
The Way of the World
'The Way of the World ' Summary
Act 1 is set in a chocolate house where Mirabell and Fainall have just finished playing cards. A footman comes and tells Mirabell that Waitwell (Mirabell's male servant) and Foible (Lady Wishfort's female servant) were married that morning. Mirabell tells Fainall about his love of Millamant and is encouraged to marry her. Witwoud and Petulant appear and Mirabell is informed that should Lady Wishfort marry, he will lose £6000 of Millamant's inheritance. He will only get this money if he can get Lady Wishfort's consent to his and Millamant's marriage.
Act 2 is set in St. James’ Park. Mrs. Fainall and Mrs. Marwood are discussing their hatred of men. Fainall appears and accuses Mrs. Marwood (with whom he is having an affair) of loving Mirabell (which she does). Meanwhile, Mrs. Fainall (Mirabell's former lover) tells Mirabell that she hates her husband, and they begin to plot to deceive Lady Wishfort into giving her consent to the marriage. Millamant appears in the park and, angry about the previous night (when Mirabell was confronted by Lady Wishfort), she tells Mirabell of her displeasure in his plan, which she only has a vague idea about. After she leaves, the newly wed servants appear and Mirabell reminds them of their roles in the plan.
Acts 3, 4 and 5 are all set in the home of Lady Wishfort. We are introduced to Lady Wishfort who is encouraged by Foible to marry the supposed Sir Rowland – Mirabell's supposed uncle – so that Mirabell will lose his inheritance. Sir Rowland is, however, Waitwell in disguise, and the plan is to entangle Lady Wishfort in a marriage which cannot go ahead, because it would be bigamy, not to mention a social disgrace (Waitwell is only a serving man, Lady Wishfort an aristocrat). Mirabell will offer to help her out of the embarrassing situation if she consents to his marriage. Later, Mrs. Fainall discusses this plan with Foible, but this is overheard by Mrs. Marwood. She later tells the plan to Fainall, who decides that he will take his wife's money and go away with Mrs. Marwood.
Book Details
Authors

William Congreve
England
William Congreve was an English playwright and poet of the Restoration period. He is known for his clever, satirical dialogue and influence on the comedy of manners style of that period. He was also a...
Books by William CongreveDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

Rudens; or The Fisherman's Rope by Titus Maccius Plautus
Rudens, or "The Fisherman's Rope," is a side-splitting comedy by the ancient Roman playwright Plautus. The play follows the misadventures of Daemones,...

Benefit of the Doubt by Arthur Wing Pinero
Benefit of the Doubt, set in Victorian London, explores the societal pressures and intricate dynamics within a family embroiled in a divorce scandal....

Recruiting Officer by George Farquhar
The Recruiting Officer is a Restoration comedy by George Farquhar, set in the English countryside during the War of the Spanish Succession. The play...

The Stolen Heiress by Susanna Centlivre
It is a comedy play by Susanna Centlivre, first performed in 1702. The play is set in Sicily and tells the story of a young woman named Lucasia who is...

Fortune Hunter: A Novel of New York Society by Anna Cora Mowatt Ritchie
Fortune Hunter is an entertaining and satirical novel that follows the lives of several wealthy and fashionable New Yorkers. The story revolves around...

Vera by Elizabeth von Arnim
In this satirical novel, Lucy Entwhistle enters a second marriage, only to find herself trapped in a household dominated by the ghost of her husband's...

Eunuchus: The Eunuch by Terence
Terence's "Eunuchus" is a Roman comedy set in Athens. It revolves around the intricate love affairs of young Athenian men and their pursuit of young w...

Trinummus: The Three Pieces of Money by Titus Maccius Plautus
Trinummus, or The Three Pieces of Money, is an ancient Roman comedy by Titus Maccius Plautus. The play tells the story of Charmides, an Athenian merch...

Egoist by George Meredith
The Egoist is a tragi-comic novel that follows the story of Sir Willoughby Patterne, a wealthy and self-absorbed baronet who believes himself to be th...

A Wife Without A Smile by Arthur Wing Pinero
It is a classic play that explores the complexities of marriage and relationships in Victorian society. The play revolves around the character of Lady...
Reviews for The Way of the World
No reviews posted or approved, yet...