Introduction: Restoration comedy was a dramatic genre highly popular during the reign of King Charles II (1630-1685) in late 1600s England. Through its defining characteristics of incisive dialogue and lewd humour, Restoration comedies explored themes of marriage and class, wit and humour, commenting on contemporary society.
Wit and Humour : Wit and Humour are the prominent qualities of the ‘Comedy of Manners‘. Since in these plays wit is always intellectual, therefore, it provides these plays with a cerebral touch, doing away with vulgarity, cheapness, and indecency.Though so many playwrights had introduced wit in their plays no other dramatist had got success in using it so skillfully, smoothly and effectively as William Congreve (1670 – 1729) in his masterpiece ‘The way of The world‘ (1700).
Read More: The Way of the World as a comedy of manners
Conspiracy/intrigue: is also an important component of ‘Comedy of Manners‘. Finally, the son in law of Lady Wishfort in ‘The Way of the World’ was intriguing to her mother in law to give him his wife’s wealth and half of Millament’s wealth as well.
Love, marriage, and sex: Comedy of Manners is devoid of true and passionate love. True love is rarely seen in these comedies. The constancy of love was supposed to be dull and boring. In their married life there was no intimacy in the relation of husband and wife. Mirabell in ‘The Way of the World’ not only flirted with Mrs Fainall but he was in an illicit relationship with her, consequently, she became pregnant. Then he helped Mrs Fainall to Marry Fainall so that the child could not be called illegitimate.
Conclusion: These are the most striking features of restoration comedy. William Congreve’s masterpiece ‘The Way of the World’, is a prominent example that provides all the characteristics of Restoration Comedy.
