TUTORIAL CC – 8

ON
WILLIAM CONGREVE'S THE WAY OF THE WORLD

NAME : GANDHARBI GHOSH

ROLL NO : 2317
DEPARTMENT: ENGLISH HONOURS
YEAR : SEMESTER IV
FACULTY : MADHUCHHANDA ROY
DATE :
THE POSITION OF WOMEN IN 1700, AS REFLECTED IN
CONGREVE’S PLAY, THE WAY OF THE WORLD

ABSTRACT
Literature holds an important mirror to the society which helps in assessing the
taste of the time, the socio-cultural conditions, and also the condition of women. Literature
bears a testimony to the growing fiery spirit in women as a reaction against tyranny. In
fact literature is used as a weapon against patriarchy by revolutionary authors like Aphra
Behn, Mary Wollstonecraft, Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf and many others (who are now
honored as feminist writers) who dared to challenge the societal norms and changed the
gaze of the society. Clearly imprinted are the struggles of these women in the pages of
literature. But Feminism as we see it now in the 21st century has a struggling history
and the change has been slow but steady. Tracing back in history we find that much of
the seeds of feminism or women emancipation is said to have sprouted during the
Restoration period. Restoration period is highly criticised for its loose morality. Then,
could women really raise their voices in such a libertine environment? If true, then how
and to what degree? This paper focuses on exploring the position of women in the 1700
as evident through Congreve’s The Way Of The World. To understand this a close
scrutiny has been performed on the women characters, along with an analysis of the
perspective of the male characters towards women, marital relations, and the attitude of
Congreve as well.

KEYWORDS : self-awareness, female sexuality, oppression, patriarchy, precarious,

individual freedom, self-identity, ideological self, hypocrisy, condescension, fiery

