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The Way of the World

by William Congreve

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Student Question

Does the selfish behavior of characters in The Way of the World suggest Congreve was a cynic?

Quick answer:

The selfish behavior of characters in "The Way of the World" does not necessarily suggest that Congreve was a cynic. While he portrays characters as vain and self-interested, his intention was to critique and mock the upper class and social norms through satire, irony, and wit. As a comedy of manners, the play reflects societal flaws rather than Congreve's personal beliefs, encouraging audiences to reflect on social conventions and their shortcomings.

Expert Answers

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The Way of the World (1700) is one of the four comedies written by Congreve. In it, he portrays most of his characters as vain, selfish, and cynical—people that only care about themselves and only do things out of self-interest. For them, greed seems to be a much more powerful motivator than love, and pleasure comes before happiness.

In this context, one might think that Congreve himself was a cynic, as many authors tend to reflect their own personal values, opinions, and beliefs regarding society and humanity within their works. However, it's important to point out that Congreve's The Way of the World is actually a comedy of manners.

A comedy of manners discusses the manners of society, often in a negative light. Congreve created characters that were meant to be mocked—his purpose was to criticize the personalities, mannerisms, and behaviors of the upper class, as well as the contemporary social norms and standards. He himself didn't hold the beliefs and values of his characters; with his masterful use of satire, irony, and wit, he ridiculed them instead, in the hopes of inspiring the audience to think about social conventions and their follies and weaknesses.

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