The Feminist Voices in Restoration Comedy: The Virtuous Women in the Play-worlds of Etherege, Wycherley, and CongreveSir George Etherege, William Wycherley and William Congreve introduce into their play-worlds major female characters who demand independence and equality from their male counterparts. This book focuses on each major female character who demands independence and equality of her gallant-libertine before she will commit to marriage or courtship with him. This demand for equality is a contrast to the social and marital relationships found in the real world of 17th century English Restoration society where marriage was a bargaining process for property and where the woman was treated as the man's property. Each of the three playwrights develops his virtuous women in a different way. Wycherley's approach to his characters, for instance, is quite different from that of Etherege and Congreve. But in each case, the playwrights present major female characters who prove themselves superior in wit and wisdom and thoroughly modern in their outlook. |
Contents
The PlayWorld of Sir George Etherege | 25 |
Chapter 3 | 85 |
The GentlemanDancingMaster | 104 |
Copyright | |
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The Feminist Voices in Restoration Comedy: The Virtuous Women in the Play ... Douglas M. Young No preview available - 1997 |
Common terms and phrases
act four action affair Alithea Angelica Aphra Behn Araminta arrangement audience beau monde becomes Belinda Bellmour Christina Comical Revenge commitment Congreve Congreve's constancy contrast Cou'd Country Wife Courtall critics Cynthia Dorimant Dorimant's Double-Dealer duel equal Etherege's fashionable father female characters Fidelia final gain gallant and lady Gerard Harcourt Harriet Woodvill Hippolita honor Horner husband ideal indicates innocence intrigues jealousy Lady Cockwood Lady Touchwood Lady Wishfort libertine Love for Love love-duel love-game Loveit lover Lydia Manly Manly's marital relationship marriage marry Marwood Maskwell match Mellefont Millamant Mirabell Mirabell's mistress moral moral absolutes Old Batchelour Olivia passion Pinchwife Plain-Dealer play play-world playwrights pleasure plot Plyant proviso scene Prue Ranger real world Restoration Comedy Sir Fopling Sir Frederick Sir George Etherege Sir Oliver Sir Sampson society Sparkish Tattle theatre traditional truth Vainlove Valentine Valentine's Vernish virtue virtuous lady virtuous woman William Congreve William Wycherley women wou'd Wycherley's