wishfort's
her reputation to uphold. servant, Foible, as protection—should Lady Wishfort actually
fall in love with Waitwell, Mirabell didn't want his servant to
During the fight, Mrs. Marwood reveals that she entrusted her marry into money and thus destroy his entire plan.
fortune to Fainall and he spent it all. This reminds audiences
that for most characters, love and money are deeply linked in
the play and the society it portrays. The fact that he's spent all Act 2, Scene 5
of Mrs. Marwood's money gives Fainall motivation to steal
someone else's. In this way, Fainall and Mrs. Marwood are Millamant arrives with her lady's maid Mincing and Witwoud in
properly matched: they don't feel romantic love for each other. tow. Mirabell remarks that she usually has more attendants
Each uses the other selfishly. Interestingly, despite his lack of with her, but Millamant replies that she "denied [herself] airs
love for Mrs. Marwood, Fainall still feels jealous about her today." She tries to tease Mirabell, but Witwoud keeps
relationship with Mirabell. Because Fainall is such an interrupting her, which annoys Millamant greatly. Millamant
unscrupulous, unlikeable character, he believes everyone else claims to be so late meeting everyone because she was
must be as dishonest as he is. His jealousy also shows "persecuted with letters" from admirers. She hates receiving
audiences that no one is immune to Mirabell's charms. letters because no one knows how to write them properly
anymore, but she jokes that she uses them to pin (or curl) her
hair.
Act 2, Scenes 4–5 Turning to Mirabell, Millamant asks whether his feelings were
hurt after being kicked out of the cabal. She says it gives her
pleasure to cause him pain, and that when one loses one's
Summary ability to use cruelty, "one parts with one's power" and
becomes "old and ugly." Mirabell doesn't buy into the teasing
and says Millamant only pretends to be cruel because her true
Act 2, Scene 4 "vanity" is in pleasing people. Mirabell counters that without a
lover, a woman has lost her power—"you are no longer
As Mrs. Fainall and Mirabell walk, Mrs. Fainall admits to hating handsome when you've lost your lover"—and if Millamant
her husband, and Mirabell jokes that she should only hate her continues her cruelty, she will lose her lover. Millamant and
husband "as may be sufficient to make you relish your lover." Mirabell go back and forth, arguing whether a woman is
Mrs. Fainall responds that it's Mirabell's fault she's married at beautiful with or without a man to compliment her. Millamant
all, and that since he "made" her marry Fainall, he cannot tries to leave, but Mirabell follows her and asks Mrs. Fainall to
criticize her hatred of him. Mirabell agrees that Mrs. Fainall distract Witwoud.
needed to marry someone in case she got pregnant during
their romantic affair. Mirabell wanted to protect her reputation,
even if he did not want to marry her himself. He explains that
he chose Fainall as her husband because he had a good
reputation but wasn't so good a man that Mirabell should feel

Wishfort to their engagement—at the time, engagements could

Analysis not be broken unless both parties agreed—thus jumping social
ranks from servant to member of the upper class.
Scene 4 gives the audience crucial back story in the
Nevertheless, Mirabell couldn't risk Waitwell ruining the plan for
relationship between the Fainalls and Mirabell. Before Mirabell
his own financial gains.
and Millamant fell in love, Mirabell had an affair with her cousin,
Arabella, the now Mrs. Fainall. The reason for the sham When Millamant arrives on the scene, her banter with Mirabell
marriage between the Fainalls is never clear. Why wouldn't shows their match of wit. Like Mirabell, Millamant delights in a
Mirabell marry Arabella himself? He cared enough about her to clever turn of phrase, and she enjoys showing her wit by
ensure her reputation, but not enough to marry her despite her teasing others. Millamant comes across as spoiled and
wealth, wit, and position. Perhaps Arabella was a victim of somewhat vain, but she's also good natured, clever, and
Mirabell's promiscuity. Unlike other men, namely Fainall and playful, all characteristics that would have been desirable to a
Petulant, Mirabell still treats women like real people, not modern audience during the Restoration Period.
objects to use and abuse. In this way he continues to set
himself apart from the rest of Millamant's suitors.
Mirabell's hand in the Fainall's sham marriage gives audiences

Act 2, Scenes 6–9
more insight into the bad blood between the two men. Mirabell
chose Fainall as protection for Arabella's reputation because
he knew Fainall would chase after Arabella's fortune. Mirabell Summary
exploited Fainall's greed but decides not to feel badly about it
because Fainall isn't a very nice man. Mirabell uses his wit to
get what he wants, but he doesn't want to destroy anyone in Act 2, Scene 6
the process. Again, this contrasts him with the play's villains,
who want to destroy their enemies. Alone with Millamant, Mirabell disparages her for wasting her
time with fools who couldn't possibly appreciate her wit. He
Mirabell's conversation with Mrs. Fainall serves another admits feeling slight annoyance that she dismissed him from
practical purpose: it allows him to explain his plan it its entirety the cabal the night before when she knew he was coming to
for the audience's benefit. The audience now knows for certain profess his love. Millamant argues that Mirabell has no right to
that Mirabell once again plans to exploit Lady Wishfort's comment on whom she spends time with and that always being
desperation for his romantic gain. Mirabell seems not to have told what to do is "tedious." She jokingly threatens to end
learned from his mistakes the first time, so audiences can things with him. Mirabell pleads with her to be serious, and
expect a comedy of errors as Mirabell's plot falls to pieces and Millamant responds that she heard all about Mirabell's plot
the play develops new levels of intrigue. from "the devil ... herself."
Both Millamant's and Mirabell's servants are also integral to the

success of Mirabell's scheme. Mirabell's request that Waitwell Act 2, Scene 7
legally marry someone and then risk jail time for impersonating
another, solely for Mirabell's gain, hints at some of the social Alone, Mirabell muses about his love for Millamant in
critique found in Restoration Period plays. Servants were monologue. He feels unsettled in their relationship, saying a
viewed as "less than" their employers and expected to follow man living in a windmill has more consistency than a man in
demands of the upper class, no matter how extraordinary. love. Men know this, yet they continue to fall in love anyway.
Waitwell marries a woman he barely knows simply because his
boss asked him to. He transforms his entire existence at
Mirabell's request. Interestingly, Waitwell does not need be Act 2, Scene 8
married for Mirabell's plan to work.
Mirabell is joined by his valet, Waitwell, and Waitwell's new wife,
Mirabell demands the marriage between Waitwell and Foible Foible. Mirabell jokes that the two look happy even though their
as protection. If Waitwell weren't married, he might hold Lady marriage was only for the gain of Mirabell's plot. Foible, who

works as Lady Wishfort's maid, tells Mirabell that she has Foible's marriage is intended to be short-lived, so the couple
followed his instructions. She told Lady Wishfort she brought vigorously engage in lovemaking while it's still "legal" for them.
her picture to "Sir Rowland," and that Sir Rowland has fallen in They don't really know or care about each other, they just want
love with her. Foible admits telling Millamant about the plan to enjoy the physical benefits of marriage before time runs out.
because she worried Mirabell wouldn't have time to. Pleased Congreve contrasts this with Mirabell and Millamant's
with Foible's work, Mirabell offers her some money, which relationship, which is devoid of physical affection. Congreve
Waitwell tries to take. Mirabell tells him to "[s]tand off, sir, not a seems to be arguing that an intellectual match is better than a
penny." Foible thanks Mirabell for his generosity, then gasps physical one and will produce a longer-lasting partnership.
that she thinks she sees Mrs. Marwood looking at them Interestingly, when Mirabell tries to pay Foible for her clever
through the window. ideas, Waitwell tries to take the money. This reminds
audiences that in Congreve's world, love and money always
seem to go hand in hand.
Act 2, Scene 9
Foible leaves, and Waitwell reminds her to call him "Sir
Rowland." He laments that once the ruse ends it will be difficult
Act 3, Scenes 1–5
for him to transition back to his old life after being "married,
knighted, and attended all in one day!" He awaits the "sad
change of life" when he will lose his title but keep his wife. Summary
Analysis Act 3, Scene 1
Scene 6 provides the first opportunity for audiences to see Lady Wishfort awaits Foible's arrival before she dresses for the
Mirabell and Millamant's chemistry. The two banter easily, and day. She shouts for another servant, Peg, to get her makeup.
Mirabell uses their easy exchange to convince Millamant that Confused, Peg thinks Lady Wishfort has asked for brandy.
she wastes her intellect spending time with "fools"—Petulant Lady Wishfort berates Peg, but upon learning that that Foible
and Witwoud—who don't appreciate it and have proven in locked up the makeup and took the key with her, she agrees to
previous scenes that they are no match for her. a glass of brandy.
Millamant plays hard to get, first refusing to admit Mirabell into