With the ascension of king Charles-II to the throne of England in 1660, there was
a complete reversal in the social scenario. People heaved a sigh of relief as they finally
got respite from the claustrophobic existence of the Cromwell regime and their strict
Puritanical ethics. The king followed a Hedonistic lifestyle which also affected his
subjects who indulged in frivolity, excessive mirth-making and libertinism. Moral
constraints slackened. Though this age is greatly criticised for its licentiousness and
profligacy, yet a very significant aspect of this time was the growing sense of self-
awareness among the women. For the first time women crossed the domestic boundaries
and paved their way into theatres, from being mere audiences to performers. When the
theatres reopened in 1660, the king permitted women to play the female roles which
were previously acted by young boys disguised in female attire. It is during this
Restoration period that Aphra Behn emerged as the first professional women playwright
in English who gave women a voice to speak and has been an inspiration. There was a
strong urge for greater freedom among women. Keeping with the spirit of the age, the
Restoration Comedy of Manners puts forward questions pertaining to gender inequality,
female sexuality, women oppression and the relation or the power struggle between men
and women. The renowned dramatists of the time – Aphra Behn, Etherege, William
Wycherley and William Congreve have created bold women characters in their plays who
dare to challenge patriarchy and defy social conventions, like – Hellena ( in The Rover)
who freely speaks of female sexuality and asserts the significance of women’s consent
in marriage and physical love ; or Harriet ( The Man Of Mode ) who un-genders the act of
seduction by actively participating in it, and by mocking Dorimant's seductive charms, she
demands equality. Similarly, Congreve’s last and most famous play The Way Of The
World ( 1700 ) also follows the trend.
Millamant is the boldest of Congreve's heroines. She is lovely, witty, proud and
self-willed. She maintains an air of gravity and makes herself undecipherable and thereby
more charming. Her whimsical nature partly seeds from her sense of free will. She keeps
a company of fools ( Witwoud and Petulant ) to enjoy a sense of superiority and power
over males, the privileged sex. She is aware of her precarious position in society as a
women, yet she tries to redefine the role of women as a lover and as a wife. Her
dazzling wit is perfect to counter Mirabell’s and like a typical Restoration Comedy they
engage in witty repartee. It must be kept in mind that the verbal arena is the only arena
available to woman to project her power and Millamant utilises it effectively. Her sharp
remarks to Mirabell and her attitude or pretence of never surrendering to his love results
from an urge to keep alive the courtship romance – “. . . I'll fly and be followed to the
last moment; . . . I'll be solicited till the very last; nay, and afterwards ” (4.1), for if she
was “freed from the agreeable fatigues of solicitation”, she would feel herself as “poor
and had nothing to bestow”. But more importantly she wants to enjoy her freedom than
be “dwindled” into a wife. In the Proviso Scene (4.1), the most important part of the
play, Millamant announces certain covenants to Mirabell regarding marriage so as to
sustain her independence and be in sole control of herself. It is a deliberate attempt to
defend herself from being encaged into the coop of marriage and meekly serve her
husband. She asserts her right to choose her garb, companions and visitors, to write
letters and make friends without asking his permission, and may refuse to converse with
wits and fools even if they happen to be his friends or relations. She wants her identity
to be intact and unaltered by some showy affectionate terms which lovers often do. She
also disagrees to make a show of their love at public places. She wants her wardrobe to
remain inviolate and be the “Soul Empress” of her “ Tea Table”, which Mirabell “must
never approach without first asking leave”. Thus she asserts her importance and control
over domestic life. The most significant of her provisions is her demand for personal
space – “wherever I am, you shall always knock at the door before coming ” (4.1).
Through this she asserts individual freedom and individual identity of a married woman
which the society crushes. This is again echoed in future in Virginia Woolf’s A Room Of
Ones Own. Thus in this Proviso Scene she strikes at the societal concept of marriage and
the conduct of a wife. She is rightly called a “whirlwind” by Mirabell.
 But from the character of Millamant we should not think that the society allowed
women to enjoy a considerable degree of liberty. The shackles of patriarchy still
oppressed women. Petulant's perspective towards women reveals the disdainful position of
women in the eyes of patriarchy. Like his name suggests, he is a bad tempered, rough
person who has the indomitable desire to be popular. And for this purpose he appoints
women to summon him up at public places in order to project how much he is desired.
For him being popular means ruling the hearts of women. We get a glimpse of this trick
in the chocolate house (1.2) where three women in a carriage come to seek him and he
replies: “ Well, well, I come. ’Sbud, a man had as good be a professed midwife as a
professed whoremaster, at this rate; to be knocked up and raised at all hours, and in all
places. Pox on'em , I won't come. D'ye hear, tell'em I won't come. Let ’em snivel and cry
their heart out. ” For him manliness lies in mistreating women with all harshness, because
softness is a feminine quality and hence weakness. His wit, of which he is proud of, is of
coarse and malicious nature. Mirabell complains : “ Let us not be accessory to your
putting the ladies out of countenance with your sense ribaldry, which you roar out aloud
as often as one pass by you, and when you have made a handsome women blush, then
you think you have been severe ” (1.2 ). He simply washes off his hands replying “ . . . I
always take blushing either for a sign of guilt or ill-breeding” ( 1.2).
We see how Mrs. Fainall is used by Mirabell only to gratify his physical desire
and then he abandons her. He has no intention of being in a serious relationship with
her, perhaps because she has transgressed the social norms and code of morality and
become a fallen women, though ironically Mirabell is the cause. When she is apprehensive
of pregnancy, he endeavours to marry her off to Mr. Fainall in order to save her
reputation. But even from her husband she does not get any respect. Behind her back he
is involved in an illicit affair with Mrs. Marwood, but ironically when he discovers the
relation between his wife and Mirabell, he condemns her for deception and profligacy
and uses this incident to blackmail Lady Wishfort and usurp her property. His actual
