Comedy of manners

1. Comedy of manners

2. What is the commedy of manners? A Comedy of Manners is a play concerned with satirizing society’s manners. A manner is the method in which everyday duties are performed, conditions of society, or a way of speaking. It implies a polite and well-bred behavior.

3. History of the Comedy of manners • Ancient Greek playwright Menander; • the Ancient Greek characters were imitated by the Roman playwrights Plautus and Terence; • During the Renaissance there is the trasription of the classic comedies and there are orginal writers as Molière that isthe best-known comedies of manners in the French playwright.

4. Characteristics • it involves a sophisticated wit and talent in the writing of the script; • minimal physical action and the play may involve heavy use of intelectual dialogues; • employs an equal amount of both satire and farce resulting in a hilarious send-up of a particular social group; • Teach better manners and show social vices.

5. Other kind of comedies: • Satiric comedies: poetic language, use of satire and characters embody human vices • Romantic comedies: universal themes, poetic language and dreamlike setting

6. Major playwrires in Englandduring the period of the restoration: • William Wycherley with his play The Country Wife (1675); • William Congreve with The Way of the World (1700). It premiered in 1700 in the theatre in Lincon’s Inn Fields in London. It is one of the best Restoration comedies.

7. The way of the world Most important Characters: Millimant and Mirabell Topic: life at court, love and marriage Style: large ose of the dialogues between the main characters

8. Gaio Francesco