her cabal party and then teasing him for feeling disappointed Act 3, Scene 2
about it. Millamant clearly asserts her independence, which is a
Lady Wishfort laments her pale skin, comparing herself to "the
sign of the Restoration Period. At the time of the play's first
curate's wife that's always breeding."
staging, England was emerging from 11 years of conservative,
traditional parliamentary rule. When King Charles II returned to
the throne, young people rebelled against many traditional
Act 3, Scene 3
societal norms. Millamant represents the "independent woman"
of her day. Critics took offense at this portrayal of
Peg brings Lady Wishfort the bottle of brandy and a china cup.
womanhood, and they tried to have the play censured for, as it
Lady Wishfort sarcastically says that the maid might as well
was viewed at the time, sexually explicit material. Waitwell's
have brought a thimble for her to drink from. Someone knocks
comment in Scene 8 that he and Foible have been "solacing in
at the door, and Lady Wishfort orders Peg to hide the brandy
lawful delights"—meaning having sex now that they are
bottle before answering. The caller is Mrs. Marwood.
married—would have offended such critics.
Congreve contrasts two types of romantic love in this section:

the romantic love between Mirabell and Millamant and the
physical love between Foible and Waitwell. Waitwell and

when she cannot find Foible rather than simply dressing

Act 3, Scene 4
herself). Like the male fools, Lady Wishfort also loves a strong
Immediately, Mrs. Marwood asks why Lady Wishfort is still drink, and perhaps, like the fops, she can blame her bad
wearing her nightclothes. Lady Wishfort complains that Foible behavior on too much alcohol.
ran errands this morning and never came back. Mrs. Marwood
Because of their participation in the cabal nights together,
claims to have seen Foible just now having a meeting with
Lady Wishfort errantly believes she can trust Mrs. Marwood. In
Mirabell, which shocks and angers Lady Wishfort. She worries
her vanity, Lady Wishfort has lost her ability to discern true
that Foible might have told Mirabell about the "secret" errand.
friendship. Unlike Mrs. Fainall and even Mrs. Marwood, Lady
Suddenly, Lady Wishfort hears Foible approaching. She orders
Wishfort has lost the ability to distinguish friendship from
Mrs. Marwood to hide in the closet so she can question Foible
flattery. This quality allows other characters to manipulate and
about her whereabouts.
take advantage of her. Mirabell easily, perhaps even
accidentally, convinced Lady Wishfort that he fancied her, and
Act 3, Scene 5 the audience has no doubt that she'll easily fall into Mirabell's
scheme again. Foible proves herself as adept a manipulator as
Foible tells Lady Wishfort that she delivered the picture to Sir Mirabell, easily exploiting Lady Wishfort's vanity to propel
Rowland, and he fell in love with Lady Wishfort's image Mirabell's plot forward.
immediately. Although excited, Lady Wishfort demands to
Lady Wishfort's obsession with her makeup contrasts two
know what Foible was doing with Mirabell in the park, fretting
different views of love. Lady Wishfort views her appearance as
that Foible told Mirabell about her plan to woo Sir Rowland.
a way to earn love from a man. In the previous section, Mirabell
Foible promises that she only bumped into Mirabell, adding
delivered a speech saying beauty comes from love, suggesting
that Mirabell insulted Lady Wishfort terribly during their
a woman becomes beautiful once she's in love. These
conversation. Enraged, Lady Wishfort vows to "have him
contradicting views further characterize Lady Wishfort as vain
murdered" or "have him poisoned." Foible encourages her to
in comparison to her modern niece Millamant and suggest the
cause him true pain by disinheriting him. Lady Wishfort
contrasting social views during the Restoration Period
continues raging against Mirabell until she realizes her makeup
between the modern, younger generation and the traditional,
has begun to crack. She asks Foible to "repair" her before Sir
older generation. Congreve further characterizes Lady
Rowland arrives. She wants to look just as she does in the
Wishfort as a member of the traditional generation through the
much younger picture of herself. As Foible works, Lady
books on her bookshelf, including The Short View of the Stage,
Wishfort frets about whether she or Sir Rowland should make
which is an unveiled referenced to A Short View of the
the first move. Foible promises that Sir Rowland is a brisk,
Immorality and Profaneness of the English Stage, a tract
active man, which pleases Lady Wishfort. Lady Wishfort leaves.
published English critic Jeremy Collier in 1698, which openly
criticized Congreve and his contemporaries for the immorality
Analysis of their plays.
This section puts Lady Wishfort's vanity and melodramatics on

full display. She has never met or seen Sir Rowland, yet she Act 3, Scenes 6–9
wants desperately to impress and marry him. Her reaction to
even a whiff of romance causes her man-hating persona to
crumble as quickly as her makeup. Congreve portrays Lady Summary
Wishfort as foolish as the fops Witwoud and Petulant, whose
negative characteristics are combined in Lady Wishfort's
character. In addition to being dim-witted and petulant, Lady Act 3, Scene 6
Wishfort is cruel (she berates a clueless Peg about her
makeup, which is hardly the maid's fault), vain (she desires to Mrs. Fainall rushes into the room to warn Foible that Mrs.
look much younger than her years), and spoiled (she pouts Marwood spied her and Mirabell in the woods and reveals that

she knows Mirabell's plan. At first, Foible doesn't believe her intelligence by cleverly determining whether Mrs. Fainall can be
because she doubts the closeness of relationship between trusted, but, of course, her tactics are wasted because her true
Mirabell and Mrs. Fainall after their failed romance, but Mrs. enemy, Mrs. Marwood, will use the gleaned information to
Fainall details every inch of the plan out loud. Satisfied, Foible launch her counterattack.
admits that she has thrown Lady Wishfort off the scent, and
the plan is back on. Foible thinks she should avoid Mrs. Mrs. Marwood concocts her plan rashly, trying to the think of
Marwood. Mrs. Fainall and Foible leave the room together. the quickest way to hurt Mirabell: foiling his engagement to
Millamant. The marriage she proposes between Millamant and
her cousin, Sir Wilfull, would produce no personal gain for Mrs.
Act 3, Scene 7 Marwood other than breaking Mirabell's heart. Congreve
suggests that Mrs. Marwood, like Mrs. Wishfort, seeks to
Mrs. Marwood emerges from the closet having heard destroy Mirabell as revenge for her unrequited love. In Act 2,
everything the other women discussed. She's enraged that Scene 1 Mrs. Marwood blushed at the suggestion that she
Mrs. Fainall would lie to her, hearing enough evidence to loved Mirabell, which provides the only clue into the reason for
confirm that Mrs. Fainall and Mirabell were once lovers. She her revenge. Mrs. Marwood's motivations remain somewhat
vows to keep watching Foible. vague, which might frustrate modern readers who desire to
"understand" characters more fully. It's important to remember
that The Way of the World was written to be staged rather than
Act 3, Scene 8 studied ages later. However, through the characterization of
Mrs. Fainall and Mrs. Marwood, Congreve arguably does seem
Lady Wishfort hurries back into the room, apologizing for
to characterize women of his time as superficial and emotional.
leaving Mrs. Marwood for so long. She claims to be expecting
Even his wittiest female character, Millamant, is vain and
her nephew, Sir Wilfull, any moment now. She remarks that Sir
spoiled in much of what she says and does.
Wilfull plans to better himself through travel. Mrs. Marwood
suggests that at his age, Sir Wilfull should be more concerned
with marriage than travels and that he might make a good
match for Millamant. Lady Wishfort promises to consider that
Act 3, Scenes 10–13
coupling.
Summary
Act 3, Scene 9
Lady Wishfort calls for Foible to help her dress before dinner Act 3, Scene 10
with Sir Wilfull. Foible announces that Witwoud and Petulant
will also be joining them. Lady Wishfort begs Mrs. Marwood to Outside Lady Wishfort's room, Mrs. Marwood bumps into
entertain the men until she can get dressed for dinner. Millamant and her servant, Mincing. Millamant is upset that
Petulant constantly interrupts and contradicts her. She had
become so upset that she broke her fan. She wishes aloud that
Analysis she could choose her acquaintances "as one does one's
clothes." Mrs. Marwood says that everyone knows that
This section serves to serves to move the plot forward through Millamant only spends time with Petulant and Witwoud to hide
the creation of a counterplot. Armed with the knowledge of her true feelings for Mirabell. Mrs. Marwood encourages
Mirabell's scheme, Mrs. Marwood and Fainall can work to Millamant to live "barefaced," or honestly, and stop her
undermine him and take control of the situation, and, they masquerade. Millamant orders the men up rather than continue
hope, the money. Foible's worry that Mrs. Marwood was spying her conversation with Mrs. Marwood.
on her and Mirabell creates dramatic irony because the
audience knows Mrs. Marwood was in fact spying on Foible at
that very minute, listening in the closet. Foible shows her

