Discuss William Congreve as a dramatist.

William Congreve, a renowned playwright, left an indelible mark on English comedy of manners with his compelling comic dialogue, satirical portrayal of the war of the sexes, and ironic examination of the affections of his era. Congreve was not only a talented dramatist, but he also considered himself a reformer of the stage. His merit a playwright was acknowledged early on, receiving praise from esteemed figures such as Dryden and Southern. Congreve’s reforms primarily focused on the technical aspects of drama, including wit, structure, and dialogue. However, despite his initial enthusiasm, he eventually abandoned writing for the stage at a young age of thirty due to a lack of response to his reformist endeavors. His prefaces to his plays and Swift’s epistle to him suggest that Congreve held himself in high regard compared to his audiences. After exiting the theatrical scene, Congreve pursued a career as a minor poet and indulged in a luxurious lifestyle, associating himself with affluent individuals. While Congreve drew inspiration from his predecessors, such as Etherege, Wycherley, Shadwell, and Moliere, his characters possessed a subtle nuance that set them apart. Unlike Etherege’s lovers, Congreve’s characters did not engage in quarrels with their mistresses, nor did they belittle their servants. Additionally, while they displayed inconstancy in love, they were not vain about it. Despite lacking the vehemence of Wycherley’s works, Congreve’s plays, especially “The Double Dealer,” were far from inherently comedic.

Congreve’s Plots

Congreve’s true mastery as a dramatist does not necessarily lie in his plots, although he adhered more consistently to the three unities than any other playwright of his time. His debut play, “The Old Bachelor” (1693), showcased his skill in maintaining unity of action. The plot consisted of a series of intrigues spanning different social spheres and achieved enormous success, thus establishing Congreve’s reputation as a young dramatist. However, his second play, “The Double Dealer,” released in the same year, performed poorly despite having a more unified plot. While featuring thrilling incidents, the play lacked the divergent intrigues of his first work, potentially contributing to its lukewarm reception. On the other hand, “Love for Love” (1695), Congreve’s third play, remained popular for an extended period. Its plot revolved around Valentine’s conflict with his critical father, his potential loss of inheritance to his sea-faring younger brother, and the ensuing twists and turns in his pursuit of the heiress he loves, Angelica. The play expertly employed suspense and culminated in the triumph of the intelligent younger couple over their misguided family members, ultimately delivering a masked marriage that deceived a foppish character. Considered the pinnacle of Congreve’s comic effect, the plot in “Love for Love” truly demonstrated his storytelling prowess. Regardless, Congreve’s most widely recognized and celebrated comedy, “The Way of the World” (1700), is often criticized for his alleged careless treatment of an excellent plot. It is suggested that Congreve’s fondness for topical conversations led him to prioritize witty banter above the development of Mirabell’s evasion of malicious plots and his pursuit of marriage with Millamant, a charming but aloof woman. Although Congreve’s plot structures were conventional, revolving around financial adversity, irate fathers, jealous mistresses, and mistaken identities, he deftly employed clever twists to breathe new life into these familiar elements. It is important to note that the driving force behind his plots was the “intrigue” rather than a deep exploration of human nature, as Congreve’s incidents often appeared contrived and less realistic.

Characterization in Congreve’s Plays

Congreve’s characters often adhere to traditional conventions, frequently falling into the realm of two-dimensional representations. However, his skill in character creation occasionally shines through, giving birth to complex and three-dimensional individuals. As E.M. Forster describes in “Aspects of the Novel,” Congreve’s flat characters possess simplicity and can be easily distinguished by one or two defining traits. In contrast, his round or complex characters evolve and change as they encounter new experiences. While Congreve’s female characters generally receive less intricate development compared to their male counterparts, Millamant stands as an exception. Millamant, the heroine of “The Way of the World,” exhibits both charm and affectation. Initially, Millamant finds the idea of marriage tedious, but it is Congreve’s wit, rather than her inherent charm, that truly captivates the audience. Her memorable entrance in Act.

William Congreve’s Wit

Congreve’s writings are the culmination of comedy of wit; however, it is still a traditional work and hints at the age of the enlightenment. The carefree, humorous spirit of the previous Bachelor eventually gives way to the solid sense and matured thought process in The Way of the World, and, at this point, Congreve isn’t far from Addison, who balanced his wit by balancing his moral compass. Congreve was, in fact, extremely warm-hearted as well as morally upright to make an ideal True wit. His central theme is usually simple wickedness without passion or pleasure.

Verbal wit was perhaps Congreve’s highest value, and apparently it was that of all his gentleman fools (not of his servants) who aspire to wit but for whom it is, as Swift said, “the lost language.” For Congreve words danced with stately precision or with gay levity. No English dramatic writer has surpassed him in cool intellectual majesty of diction. He was perhaps too subtle for his own good.

Congreve’s five plays, The Old Bachelor, The Double Dealer, Love for Love, The Mourning Bride, and The Way of the World, were staged from 1693 to 1700. Congreve, like Wycherley, had a short and impressive career as dramatic writers. He was almost retired from the stage at age thirty-something and lived until the end of his days on the success that accompanied his seven-year work. Congreve also possessed personal distinction of a sort that would endear him to other True wits. Steele noted that his sense of humor was always delighted and never annoyed. The brilliance of his wit is evident from his correspondence and his non-dramatic writings and in his personal letters even.

The wit that comes from Congreve is more refined and often more striking than that of Etherege or Wycherley but it is free of Etherege’s malice and Wycherley’s mordant irony. In his letter, there is no hint of the sharpness of Etherege’s wit because Congreve united in himself the virtues, he admired in a friend, a clear wit, solid judgment, and a gentle manner. His peers regarded him as a gentleman of wit and good sense.