interest lies only in Mrs. Fainall’s wealth which he can utilise in pursuing his own
pleasures with Mrs. Marwood. His bad-temper and rude attitude towards Mrs. Fainall is
well reflected when he abuses his wife in act 5, scene 3 : “ You thing, that was a wife,
shall smart for this. I will not leave thee wherewithal to hide thy shame : your body shall
be naked as your reputation.” When all his schemes of squeezing money from Lady
Wishfort are nullified by Mirabell’s prudence, he even “ offers to run at Mrs. Fainall ” in
revenge. Yet at the end we see that she is compelled to live with him since he is the
‘husband’ .Throughout the play she is referred to as Mrs. Fainall and her real name
remains in obscurity (it is only in the deed that she appears as Arabella Languish). This
brings the question of self-identity. Congreve here also shows how money becomes the
main objective for marriage. Neither happy with marital life nor in the company of
hypocrite friends, Mrs. Fainall choses to help Mirabell out of love and gratitude but gets
nothing in return.
Mr. Fainall never loved his wife, but the lady he claimed to love received no better
treatment. Mrs. Marwood is also a sufferer in the hands of Mr. Fainall. In act 2 scene 1
Mr Fainall uses physical force to hold back Mrs. Marwood when she wants to leave, but
ironically says : “ I would not hurt you for the world .” Their relation is bare of love and
perhaps because it is not possible to love such a man. Lady Wishfort is the stock widow
who serves as the butt of laughter. Restoration age was marked by extravagance in
fashion and the upper class women took great pride in it. Lady Wishfort's elaborate
make-up becomes a subject of ridicule and Congreve mocks her painted face through
Foible's speech : “ Your ladyship has frowned a little too rashly, indeed, madam. There are
some cracks discernible in the white vernish ”( 3.1). In act 5 scene 3, Sir Wilfull
Witwoud again criticises her : “. . . she dare not frown desperately, because her face is
none of her own . . . her forehead would wrinkle like the coat of a cream cheese; . . .” We
also laugh at her indomitable physical desires. But there is a deep pathos in her. Since
she is a middle aged widow, she is expected to cleanse herself from any kind of sexual
desires. Unable to do so we see a struggle between her ideological self (created by the
society) and her own self, which is reflected through her hypocrisy. Mirabell mockingly
comments : “Yes, I think the good lady would marry anything that resembled a man . . . ”
He toys with her to secure the hand of Millamant. And he again concocts a plan to
deceive her by disguising Waitwell as Sir Roland. Later we see how Mr. Fainall corners
her and blackmails her for money. Mrs. Fainall’s statement - “ I am wronged and so are
you” ( 5.2 ) – holds true for all women in a patriarchal society.
Foible serves Lady Wishfort hence she becomes the target of Mirabell and is
made a member of the conspiracy against her mistress Lady Wishfort. So that she does
not turn against him, she is made to marry his most obedient servant Waitwell. He
simply exploits her to reach his goal of achieving Millamant. Her desire regarding her
marriage is compressed and though we see her spending pleasurable time with her
husband but we must not forget that she compelled to do so. Perhaps she tries to make
the best out of the situation. In act 2, scene 2, Congreve uses Foible and Waitwell to
throw light on an important aspect of marital relation. Pleased with Foible's work,
Mirabell gives her some money as a reward and incentive, but instantaneously Waitwell
demands it:
Mirabell: Your diligence will merit more. In the meantime – [gives money]
Foible: O dear Sir, your humble servant.
Waitwell: Spouse –
Mirabell: Stand off, sir, not a penny. Go on and prosper Foible . . .
Since husband is the sole ‘owner’ of a wife, hence the husband has complete and
unquestionable right over anything owned by the wife. So Waitwell takes it for granted
that the money belongs to him. Thus from upper class couples ( the Fainalls) to lower
class couples, the ownership right over women remain intact.
Here Congreve has mocked at the women characters of the play who equate
women emancipation and women empowerment with hatred towards men. All the women
are hypocrite and outwardly seem to nauseate even at the sight of men, whereas deep
inside they are inclined towards men and wants to gratify their sexual demands, which is
a natural human instinct. Lady Wishfort hates women and she is the foundress of the
cabal sect, but when Sir Rowland is supposed to visit her, she is anxious and thinks of
the most alluring posture that will be perfect to seduce him. Mrs. Marwood who says to
Mrs. Fainall that she ‘despises’ men, is actually in a relation with Mr. Fainall and also
has an inclination for Mirabell. Even Millamant who pretends to rejoice by inflicting pain
upon Mirabell, behind her back says : “ Well, if Mirabell should not make a good
husband I am a lost thing, for I find I love him violently ” (4.1). Peter Holland thinks
Mirabell’s provisos are carefully constituted to confine the “whirlwind” Millamant, yet she
accepts it and ultimately submits to marriage. Thus Congreve shows that women can not
live completely independent of men and perhaps there is a tone of condescension. But
what he essentially wants to say is that patriarchy should be condemned and not men in
general.
In reality, with the admittance of women to the stage the scandals increased. Erotic
scenes were written to utilise women actors. Thus women were still treated as mere sex
objects than as actors equal to their male counterparts. Though Bonamy Dobree highly
praises the age for its frankness towards sex and relationship, L.C. Knights rightly refutes
it by commenting that it is an unhealthy indulgence and titillation. The gaze towards
female actors is well reflected through Samuel Peyps Diary where he says that Moll
Davis was better than Nell Gwynne because she danced better and her legs were better.
Thus Congreve effectively throws light on the condition and position of women in 1700,
the fashionable upper class, the oppressive shackles of patriarchy and the evolving fiery
spirit as its reaction. Through the character of Lady Galliard ( in the second part of The
Rover) Aphra Behn sums up the role of women in a patriarchal society – that women are
nothing more than “objects of desire” and “entertainment” for males.
 WORKS CITED

Dey,Babul. The Way Of The World. Book Valley,2019

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Cambridge University Press, 2010 (reissue edition )
Quinsey, Katherine M. Broken Boundaries: Women and Feminism in Restoration Drama.
University Press of Kentucky, 1996

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The Way Of The World .” [Link]. Accessed on 25 May 2020
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May 2020
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2020
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