provoking than your malice." Despite her façade, Millamant

Act 3, Scene 11
feels insecure in her wit, which helps explain her
Millamant accuses Mrs. Marwood of telling Lady Wishfort companionship of fools. Her anger toward Marwood also
about Millamant and Mirabell's romance in the hopes of suggests that her feelings for Mirabell are genuine. If she didn't
breaking them up because Mrs. Marwood is actually in love truly care about Mirabell, she wouldn't be bothered by
with Mirabell. Millamant claims to not even like Mirabell, saying Marwood's accusations. Millamant's hope of making herself
that she is only flattering him for entertainment. She brags that feel better by surrounding herself with intellectual inferiors
Mirabell's unrequited love for her has "quite destroyed" his backfires because then she must abide Petulant's crude jokes.
happiness. Mrs. Marwood warns that Millamant's "merry note"
The song sung in Scene 12 acts as an allusion to the play's
may change sooner than she thinks."
presentation of love. Just as the song describes the thrill of
competition in the hunt for a beautiful swan, the characters
enjoy the competition to win Millamant's hand. Notably, they
Act 3, Scene 12
play for her hand, not out of love, but, as usual, from greed.
Millamant orders the singer to sing a new song as they wait for Each wants to control her inheritance, reminding audiences of
the men to join them at the party. The singer sings about the the connection between love and money—greed is "the way of
"frailty" of love not joined by ambition, comparing it to a "sickly the world."
flame." The song describes the joy of spearing the swan
admired by "inferior beauties" and ends with a description of
the joy one feels when winning when many lovers compete for Act 3, Scenes 14–18
the same "bleeding" heart.
Summary
Act 3, Scene 13
Witwoud and Petulant arrive, and Millamant asks whether
Act 3, Scene 14
they've composed their "animosity" toward her. Witwoud and
Petulant argue that they weren't being spiteful; they simply like
Sir Wilfull, Lady Wishfort's nephew and Witwoud's half-brother,
to debate when they have "humour to contradict." Mrs.
arrives. Seeing him in the distance, an embarrassed Witwoud
Marwood sarcastically compliments the men on the
pretends not to recognize him, but when Lady Marwood says,
intelligence of their arguments, which leads Millamant to claim
"'tis your brother, I fancy," Witwoud reluctantly agrees. A
that she would never marry an illiterate man. Petulant quips
footman tells Sir Wilfull that Lady Wishfort hasn't dressed for
that a man needn't be literate to marry. He can just repeat what
the day yet, which surprises Sir Wilfull. He asks the footman
the priest says, and more importantly, he needn't be book
who the men are, meaning Petulant and Witwoud, but the
smart for what "is to follow," meaning the wedding night. The
footman says he doesn't know because "here come so many."
debased joke further annoys Millamant.
Act 3, Scene 15
Analysis
Sir Wilfull approaches Witwoud, Petulant, and Mrs. Marwood.
The argument between Millamant and Mrs. Marwood highlights He doesn't immediately recognize Witwoud and greets them
the sense of competition between the women. They take informally. Rather than greet his brother, Witwoud orders
sideways jabs at each other, never insulting the other directly, Petulant to "smoke him." Petulant greets Wilfull by making
but speaking almost entirely in metaphor. This back-and-forth snide remarks about his dirty boots and calling his horse an
dialogue characterizes Marwood as an equal match for "ass." Wilfull wonders aloud why Petulant would want to offend
Millamant's wit, which unsettles Millamant. Rather than risk him. Mrs. Marwood intervenes and says Petulant is simply
losing an argument to Marwood, she calls for the dim-witted "merry, that's all." She asks whether Wilfull recognizes
men to be summoned back up, saying, "their folly is less

Witwoud. Shocked, Wilfull greets his brother "Anthony," asking

why he hadn't identified himself sooner. Witwoud gives the
Analysis
excuse that it's not "modish to know one's relations in town."
Like every other character in the play, Witwoud has something
Wilfull complains that Witwoud has become far too concerned
to hide. Embarrassed by his country bumpkin background,
with fashion, which he first realized when the tone of
Witwoud created a new identity for himself when he moved to
Witwoud's letters home changed from loving greetings to
London, and he is so ashamed of his upbringing that he
descriptions of his latest "debauch." He mentions that when
pretends not to recognize his own brother. His avoidance
Witwoud first moved to London, he worked as an attorney's
makes him look even more foolish because Mrs. Marwood
clerk, which Petulant mocks ruthlessly. Witwoud defends
sees through him immediately. She recognizes Sir Wilfull even
himself by saying it was the only way to escape the
though she's never met him, causing Witwoud to make up even
apprenticeship at a felt maker's that Wilfull had arranged for
sillier lies about simply not recognizing him. Witwoud masks his
him. Wilfull retorts that being a felt maker would be better than
insecurities two ways: he lies to his London friends about his
being a "fop." Mrs. Marwood changes the subject by asking
home life, and he lies to his family about his London life.
Wilfull about his travels, which Witwoud and Petulant again
Witwoud participated in mocking Petulant in Act 1 for his
mock.
foolish ploys to look promiscuous and popular, but he is guilty
of doing the same. Witwoud created the illusion of being well-
Act 3, Scene 16 bred and educated, but in reality he comes from the same
humble background as Wilfull. This helps explain why Witwoud
Lady Wishfort and Mrs. Fainall arrive, greeting Sir Wilfull fails to mirror Mirabell's wit.
warmly. Sir Wilfull sarcastically remarks that he's glad Lady
Witwoud's cruel mockery of his brother's riding clothes and
Wishfort hasn't forgotten him like "her relations" have. Like
worn boots further highlight his insecurities. He's not mocking
Mrs. Marwood, Lady Wishfort says Witwoud was simply trying
his brother as much as he's mocking his own background,
to be funny.
glaringly revealing his insecurities. Witwoud cares deeply what
others think of him and his reputation, sharply contrasting him
Act 3, Scene 17 to Wilfull. Although Wilfull doesn't have the style and
sophistication Witwoud has cultivated, his confidence and plain
Mincing announces dinner. Sir Wilfull asks for a pair of slippers honesty make him a better match for Millamant. Congreve
and then proceeds to remove his boots. Shocked, Lady uses this characterization to further tension in the play, but he
Wishfort asks him to remove his boots in the hall, apologizing cleverly characterizes Wilfull as someone with wanderlust,
to the other women that her nephew is "a little unbred." assuring audiences that Wilfull has no desire to make an actual
play for Millamant's hand.
Act 3, Scene 18 Wilfull's exchange with the footman further characterizes Lady
Wishfort as desperate for marriage. The footman can't identify
Alone, Mrs. Marwood and Fainall meet. Fainall recounts the men across the yard, he says, because so many come and
everything he has just learned about his wife's involvement in go at Lady Wishfort's house. Lady Wishfort masks her
Mirabell's plot. Fainall likens his wife's participation to adultery. insecurity under the ruse of being a man-hater, when in reality
Mrs. Marwood reminds him that he has always been looking for she fears no one will ever love her. Her desperate attempt to
a reason to leave his wife, and this provides the perfect win over Sir Rowland creates comedic—and somewhat
opportunity. Fainall laments not the end of his marriage, but the sad—dramatic irony: the audience knows Sir Rowland is a valet
fact that he'll lose a considerable amount of money if his wife in disguise, but Lady Wishfort does not. Mirabell's decision to
doesn't receive her full inheritance. Mrs. Marwood suggests marry off Waitwell and Foible is probably smart. Lady Wishfort
blackmailing Lady Wishfort with the information of Mrs. seems so desperate for love that she might have married
Fainall's past romance with Mirabell. If Fainall pretends he Waitwell even after discovering him to be common.
might leave his wife, Lady Wishfort would offer him anything to
Finally, this section completes the counterplot's creation.
protect the family's reputation.
Marwood and Fainall plan to use their knowledge of Mirabell's

scheme for money. For villains like Marwood and Fainall, greed that Lady Wishfort also hopes a match can be made between
is "the way of the world." While other characters care about himself and Millamant, but he needs a drink before he can
love and reputation, nothing matters more to Marwood and attempt to woo her. Mrs. Fainall ignores his nerves, pushes him
Fainall than money. Fainall creates a comedic moment of into the room, and locks the door.
verbal irony when he accuses his wife of being an adulteress
while he's literally plotting against her with his mistress.
Act 4, Scene 4
Marwood and Fainall's scheme to steal Millamant's inheritance
highlights the importance of reputation as a leading social A bumbling Wilfull greets Millamant, but he doesn't realize she's
indicator during the Restoration Period. Even though she was reciting poetry. He mistakes the lines of poetry for fashionable
widowed at the time, Lady Fainall's participation in an out-of- language he doesn't understand. Millamant seems confused as
wedlock love affair would "ruin" the family's reputation. to why Wilfull is in the room, asking whether she has "business"
Marwood, who participates in an illicit relationship herself, with him. Wilfull awkwardly asks if Millamant would take a walk
knows Lady Wishfort would do anything to prevent her with him that evening, but Millamant claims to hate walking. He
daughter from being viewed as a "whore." asks if she'll accompany him to town, but she claims to hate
town. When he cannot think of anything else to say, she
dismisses him and returns to her poetry.
Act 4, Scenes 1–5
Act 4, Scene 5
Summary Mirabell sneaks into the room while Millamant works on
memorizing the poem. Standing behind her, he repeats the
next line, startling her. Mirabell wonders if Millamant locks
Act 4, Scene 1 herself away from him to make his search "more curious" or
because she has finally given up and will marry him. Millamant
Lady Wishfort frantically asks Foible whether the house and
jokingly wonders if she'll cease to be interesting once she's
footmen have been properly prepared for Sir Rowland's arrival.
freed from the "fatigues of solicitation." She vows never to
She flutters about, worrying which position she should be in
marry unless her husband can promise her freedom and
when Sir Rowland first lays eyes on her. A coach approaches,
pleasure. Mirabell flirtatiously offers her both. Mirabell carries
and Lady Wishfort asks Foible to bring Millamant and Wilfull so
on, saying she won't change her daily routines once married,
she's not alone with Sir Rowland for too long.
nor will she respond to "pet" names like "my dear, joy, jewel,
love, sweetheart, and the rest of that nauseous cant." If she
marries Mirabell, she says, she wants to live a "strange and
Act 4, Scene 2
well-bred" life in which they basically ignore each other, never
kissing or being seen together in public. She asks to be able to
Millamant paces her room reciting poetry. Foible arrives to say
come and go as she pleases, wear what she wants, have no
that Mirabell has been waiting for some time to speak with her,
obligation to converse with his boring family members, and be
but Lady Wishfort wishes Millamant to entertain Sir Wilfull. At
alone when she feels like it. If Mirabell can agree to these
first, Millamant tells Foible to send Mirabell away but then
terms, she admits she may "dwindle" into a wife. Mirabell
changes her mind, asking Mrs. Fainall to entertain Wilfull so
agrees and lists his own terms for Millamant: she must never
she can have a few moments with Mirabell. Mrs. Fainall
have a close female friend who might cause unnecessary
declines, saying she has "business of [her] own."
drama in their marriage, she must stop wearing masks, and she
may not wear corsets while pregnant lest she "mold my boy's
Act 4, Scene 3 head like a sugar-loaf." He also lists a few dietary
requirements, including no foreign foods.
Wilfull arrives before Mrs. Fainall can leave. She encourages
him to enter Millamant's room and woo her. Sir Wilfull agrees

