The Country Wife Flashcards
Who wrote The Country Wife?
William Wycherley
When did Wycherley live?
1641 - 1716
What young writer did Wycherley help get his start in the literary world?
Alexander Pope
What genre does The Country Wife fall into?
Restoration Comedy
What are the characteristics of Restoration comedy?
- Plays produced after the 18-year ban on theaters
- Resurgence of bawdiness (after repression under Puritan rule)
- Satirical/cynical view of marriage and sexuality
Who was the intended audience for Restoration drama?
The English court and other social insiders (unlike Elizabethan theater, which was for a more socially diverse audience)
What is the term “Restoration” referring to?
The Restoration of the monarchy in England, Scottish, and Irish monarchies.
What is the period before the Restoration known as? What characterized it?
The Interregnum, during which the country was ruled by various forms of Republican government as a Commonwealth.
What King’s ascendancy marked the beginning of the Restoration period?
Charles II
Who was the last King before the Interregnum?
Charles I
What is the typical date range for literary works of the Restoration era?
1660-1710
What Act in 1653 redefined the way society thought about marriage? What did it do?
The Civil Marriage Act of 1653; it shifted the jurisdiction of marriage from church to state, thus decreasing the religious awe in which marriage had formerly been held.
What year was The Country Wife first performed?
1675
Who is a major French source for Wycherley?
Moliere
Who is the main character? What is his ruse for seducing the women of London high society?
Harry Horner
He tells the doctor (Quack) to spread the rumor that a venereal disease has made him impotent. Because he won’t be a threat, he’ll have close access to women that other men will not.
Who has recently gotten married to a young woman and doesn’t know about Horner’s “impotence”?
Jack Pinchwife
Who are the two women related to Jack Pinchwife? What are their names?
Margery Pinchwife (“The Country Wife”) and Althea Pinchwife, Jack’s sister
Who is Althea Pinchwife engaged to?
Sparkish
Who is Horner’s friend that falls in love with Althea?
Harcourt
What man constantly gets a kick out of making fun of Horner’s impotence, all while Horner is cuckolding him with his wife (and sister)?
Sir Jasper Fidget
What are the names of Sir Jasper Fidget’s wife and sister?
Lady Fidget and Dainty Fidget
Who is a rakish friend of Horner and Harcourt?
Dorilant