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'One no more owes one's beauty to a lover, than one's wit to an
echo.' With the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, the republican
ban on organised theatre was lifted - and plays exploded back onto
the public stage with newfound relish. The arrival of actresses for
the first time encouraged a great sense of release, which expressed
itself in the form of sophisticated comedies exploring the sexual
behaviour and moralities of society. This volume features three of
the most popular Restoration Comedies: The Country Wife by William
Wycherley - a supremely bawdy comedy in which the aptly named
Horner pretends to be a eunuch in order to seduce women under the
noses of their husbands. The Way of the World by William Congreve -
a brilliant comedy of manners, complete with dashing suitor, rich
heiress and vengeful aunt. The Rover by Aphra Behn - the classic
Restoration comedy by one of the earliest and most celebrated
female playwrights. There is also a full introduction about the
plays, playwrights and the period, and a glossary of unfamiliar
words. The Drama Classic Collections bring together the most
popular plays from a single author or a particular period. They
offer students, actors and theatregoers a series of uncluttered,
accessible editions, accompanied by comprehensive introductions.
Originally published in 1925, the text for this edition of Semele
was compiled from the 1710 edition of Congreve's works and the
altered version adopted by Handel and published in 1762. The work
was performed in this form at the New Theatre, Cambridge in
February 1925. Lines omitted by the composer are printed in smaller
type, and his interpolations are set within square brackets. This
book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the works of
Congreve and Handel.
The career of William Congreve as comic dramatist was brief but
highly successful. From the beginning he showed a useful knack for
cultivating influential literary friends and for giving audiences
what they were sure to like. Early in 1693, his first comedy, The
Old Batchelour, pleased the public at Drury Lane, and critics
hailed the appearance of a new talent in the theatre who gave a
sharp edge to the theatrical conventions at the time. Much was
expected of Congreve's second offering, The Double Dealer, mounted
later the same year. Its surprisingly bitter tone disconcerted many
listeners, however, and the play drew only moderate praise. But
this setback proved temporary, and Congreve found his reputation
regained with Love for Love, and in 1700 his finest comedy of
manners The Way of the World. After this he wrote no more comedies.
Aware of changing tastes in his audience, and annoyed by critical
squabbles over the question of morality in his plays, he retired at
the age of thirty to the life of a gentleman of leisure.
Hero longing for heiress. Obstacles in the way. Marriage eventually
secured. It sounds simple. But the lasting appeal of this, one of
the most performed and discussed of all Restoration plays, lies in
Congreve's sophisticated grasp of plot, back-story,
characterization and language. Set in high-society London, his
comic masterpiece features scenes of uproarious comedy,
Machiavellian scheming and devastating wit. Its sparring between
sexes is enchanting but shadowed by melancholy and the ethical
uncertainty latent in the title. If this is the way of the world,
are we supposed to cheer, despair, or shrug our shoulders? In this
new edition of William Congreve's The Way of the World, David
Roberts peels back the layers of the plot to tell the story of the
play's stage and critical history from 1700 to the present day,
bringing voices from universities and theatres into debate about
this enigmatic landmark in English comedy. Supplemented by a plot
summary and annotated bibliography, it is ideal for students of
Congreve, comedy and early modern drama.
This is the only available edition of a brilliant novel by the
leading Restoration dramatist and author of The Way of the World.
Masked balls, mistaken identity, and fanciful deceits run riot in
this hilarious tale of love and intrigue by the master of the
Restoration comedy. Returning to Florence on the occasion of his
eighteenth birthday, Aurelian - together with his sworn companion
Hippolito - dons his disguise in anticipation of the famous
Florentine ball. Once there, the two are soon separated, and each
finds himself paired off with a beautiful - and masked - woman.
Whilst Aurelian yearns to learn the true identity of his 'love',
Hippolito is mistaken for another and brazenly plays along with the
conceit. Chaos abounds as masks are dropped, truth revealed, and,
somehow, all ends happily.
"A woman who is not a fool can have but one reason for
associating with a man that is," says Mirabell, the amorous hero of
"The Way of the World." His cleverness must overcome his own
foolishness as he tries to extricate himself from one affair in
order to pursue another. His new passion is inspired by Mrs.
Millimant, who confides, "I love to give pain."
First performed in 1700, "The Way of the World" has since earned
a reputation as a play for connoisseurs, a satire whose every word
pricks or scratches. Its portrayal of the petty intrigues and
duplicity of genteel society spares neither coquette nor
rascal.
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