Mirabell arrives, he literally finishes Millamant's sentence,

Analysis interestingly suggesting their perfect harmony with each other.
Millamant and Mirabell's negotiations in Scene 5 make it the

most famous scene in The Way of the World. Known as the
"proviso scene," for the bargaining between characters,
Millamant's terms of engagement cast her as the
representation of the Restoration Period's modern woman.
Liberated from social expectation, Mirabell can demand that Summary
her husband must always knock before entering her room and
that she may be in complete control of her appearance and
social life. Millamant won't become Mirabell's property through Act 4, Scene 6
marriage, nor will she submit to his authority. These beliefs fly
in the face of traditional social expectation, particularly as Mrs. Fainall arrives in time to witness Millamant accept
England emerged from religiously strict parliamentary rule. Mirabell's proposal. Millamant teases Mirabell, as if considering
Interestingly, only Millamant must lay out rules to safeguard her a deep decision, then agrees by saying, "I'll endure you." Mrs.
independence; Mirabell's are implied through his gender. The Fainall tells Millamant that there's no time for celebration; Lady
couple only negotiates rules for expectations of Millamant's Wishfort is approaching, and if she sees Mirabell in the house,
role within the marriage, not Mirabell's, proving that despite the she will "fall into fits and may not recover." Mrs. Fainall hastens
appearance as such, Millamant and Mirabell will never truly be Mirabell out a back door.
equals. Perhaps because she cannot be equal, at the very least
Millamant wants to maintain her independence. She refuses to
be called pet names, which suggest ownership, and desires not
Act 4, Scene 7
to be seen together or affectionate in public.
Mrs. Fainall reports of a drunken Sir Wilfull, who is so noisy that
Because Mirabell realizes he cannot control Millamant's Lady Wishfort had to leave Sir Rowland to quiet him. Millamant
behavior, he still seeks to control her appearance, banning her ignores Mrs. Fainall and remarks on her "violent" love for
from wearing makeup or corsets. On the surface, this seems Mirabell. Mrs. Fainall warns that if Millamant has any doubts
lovely: Mirabell loves Millamant in her natural state. The image about Mirabell, she should marry Sir Wilfull instead, an idea
of a makeup- and corset-free Millamant contrasts sharply with Millamant scoffs at.
images of Lady Wishfort stuffing herself into whalebone
corsets, paint flaking off her pale face, to impress Sir Rowland.
But Mirabell's demands are, in fact, another form of patriarchal
Act 4, Scene 8
control. Though the state of Millamant's appearance doesn't
Mrs. Fainall asks what caused the "fray" between Sir Wilfull and
matter, Mirabell's control over it does. As long as Millamant
Petulant. Witwoud, also drunk, says neither man could speak
allows Mirabell to make demands about her appearance, she
from rage, so they sputtered at each other like "two roasting
relinquishes her independence.
apples."
However, the smooth, witty conversation between Millamant
and Mirabell show how perfectly paired they are for each
other. Clearly in love, the couple compliments each other
Act 4, Scene 9
physically, mentally, and emotionally. Congreve contrasts this
Petulant bursts into the room and demands to know whether
match sharply with the only other true competitor for
Millamant loves him. He urges her to "pass on, or pass off." He
Millamant's hand: Sir Wilfull. Sir Wilfull lacks Mirabell's suave
admits that he and Sir Wilfull had been fighting over her, but
confidence, bumbling confusedly through his conversation with
they've made up now. When Millamant refuses him, Petulant
Millamant. He mistakes Millamant's poetry for slang, which
dismissively says he'll "go to bed to my maid." Mrs. Fainall
suggests that the two are so terribly mismatched that they
wonders why everyone drank so much, and Witwoud responds
don't even speak the same language. In contrast, when
that it was all part of Fainall's plan to "get rid of the knight."

doesn't want to marry Sir Wilfull; she loves Mirabell.

Act 4, Scene 10
Interestingly, Millamant calls her love for Mirabell "violent,"
Lady Wishfort arrives, dragging along a very drunk Sir Wilfull to reminding audiences of the bloody swan hunted in Act 3,
propose to Millamant. A barely comprehensible Sir Wilfull Scene 7. Love can remain a potentially dangerous competition.
harasses Lady Wishfort for more wine, even throwing his purse
The drunken Sir Wilfull creates a perfect foil for the mannered
of money at her as if she were a bartender. Mortified, Lady
and charming Mirabell. Comically, Lady Wishfort still believes
Wishfort tells Millamant to ignore Sir Wilfull because he was
Sir Wilfull would be a better match for Millamant despite
drinking to Millamant's health. Sir Wilfull promises again and
Wilfull's crude manners, alcoholism, and reeking breath. At the
again that he'll marry his cousin Millamant and crudely
same time, audiences need not feel badly for Sir Wilfull: He no
comments on her "maidenhead," or virginity. Disgusted,
more loves Millamant than she loves him. He would rather
Millamant leaves, shouting about Sir Wilfull's terrible smell.
spend his time traveling, drinking, and flirting with "wenches" at
the cockfight than settle into an arranged marriage. Congreve
cleverly contrasts the romantic ideal of a Restoration Period
Act 4, Scene 11
hero (Mirabell) with the reality of how many men behaved at
Lady Wishfort lambasts Sir Wilfull for his drunkenness, saying the time (Sir Wilfull). Congreve here critiques traditional
he has totally embarrassed her. As she berates him, Foible masculinity and Restoration Period masculinity simultaneously.
arrives and delivers the message that Sir Rowland is growing
The fight between Petulant and Wilfull provides a scene of
impatient in the other room. Lady Wishfort pleads with
great comedy. The men nearly come to blows over who should
Witwoud to entertain Sir Wilfull so she can get back to
be allowed to marry Millamant, but they're both fools. She
entertaining Sir Rowland. Witwoud doesn't know what to do
never considers either as suitors, making their argument moot.
with his inebriated brother, so he invites him to a cockfight. Sir
Interestingly, both men seek companionship with "loose"
Wilfull wants to know if there will be "wenches" there. Witwoud
women—Petulant with the kitchen maids and Sir Wilfull with the
cringes at the stench of his brother's breath. As they leave,
cockfight "wenches." Such sexual freedom was not afforded to
Lady Wishfort admits to herself that Sir Wilfull would not be a
upper-class women like Millamant and Mrs. Fainall but was a
good match for Millamant.
masculine privilege.
Analysis
Mrs. Fainall reveals her true feelings in her treatment of
Millamant after the engagement. The play suggests that Mrs.
Fainall still loves Mirabell. Although her love is now unrequited, Summary
she is content to be his confidant and friend. Nevertheless,
seeing Millamant continue playing hard to get even after
conceding to engagement annoys Mrs. Fainall. Even after Act 4, Scene 12
"winning" Mirabell, Millamant won't express the love Mrs.
Fainall desires to hear. Millamant's coyness, coupled with Mrs. Lady Wishfort rejoins Sir Rowland (Waitwell in disguise) in the
Fainall's frustrations in her own unhappy marriage, cause her next room. She apologizes profusely for leaving him so long.
to lash out by pushing the drunken Sir Wilfull into Millamant's Sir Rowland responds that he wishes "possession of [her]
room and closing the door. Although Mrs. Fainall knows it won't adorable person" in marriage. Lady Wishfort wonders what
result in anything physical, she's satisfied knowing Wilfull's people will think if they marry so soon after meeting, but Sir
presence will make Millamant momentarily uncomfortable. In Rowland claims that if she doesn't marry him immediately, she
Scene 7, she essentially tells Millamant to get over herself. If might as well start planning his funeral. In addition to his
she can't be happy with her engagement to Mirabell, maybe broken heart, Sir Rowland also wants to marry immediately as
she should just marry Sir Wilfull instead. Her comment forces revenge against Mirabell. Lady Wishfort reminds Sir Rowland
Millamant to acknowledge her happiness. Of course she of the various ways Mirabell has offended her, which reignites

Sir Rowland's jealous anger. Lady Wishfort suggests that desperation are on full display as she considers whether a 24-
rather than kill Mirabell, Sir Rowland should "starve" him by hour engagement makes her look silly (everyone already
cutting off his money. Sir Rowland agrees wholeheartedly to regards her as such) and melodramatically pleads with Sir
the plan, and Lady Wishfort hurriedly agrees to Sir Rowland's Rowland not to die while fetching the letters. "Sir Rowland"
proposal. plays into Lady Wishfort's character by claiming he would die
without her immediate hand in marriage. Of course, "Sir
Rowland" has no intention of marrying Lady Wishfort at all—he
Act 4, Scene 13 lies to propel Mirabell's plot, which hinges on Lady Wishfort's
affection. Modern readers may find these scenes somewhat
Foible enters to announce that the dancers are ready and that silly as well as cruel. Waitwell claims he needs a drink in order
one has a letter for Lady Wishfort. Lady Wishfort excuses Sir to flirt with Lady Wishfort, who physically disgusts him. The
Rowland and reminds him that she will "wait on [him] suggestion and punch line are that older women have no
incessantly." sexual attraction and are "disgusting" in comparison to their
younger counterparts.
Act 4, Scene 14 Audiences needn't feel too badly for Lady Wishfort, however,
as they are reminded that she, too, feigns romantic attraction
Alone, Waitwell begs his wife, Foible, for a drink. To assuage
to Sir Rowland. She wants him for his money, or at least to
any jealousy Foible might feel about his flirtation with Lady
disinherit Mirabell. Sentimentality can also be found in
Wishfort, Waitwell tells her honestly that there's nothing
Waitwell's complaints. Even though he married Foible as part
sexually attractive about Lady Wishfort and that he'd rather
of the plot, they seem to have found a happy marriage. He
"be a chairman in the dog-days" than continue the ruse much
doesn't want to continue the ruse of courting Lady Wishfort
longer.
because, in part, he wants to return to real life with his real
wife. The harmonious coupling of these two servants is
highlighted by their quick-witted manipulation of Lady Wishfort
Act 4, Scene 15
upon the revelation of Mrs. Marwood's letter. Foible and
Waitwell act quickly, further exploiting Lady Wishfort's hatred
Lady Wishfort and Sir Rowland sit at the dining table to watch
of Mirabell to save the plot.
the evening's entertainment. Before the dancers start, Lady
Wishfort reveals the letter, announcing that she would like to
Lady Wishfort's ridiculous fawning over Sir Rowland and his
open it with Sir Rowland to prevent any possible jealousy.
absence are clear criticisms of the traditional feminine role.
Foible immediately recognizes Mrs. Marwood's handwriting
Lady Wishfort would give up anything to please her suitor. She
and realizes the letter will reveal Sir Rowland's true identity.
obsesses over being his physical ideal, and she would happily
Sure enough, Lady Wishfort begins reading the letter aloud
take the submissive position in their relationship. Congreve
and gasps when she reads that Sir Rowland is a "cheat and a
depicts Lady Wishfort as completely over the top and
rascal." Thinking quickly, Foible whispers to Waitwell to identify
ridiculous and, at the same time, suggests that such
the handwriting as Mirabell's. When he does, Foible proclaims,
stereotypical views of women are equally ridiculous, seen
"What luck it is, Sir Rowland, that you were present at this
objectively. Lady Wishfort looks like a buffoon when compared
juncture!" Sir Rowland threatens to challenge Mirabell to a duel
to Millamant in previous scenes. Millamant manages to
and also promises to procure a black box of letters to prove
maintain independence within her engagement, while Lady
Mirabell wrote the letter. Dramatically, Lady Wishfort pleads
Wishfort eagerly throws hers away.
with Sir Rowland not to die while fetching the letters.
Analysis Act 5, Scenes 1–3

The scenes of Lady Wishfort desperately trying to woo Sir
Rowland are deeply comedic. Lady Wishfort's vanity and

Lady Wishfort transfers more money to him. Mincing states

Summary that she has been sent to find Sir Wilfull. She believes
Millamant intends to marry him rather than lose her inheritance.
Mrs. Fainall makes Foible promise to tell the truth about Mrs.
Act 5, Scene 1 Marwood and Fainall's affair when the time arises.
Lady Wishfort has discovered the truth—Sir Rowland is a

fake—and the scene opens with her screaming at Foible, telling
her to leave the house immediately and starve in the filthy
Analysis
streets. Foible begs forgiveness, but Lady Wishfort won't let
The audience sees the full extent of Lady Wishfort's rage in
her forget that she saved her from a miserable life hawking
her treatment of Foible. She kicks her out onto the street and
broken wares and welcomed her into a "feathered nest." She
threatens her with imprisonment for her part in Mirabell's plot.
cannot believe Foible would betray and humiliate her. Foible
Lady Wishfort's outrage is justified; her employee went behind
pleads that Mirabell seduced her, and if even Lady Wishfort
her back, lied to her, humiliated her, and, perhaps worst of all,
could be "deluded" by Mirabell's flirtations, how could a "poor
injured Lady Wishfort's most coveted characteristic—her
ignorant" like Foible defend herself? She promises that
reputation. Once again, Foible tries to exploit Lady Wishfort's
Mirabell assured her no real harm would come to Lady
hatred for Mirabell, using his charm as an excuse for her
Wishfort and that Foible protected her "ladyship" by marrying
involvement in the plot, but Lady Wishfort's anger has reached
Waitwell first. This news outrages Lady Wishfort even more.
a boiling point, and she won't be dissuaded from her rage.
She shouts that Foible has made "a passive bawd of me!" She
has already called for Waitwell to be jailed and promises that Foible knew the risks of partaking in the scheme, however
he and Foible "shall coo in the same cage." Foible laments good her intentions. Nevertheless, Foible's despair at the end
having ever been born. of Scene 1 highlights the great societal divide between the
upper and lower classes. Foible is intelligent and beautiful.
Arguably, she has as much to offer society as Millamant, but
Act 5, Scene 2 her fate lies entirely in the hands of her employer. The upper
class completely controls Foible's fate because she's lower
Mrs. Fainall happens upon the weeping Foible and asks what
class. Mirabell orders her marriage, and Lady Wishfort orders
happened. Foible informs her that Lady Wishfort knows the
her suffering. Unlike Millamant, Foible has no agency or
truth and that she and Waitwell are doomed for prison. Mrs.
independence. Thankfully, Mirabell pays Waitwell's bond,
Fainall states that Mirabell has gone to the jail to pay Waitwell's
securing his release from jail, so the audience can rest easy
bond. She realizes that if Lady Wishfort knows about Waitwell,
knowing the servants probably won't end up in prison.
then she also knows about her affair with Mirabell. She
Nevertheless, the near miss of their fate serves as a reminder
comforts herself with the knowledge that her husband will also
that they were willing to risk their lives for a scheme that didn't
find out, and their marriage will be over. Foible agrees, saying
even serve them. Mirabell risked his reputation for Millamant,
the marriage should end because of Fainall's affair with Mrs.
yet he expected the servants to risk their very livelihoods.
Marwood. Shocked, Mrs. Fainall asks whether the affair can be
proved. Foible says that both she and Mincing saw the pair Through conversations with the servants, Mrs. Fainall figures
together but were sworn to secrecy. Since she swore on a out her husband's plans to steal Millamant's money. The
book of poetry instead of the Bible, she's willing to break her information about his affair with Mrs. Marwood excites rather
vow. than saddens Mrs. Fainall; she sees his infidelity as an
opportunity to finally free herself from an unhappy marriage.
Once again, Mrs. Fainall's fate reminds audiences of the
Act 5, Scene 3 ridiculous social expectations for women. Mrs. Fainall can
neither leave her husband without provable reason, nor can
Mincing arrives to say that Waitwell has been released from jail
she find companionship with another man. For women like Mrs.
but that she witnessed an upset Fainall shouting at Lady
Fainall, marriage is a prison. Her husband's affair, which would
Wishfort, saying something about divorcing Mrs. Fainall unless
devastate most women, offers Mrs. Fainall an unexpected key

to happiness. For the first time, Mrs. Fainall feels ready to live Fainall's demands and does her best to convince Lady
honestly. She doesn't care if the truth about her affair with Wishfort that she's getting a good deal. Lady Wishfort asks for
Mirabell comes out. She wants a chance at happiness. some time to consider her options.
Act 5, Scenes 4–7 Act 5, Scene 7

Fainall leaves, and Lady Wishfort bemoans the "merciless"
requests he has made. Mrs. Marwood agrees that the terms
Summary seem especially harsh because she must pay for her
daughter's "wantonness." Lady Wishfort claims to have never
approved of the "barbarian" Fainall, wishing Mrs. Fainall's first
Act 5, Scene 4 husband, Languish, had never died.
Lady Wishfort blubbers to Mrs. Marwood, thanking her for her

"timely discovery" of Sir Rowland's falsehood. She praises Mrs.
Analysis
Marwood as a "dear friend" who has saved "the honour of my
house." Mrs. Fainall arrives, and Lady Wishfort condemns her Even though Lady Wishfort has figured out that she's being
for ruining her life. Mrs. Fainall retorts that Mrs. Marwood lies duped, she still has no idea whom to trust. She further
and that her accusations are "false as hell." Mrs. Marwood embarrasses herself in front of the audience by discussing her
pretends to be offended by Mrs. Fainall and says, "I know what ridiculous idea of becoming a celibate shepherdess with Mrs.
I mean, madam, and so do you." Embarrassed, Mrs. Marwood Marwood. Lady Wishfort's idea is tongue-in-cheek, of course,
tries to sneak out of the room. Lady Wishfort tells her daughter but it shows her compete ignorance of the true villains of her
she should be thanking Mrs. Marwood on her knees, but Mrs. downfall. Her jealous hatred of Mirabell continues to blind her,
Fainall says she would no sooner thank a leech sucking her and she looks like a complete fool cozying up to Mrs.
"best blood." Marwood. Once again, the audience enjoys the dramatic irony
of knowing the characters' secrets while their fellow players
remain in the dark. Because the audience remains privy to
Act 5, Scene 5 everyone's intended plans, Congreve must creatively employ
twists and turns to keep them engaged.
Lady Wishfort believes her daughter, Mrs. Fainall, has been
tricked, but she cannot blame her. She tells Mrs. Marwood that
Once again, Congreve uses the character of Lady Wishfort to
before the age of 15, Mrs. Fainall was never around men, which
poke fun at the traditional importance of a girl's purity. Lady
she thinks has made her naïve. She decides Fainall should
Wishfort blames herself for her daughter's perceived
prove his accusations in court. Horrified, Mrs. Marwood tries to
promiscuity. She claims that she did everything "right" by
convince Lady Wishfort that a trial would open her family up to
preventing Mrs. Fainall from having any contact with men as a
scandal and bring Mrs. Fainall's "infamy to light." Eventually,
child. Lady Wishfort's views, which represent traditional
Lady Wishfort agrees that it would be easiest to just pay
societal views, cast all men as predators and all women as
Fainall for his silence.
victims. The irony, of course, is that Mirabell protects Mrs.
Fainall while her legal husband seeks to undermine her. Mrs.
Fainall needed protection from her husband, not her lover.
Act 5, Scene 6
Further verbal irony can be found in the fact that Lady Wishfort
espouses her conservative views while actively pursuing Sir
Fainall arrives and lists his demands for staying married to Mrs.
Rowland.
Fainall and keeping quiet about her affair with Mirabell. He
demands that Lady Wishfort never marry unless the man has
Fainall's negotiations provide a third angle from which to view
been approved by Fainall himself; that he gain control of Mrs.
Congreve's "proviso scene." In this case, Fainall lists his
Fainall's fortune; and that Millamant's inheritance be
demands and leaves no room for negotiation; Lady Wishfort
transferred over to him. Mrs. Marwood agrees with each of

must take it or leave it. Lady Wishfort doesn't have the cunning
Act 5, Scene 10
to outwit Fainall, especially because he's exposed her greatest
weakness: her concern for her reputation. Just as Mrs. Fainall returns to hear Lady Wishfort's decision on his terms.
Marwood suspected, Lady Wishfort would rather lose her Lady Wishfort announces that she will not agree to Fainall's
fortune than her daughter's reputation. In a world where love proposal because Millamant and Sir Wilfull are now engaged,
and money go hand in hand, this realization shows that Lady so Millamant will be receiving her inheritance. Fainall thinks
Wishfort really does love her daughter. For all her vanity and Lady Wishfort is trying to trick him, but Millamant, Mirabell, and
melodrama, Lady Wishfort's love makes her a sympathetic Sir Wilfull all proclaim the truth of Millamant's engagement.
character. For the first time, audiences might feel badly if she Fainall resignedly agrees that he has no right now to claim
loses everything to the villain Fainall. Millamant's inheritance but promises that if Lady Wishfort
doesn't hand over the other fortunes, Lady Wishfort's "darling
daughter [will be] turned adrift." Terrified, Lady Wishfort wails
Act 5, Scenes 8–10 that she and her daughter will be ruined. Even though he has
lost his true love, Mirabell promises to help Lady Wishfort as an
act of good faith for forgiveness. Moved, Lady Wishfort
Summary desperately promises that Mirabell may marry Millamant if he
saves her from Fainall's cruel threats.
Act 5, Scene 8
Analysis
Millamant and Sir Wilfull arrive. Sir Wilfull apologizes for
causing offense by his drunkenness and promises to pay for The plot and counterplot come full circle, balancing themselves
anything he might have broken. He and Millamant announce for Mirabell's ultimate success. Without Fainall's meddling,
their agreement to marry in order to save Lady Wishfort's Mirabell likely would have failed to win Millamant's hand.
fortune. Millamant promises she had nothing to do with the plot Fainall's treachery creates a new level of desperation for Lady
against Lady Wishfort. She has asked Mirabell to witness her Wishfort, and Mirabell immediately recognizes his opportunity.
marriage to Sir Wilfull after he releases her from their own His willingness to help Lady Wishfort save Mrs. Fainall's
engagement, which he plans to do now. Lady Wishfort doesn't reputation is not entirely selfish, however. The audience has
want Mirabell in her house, but Millamant warns that he may already seen Mirabell show compassion and friendship. He
hold her to their engagement if Lady Wishfort refuses him. pays Waitwell's bond to free him from imprisonment, and the
Everyone assures Lady Wishfort that today will be the last she audience already knows Mirabell values Mrs. Fainall as a friend.
sees Mirabell. It's worth noting that Mirabell swoops in as a hero in both
opportunities, but it was his bad decisions that got Waitwell
and Mrs. Fainall in trouble in the first place. Mirabell's
Act 5, Scene 9 willingness to help save Mrs. Fainall's reputation has as much
to do with their friendship as it does his guilt over ruining her
Lady Wishfort and Sir Wilfull receive Mirabell. As he passes, Sir reputation.
Wilfull whispers that he'll stand by Mirabell. Mirabell delivers a
dramatic, pleading apology, in which he claims to only want Millamant's willingness to marry Sir Wilfull is integral to the
Lady Wishfort's pity. He claims that the plot was motivated by seamless flow of twists and turns—her refusal would have
love. Sir Wilfull encourages Lady Wishfort to forgive Mirabell as created other problems that needed solving—but Congreve
a Christian. Lady Wishfort agrees to forgive Mirabell as long as never expresses Millamant's motivation. Is it love for Lady
he releases Millamant from their engagement. Mirabell states Wishfort? A sudden change of heart over her disgust toward
that the papers have already been drawn up. As she leaves, Sir Wilfull? A sign that she doesn't really love Mirabell?
Lady Wishfort whispers to herself that seeing Mirabell again Congreve doesn't answer these questions, perhaps suggesting
reignites her desire for him: "his appearance rakes the embers that women's motivations aren't as interesting as men's, or that
which have so long lain smothered in my breast." women are little more than pawns in the master plans

concocted by men. In a play replete with examples of the love

Act 5, Scene 13
of money, one wouldn't be faulted for thinking Millamant
chooses money over love. Unlike Lady Wishfort, who is willing Petulant and Witwoud arrive, having woken from their drunken
to sacrifice everything to save her daughter's relationship, slumbers. Mirabell pulls a letter from Sir Wilfull's black box and
Millamant would rather at least keep her money. asks Petulant and Witwoud whether they remember signing it.
They do. Mirabell then announces that the paper is actually the
This play's final act appears less polished than the rest of the
deed to Mrs. Fainall's fortune, which she signed over to him
play, perhaps because Congreve has so many twisted
before marrying Fainall. Mirabell had worried that Fainall would
schemes to unwind in a short period of time. Lady Wishfort,
try to swindle Mrs. Fainall during their marriage, so he asked
Millamant, and Sir Wilfull all have unexplained character
her to sign the fortune over to him as a safeguard. Enraged,
changes: Lady Wishfort easily forgives Mirabell; Millamant
Fainall lunges at his wife, but Sir Wilfull intervenes to save her.
unemotionally agrees to marry Sir Wilfull; and a sober Sir Wilfull
Both he and Mrs. Marwood leave, swearing to exact revenge.
shows characteristics previously unseen, such as a random
interest in religion (he encourages Lady Wishfort to forgive
Mirabell as a Christian), an unexplained loyalty to Mirabell (he
Act 5, Scene 14
promises to "stand by" her), and the same cruel critique of
Lady Wishfort's appearance shown by other male characters Lady Wishfort compliments her daughter for being so prudent
(he compares her make-up to a "coat of cream cheese"). with her fortune, saying "thou hast inherited thy mother's
prudence." She thanks Mirabell and agrees to keep her end of
the bargain by letting him marry Millamant. Sir Wilfull, eager to
Act 5, Scenes 11–14 get to his travels, happily breaks his engagement to Millamant
and agrees to take Witwoud and Petulant as his travel
companions, freeing Mirabell. As Mirabell and Millamant kiss to
Summary seal their engagement, Sir Wilfull calls for the entertainers to
play music so everyone can dance. Mirabell returns the deed of
fortune to Mrs. Fainall, promising to protect her should her
Act 5, Scene 11 husband ever return to punish her.
Lady Wishfort, Mrs. Fainall, Mincing, and Foible approach Mrs.

Marwood and Fainall. Immediately, Mrs. Marwood realizes they Analysis
are about to out her affair with Fainall. Fainall tells her to keep
calm, it is simply "the way of the world" and they cannot make As the play comes to a close, all the characters receive their
him "relinquish" his demands. Lady Wishfort demands to know just ending. Mirabell and Millamant are engaged, Lady Wishfort
whether Mrs. Marwood lied to her. Mrs. Marwood tries to maintains her reputation, Sir Wilfull leaves for his long-awaited
blame the "mercenary trulls" Mincing and Foible for leading her travel, Foible and Waitwell enjoy a happy marriage, and villains
astray. Fainall completely loses his temper and threatens to Fainall and Mrs. Marwood are expelled from society. Once
beat his wife. Mrs. Fainall calmly replies that she despises him. again, Congreve relies on the introduction of a previously
Nevertheless, Fainall refuses to leave her as long as she is unknown object—the deed to Mrs. Fainall's fortune—to save
"worth a grout." everyone. The deed had never been mentioned before, which
may leave audience members wondering where it came from.
Congreve opens the play with a scene of two card players
Act 5, Scene 12 attempting to outwit each other. The play ends with one player
revealing a trump card the other players—in this case the
Sir Rowland appears with the black box of letters. Mirabell audience—didn't know existed. Congreve may have been
reminds Lady Wishfort to keep her promise and trust him. fooling the audience, but it's just as likely that he was outwitted
by his own characters. Unable to unwind the tangled plot
points in such a short space of time, Congreve relied on an

The Way of the World Study Guide Quotes 30
outside tool rather than the wittiness of the characters to solve He praises Millamant's flaws, claiming to love them as much as
the problem. This may disappoint the audience because he loves her strengths. This monologue separates Mirabell
Congreve spent the entire play creating a battle of wits, and from Millamant's other suitors. He truly loves her while the
the use of a previously unmentioned object to solve everything other men simply covet her wealth, beauty, or status.
may feel like a letdown. So while the subplots neatly come to
an end, audiences may not be entirely satisfied if they hold too
tightly to any expectations of a realistic situation or resolution. "Friendship without freedom is as
The societal portrayal is far more important, so loose ends are
not a final problem. dull as love without enjoyment."
The play opens with a scene of Mirabell and Fainall playing
— Witwoud, Act 1, Scene 8
cards, each attempting to "best" the other, and by the end of
the play, the competition has ended with Mirabell emerging as
the victor. Before competing for Millamant's hand, Mirabell is Although he's a fool, Witwoud accidentally happens upon
described as being somewhat superficial and vain, but by the words of wisdom. This line lays out the characteristics of
end of the play he has been molded into an ideal gentleman. romance in the Restoration Period. To truly love another, one
He loves Millamant wholeheartedly and seeks to better himself must give the other freedom. Mirabell honors Millamant's
to be worthy of her love. In contrast, Fainall shows the depths request for freedom in their marriage, proving they are a good,
of his wickedness as the play closes. His character starts out modern match.
pretty bad: he lies to his wife, plots against Lady Wishfort, and
is having an affair. As the play progresses, he becomes worse,
trying to swindle his wife out of her money. By the end of the "If we will be happy, we must find
play, he's devolved fully into a monster who tries to beat his
wife, shouting that she "shall smart for this" and that her body
the means in ourselves, and
"shall be naked as [her] reputation." Fainall wants two things: among ourselves."
money and power. Just as Lady Wishfort represents an over-
the-top characterization of traditional values, Fainall becomes
— Mrs. Fainall, Act 2, Scene 1
a grotesque characterization of society's evils. While the
pursuit of money and power may indeed be "the way of the
world," Congreve asserts that there are consequences for This quote foreshadows Mrs. Fainall's eventual decision to
such lusts. Characters who are ultimately good, though far speak honestly about her affair with Mirabell and leave her
from heroic, might have a reason-based escape, on the stage husband. She embraces modernity by creating her own
at least, from the worst of these obsessive behaviors. happiness rather than waiting for a man to offer it.
g Quotes "'Tis better to be left than never to

have been loved."
"Took her to pieces; sifted her, and
— Mrs. Marwood, Act 2, Scene 1
separated her failings; I studied
'em and got 'em by rote." Mrs. Marwood reveals her selfish nature when she speaks to
the wife of her married lover. Both Fainall and Mrs. Marwood
take what they wants from the world regardless of who their
— Mirabell, Act 1, Scene 3
actions hurt. In this way, they are a good match.
This quote comes from Mirabell's long monologue about love.

The Way of the World Study Guide Quotes 31
Mrs. Marwood perches like the proverbial devil on the shoulder

"Why do we daily commit
of Lady Wishfort as Wishfort contemplates how to punish
disagreeable and dangerous Mirabell for humiliating her. Her venomous words show her
own hatred of Mirabell for breaking her heart.
actions? To save that idol,
reputation."
"I look like an old peeled wall. Thou
must repair me, Foible."
In the Restoration Period, members of the upper class — Lady Wishfort, Act 3, Scene 5
obsessed over their social reputations, and Lady Wishfort
represents those who would stop at nothing to protect theirs.
Mirabell knows this about her and exploits it in his plot. This quote highlights Lady Wishfort's extreme vanity. She
represents a grotesque version of traditional romance, in which
a woman has little more to offer a man than her appearance.
Lady Wishfort desperately tries to improve her appearance
"For beauty is the lover's gift: 'tis
before Sir Rowland arrives.
he bestows your charm."
— Mirabell, Act 2, Scene 5 "'Tis not modish to know relations

in town."
Mirabell tries to convince Millamant that she needs him to
maintain her beauty. He loves her for her faults, and in loving — Witwoud, Act 3, Scene 15
her, makes her beautiful. Mirabell presents the modern view of
love, contrasted with Lady Wishfort's traditional view, in which
women use beauty to ensnare a man. Obsessed with fashion and hiding his background, and
ashamed of Wilfull's appearance, Witwoud pretends not to
recognize his own brother. Witwoud's comment also hints at
the modern social practice of the time for withholding
"One's cruelty is one's power."
affection: when Millamant agrees to marry Mirabell, she only
agrees if he promises to never be seen in public with her.
— Millamant, Act 2, Scene 5
Millamant defends playing hard to get as it's the only way she "Have you any more conditions to
has power over men. She fears that relinquishing that power
and joining a traditional coupling will signal the end of her
offer? Hitherto your demands are
independence. pretty reasonable."

"Poisoning's too good for him.
Starve him, madam, starve him; Mirabell agrees to whatever demands Millamant, as a modern
woman, makes for their engagement. He truly loves her and will
marry Sir Rowland."
gladly honor her independence. This agreement casts Mirabell
as something of a modern hero in a Restoration Period play.
— Mrs. Marwood, Act 3, Scene 5

The Way of the World Study Guide Symbols 32
"Bring what you will; but come

l Symbols
alive, pray come alive."
— Lady Wishfort, Act 4, Scene 15 Masks

The end of Act 4 marks the height of Lady Wishfort's ridiculous
melodrama. She pleads for Sir Rowland to stay alive while he Masks symbolize dishonesty in The Way of the World. Masks
leaves her to fetch letters, thinking this over-the-top emotion were worn as fashion during the 17th century and are a
makes her more desirable in his eyes. frequently used prop in Restoration Period plays, particularly in
scenes of dishonesty or infidelity. In The Way of the World,
characters wear masks in a foolish attempt to hide their true
"Have you made a passive bawd of identities or feelings. Masks were falling out of fashion,
however, as referenced by Mirabell's demand that Millamant
me?" never wear masks in their marriage—"that you continue to like
your own face as long as I shall"—and Millamant's disgust at
— Lady Wishfort, Act 5, Scene 1 the idea that she would wear a mask, which she calls
"detestable imprimis," at all. Perhaps because masks are no
Lady Wishfort explodes in anger when she learns of Mirabell's longer in fashion in the play, they are no longer functional:
plot and Foible's role in it. She's not brokenhearted by the Marwood wears a mask at the end of Act II as she attempts to
breakdown of her engagement to Sir Rowland; she's angry that "cover" her affair with Fainall and the tears that result from
Foible has plotted to besmirch her reputation. their bickering. The mask fails to hide either, however, as
Foible easily recognizes Marwood and her emotion. Similarly,
Petulant wears a mask in a vain attempt to hide his identity as
he flits around town, trying to make himself look more popular.
"I despise you and defy your
Again, his friends easily recognize his true identity and
malice." mercilessly mock him behind his back. Mask-wearing
characters attempt to use masks to hide their identities, but
— Mrs. Fainall, Act 5, Scene 11 their failure to do so assures audiences that good will prevail in
this farce.
For the first time, Mrs. Fainall admits her hatred for her
husband. She seeks to build her own happiness now that his
abuse has been exposed. Character Names
"'Tis the way of the world." Congreve's character names symbolize their true nature. Some
of the characters names literally define their personalities:
— Fainall, Act 5, Scene 11 Petulant, for example, means "trifling" or "superficial," which
precisely characterizes the silly fop. Witwoud means "would
have wit," which again perfectly characterizes Witwoud's
Fainall delivers the titular line as an excuse for his abusive,
desire to be seen as a "wit" like Mirabell. The word foible
cruel behavior. He claims greed makes the world go round and
means "the weaker part of a sword blade, between the middle
no one should be surprised by his actions. In the final action of
and the point," which helps define the character Foible's
the play, money and greed for it still figure prominently, but
relationship with Lady Wishfort. Although she doesn't have the
human happiness has at least something of a last word or the
status or power her ladyship has, Foible's intelligence makes
possibility of one.

The Way of the World Study Guide Themes 33
her powerful. and stands in strong contrast to Lady Wishfort, who comically
falls all over herself to impress Sir Rowland. Unlike Mrs. Fainall,
Other character names rely on romance languages to fully who, until pressed at the very last moment, submits to the
understand their meaning: Millamant, for example, reflects her demands of a cruel husband, Millamant does not let Mirabell
countless admirers: in French, mille means "thousand" and control anything. She lists all her demands before accepting
amant means "lover." Mirabell's name, on the other hand, hints Mirabell's proposal, including that she may wear what she
at his both his own attractiveness and his love of Millamant's pleases, socialize and communicate with whomever she
beauty: mira means "look" and bella means "beautiful" in chooses, never be forced to entertain his dull relations, eat
Spanish. when and what she pleases, and be allowed privacy in her
room. These relationship demands would have been very
Yet other names playfully nod to their definitions. In biblical
fashionable (and controversial) during the Restoration Period
times, the word "fain" meant to strongly desire or "fix one's
as society fought against the conservative, traditional gender
heart upon." With this definition, Fainall translates to "desires
expectations that had so long existed.
everything," which hints at the character's greedy nature.
Marwood breaks down into "mar," which means destroy, and
"wood," or in this case, "would," suggesting her sneaky
character would destroy you if given the chance. Wishfort's
name reflects her exaggerated desperation for romance,
Money and Greed
suggesting she can only "wish-for-it."
As the play purports, greed is "the way of the world." One

cannot live without money, but the pursuit of it often corrupts
m Themes relationships. None of the play's characters live without some
level of greed. Each makes decisions to protect, earn, or steal
fortunes. The central conflict of the play revolves around
Millamant's sizeable inheritance and how it can be protected
Love and Romance through marriage. As a stipulation of her guardianship, Lady
Wishfort refuses to pass on Millamant's inheritance unless she
marries a man of her approval. When Mirabell falls out of Lady
Central to The Way of the World is the romantic relationship Wishfort's good graces, he must concoct a complicated plan to
between Millamant and Mirabell. To modern readers their both earn Millamant's hand and protect her inheritance. Even
relationship may seem confusing, even strange, but their witty Millamant, who clearly loves Mirabell, likely wouldn't marry him
exchanges and seeming absence of physical affection without her money—she even goes so far as to engage herself
characterize the ideal relationship felt during the Restoration to Sir Wilfull, a man who disgusts her, in an attempt to preserve
Period. Ideal relationships in the Restoration Period, such as her fortune.
Mirabell and Millamant's, were characterized by equality and
Fainall and Mrs. Marwood's greed casts them as the play's
independence—although society still judged women's purity
villains because they seek to steal what is not theirs. Fainall
more harshly than men's, as seen in the unbalanced treatment
marries Lady Wishfort's daughter for her money, which he
of Mrs. Fainall and Mirabell's affair, as Mrs. Fainall needed to
spends on his mistress, Mrs. Marwood. He concocts plots to
be protected against "scandal" while Mirabell was essentially
blackmail Lady Wishfort out of her own fortune and Millamant's
free to do as he pleased. Mirabell matches Millamant's wit and
inheritance, threatening to divorce his kindhearted wife should
humor in ways her other suitors, Petulant, Witwoud, and Sir
Lady Wishfort not comply with his demands. When his plans
Wilfull, do not. Their pithy exchanges highlight society's desire
are discovered, Fainall remarks that "'tis the way of the world,"
for wit, particularly when contrasted with the banal crudeness
suggesting that greed makes the world go round. Dedication to
of her other suitors, who are at various times described as
money with no love present would seem highly distasteful and
drunk, vain, ignorant, and salacious. Millamant, as the
unacceptable in the realm of the play; dedication to love
archetypal heroine—she's beautiful, strong, clever, and
without money would be difficult and impractical given their
independent—has no time for bumbling suitors like Sir Wilfull

The Way of the World Study Guide Themes 34
lives.
The Deceit and Style of Wit
The Way of the World is essentially a play of deceit. Nearly all

of the characters plot against each other for their own gain.
With the help of Mrs. Fainall, Foible, and Waitwell, Mirabell plots
against Lady Wishfort in the hopes of winning Millamant's
hand. Fainall and Mrs. Marwood plot against Mirabell and Lady
Wishfort in the hopes of securing Mrs. Fainall's and Mirabell's
fortunes. Waitwell disguises himself as a nobleman, Lady
Wishfort slathers her face in makeup to hide her age, Witwoud
hides his humble upbringing, and Mrs. Marwood wears a mask
to hide her emotions. Mrs. Fainall hides her past affair with
Mirabell, and Fainall maintains an illicit affair with Mrs.
Marwood. No one is as they seem, and everyone has
something to hide. In each of their plots, the characters
attempt to outwit the other characters, showing their
superiority. Because Mirabell wins his aim at the end of the
play, Congreve clearly casts him as the wittiest character.
The wit of each character can be seen through the style in

which Congreve writes their dialogue. Mirabell, the cleverest, is
given the most style. His sentences are flowing and refined,
filled with illustrative images and figurative language. In
contrast, ignorant Petulant's sentences are short, crass, and
often need an interpreter: "By this hand, if they were
your—a—a—your what-d'ee-call-'ems." When Mirabell and
Millamant speak about their engagement, they are both given
long passages in which they cleverly define their terms. This
contrasts with the short, clipped conversations between
spouses Waitwell and Foible, whose marriage, although a
pretense, provides only as much romantic depth as their
physical passion for each other.
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The Way of the

What's Inside d In Context

j Book Basics ................................................................................................. 1

l Symbols ..................................................................................................... 32 fascinations of the upper-class characters in The Way of the

excessively greedy, hypocritical, vain, foolish, or deceitful. and intrigue.

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Short View of the Immorality and Profaneness of the English

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Mrs. Marwood Lovers

Fainall Former Sir Wilfull

Other Major Character

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Full Character List Sir Rowland is Mirabell's wealthy uncle.

Mirabell is a handsome, desirable "fop,"

Millamant is the highly sought-​after

Mrs. Fainall is Lady Wishfort's Who Loves Whom?

Petulant is one of Millamant's many engagement.

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Before the actual wedding, however, Mirabell will reveal the

Proposals and Revelations

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Rising Action 4 Falling Action

3. Mirabell and Millamant get engaged.

4. Mrs. Marwood's letter about Sir Rowland arrives.

5. Lady Wishfort learns that she has been deceived.

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Before the play begins

Mirabell and Mrs. Fainall have an affair.

Mirabell arranges for Arabella (Mrs. Fainall) and Fainall to

Around the same time

Mirabell offends Lady Wishfort.

Start of play, morning

Mirabell and Fainall play cards at the chocolate shop.

Mirabell reveals his plan to Mrs. Fainall.

Foible and Waitwell return from their wedding.

Later that afternoon

Mrs. Marwood hides in the closet.

At the same time

Sir Wilfull arrives.

Lady Wishfort tries to woo Sir Rowland, who is actually

Lady Wishfort discovers the truth.

Mirabell pleads for forgiveness.

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Sir Rowland arrives with the deed to Mrs. Fainall's

The villains are expelled.

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Two handsome, fashionable men, Mirabell and Fainall, sit in the

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he is clearly no match for Mirabell. Similarly, Petulant's

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end of Mirabell's romance with Millamant. Outraged, Mrs.

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mask to cover her true emotion. badly taking advantage of him.

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Wishfort to their engagement—at the time, engagements could

Mirabell's hand in the Fainall's sham marriage gives audiences

Both Millamant's and Mirabell's servants are also integral to the

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Analysis Act 3, Scene 1

Millamant plays hard to get, first refusing to admit Mirabell into

Congreve contrasts two types of romantic love in this section:

Millamant is the highly sought-after