1.

Introduction
The way of the world is a play written by William Congreve who was born at Bardsey near Leeds, on January 24 th in 1 !"# $e spent his %hildhood in &reland, where his father had settled during the reign of Charles &&# $e is a great restoration dramatist# $e wrote a novel, a few poems and several dramas# The way of the world is the best play of Congreve# The play deals with faults of the restoration so%iety li'e adulterous relationships, love, marriages, property %onfli%ts and the rivalries amongst the people of upper %lass# This study deals with these manners as we mentioned before whi%h %an be %alled as the %omedy of manners# &t deals with the manner of living of the people belonging to this so%iety the fashionable world in the age of the write of the play#

2. Comedy of Manners
The (nglish %omedy of manners was early e)emplified by *ha'espeare+s wor's and was given a high polish in ,estoration Comedy -1 ".1!""/# The ,estoration from

owes mu%h to the brilliant dramas of the 0ren%h writers 1oliere, 1 22. !2# &t deals with the relations and intrigues of men and women living in a sophisti%ated upper.%lass so%iety, and relies for %omi% effe%t in large part on the wit and spar'le of the dialogue as well as on the violations of so%ial standards and de%orum by would be wits, 3ealous husbands, %onniving rivals and foppish dandies# -1# $# 4brams, 4 $andboo' 5f Literary Terms, 6#24, Third (dition/

0rom the above definition of 7the play of manners8# We %ome to 'now that this term is employed to the %omi% plays whi%h have been written in (ngland during the period of the restoration# &t deals with the fashionable manners of the so%iety# The manners of love, marriages, adulterous relationships property %onfli%ts# The %hara%ters generally in%lude fops, fanati%s, fools %on%erted wit, flirts and imitators of 0ren%h %ustoms# 7the way of the world8 is not an e)%eption of the fa%t it is a fine %omedy of manners and William Congreve was one of the prin%ipal authors of the %omedy of manner in the restoration period#

3. The Way of the World as a Comedy of Contemporary Manners

There are several features indi%ate that the way of the world8 %an be %onsidered as a %omedy of %ontemporary manners# 0irst the so%ial fashionable manners of the women of the age and the fops men# *e%ondly, the adulterous relationships or illi%it love among most of the %hara%ters in the play, li'e the relationship between the hero of the play 1irabell and 1rs# 0ainall and between 1r# 0ainall and 1rs# 1arword# Love and marriages is also one of the features of the %omedy of manners li'e that of 1r# 0ainall and of play li'e property %onfli%ts and rivalries amongst the people of upper %lass# 5ne more feature of these genre of play is the proviso s%ene between the hero of the play 1irabell and the heroine, 1illamant#

3.1. The Social Fashionable Manners

The restoration %omedies %hiefly %on%erned with the relationship between men and women, se)ual relationships, love and marriage# The play deals with the manners of the people of the age# 5ne of them is the so%ial fashionable manners of both se), women and man ea%h one represent his9her position in the so%iety as father, mother, son, girl, et%# the restoration dramatists portrayed the manners and the living of people drawn from aristo%rati% %lass#

1) Women

Women often des%ribed as so%ial problems the problems whi%h have been %reated by their infidelity their husband# They were emphasi:ing on their e)ternal appearan%e, their %loths %osmeti%s or ma'eup, their manner of wal'ing and tal'ing# ;ot only this but also they betrayed their husband# The women of that time live in an atmosphere of so%ial vi%es whi%h result in 3ealousy and mutual suspi%ion# Their affairs made the life of their husbands miserable# The relationship of men and women, illegitimate relationships, love affairs, adultery, true and false %ourtship, unhappiness in marriage# 1arriage for the sa'e of money and marriage for the sa'e of love are some of the manners of living of that age# 1ost of the women %hara%ters in the play are interested only in the manners we have mentioned before her ma'e.up, her lover, shopping, dressing well, illegitimate relationship et%# women li'e Lady Wishfort, 1rs# 0ainal and 1rs# 1arwood et% are e)ample of women of that age#

2) Men
The restoration %omedies were %hiefly %on%erned with the relationship between and %on%erned with the relationship between men and women# *o men also have their in this play as part of the so%iety des%ribed#

The fops, the so %alled gentlemen and the false wit of those times must also not es%ape our attention# They are represented by without and petulant whose affe%tations and anti%s amuse us a great deal# The pay %ourtship to 1illamant for fashion<s sa'e# *o obsessed is petulant to show off a high image and ma'e other gentlemen ta'e noti%e of him and feel 3ealous that he hired women to %ome and as' for him in publi%# $is favorite pastimes to pass %omments on the ladies on the mall and as' them blush# *o, men also %ontribute to the manners of su%h so%iety and really the writer has su%%eeded in his portrait of the fashion of the time#

3.2. The dulterous !elationship or Illicit "o#e

The play deals with several so%ial fa%tors# 4dulterous relationship or illi%it love is one of the prevailing moralities in the restoration age# &n the restoration period of loose morals the prevailing morality is presented =uit well in the play# 4dulterous relationship and illi%it love are %onveyed through 1rs#0ainall, 1r# 0ainall, 1rs# 1arwood and even the hero of the play, 1irabell#

1) Mirabell and Mrs. Fainall

5ne of the adulterous relationships in this play is between 1irabell and 1rs# 0ainall# 1rs# 0ainall, Lady Wish fort<s daughter begets pregnan%y by her married to 1r#0ainall in order to %over up their guilt# 1r#0ainall here refers to himself as

anti%ipated %u%'old# 1r# and 1rs# 0ainall do not get along well# Their relationship is Jo'e, superfi%ial and *piteful# The one thing to be 'ept in mind about 1rs# 0ainall is that she has 3ust be%ome a widow and the period mourning is not even over when she begins a new relationship with 1irabell# Thus, we see adultery, false relationship and marriage for money# ;ow all this is mo%'ery of love but 1irabell and his mistress treated their love affairs# 1erely as a sport and that lady is married off to another man, she does not want to disappear from 1irabella<s life and the two %ontinues to be friends# ;ot only has this but she helped him in his pursuit of another %harming girl, 1illamant who also happens to be her %ousin#

2/ Mr. Fainall and Mrs.Mar$ood

The se%ond false or illi%it relationship is between 1r# 0ainall and 1rs# 1arwood# Lady Wish fort<s daughter, 1rs# 0ainall had agreed to many this man to %over up the %onse=uen%es of her illegitimate relationships with 1irabell and this man 1r# 0ainall had gone into marriage with this women for the sa'e of fortune# These %ouples are not happy as it is though they maintain a fa>ade# 4s a result of the unhappy married life of the two and as it is not a love marriage but to %over up another adultery and false relationship is in 1r# 0ainall and 1rs#

1arwood love affair# 1rs# 1arwood was a%tually in love with 1irabell, but when she %ouldn<t ma'e up with him, she fell on 1r# 0ainall, but not forgives 1irabell for refusing her love# (ven after being in relationship with 0ainall she %ontinues to li'e 1irabell se%retly but the revenge is also a motive in her mind# 1r# 0ainall does not want to lose her as she is an important person and an important lin' to his a%=uisition of Lady Wishfort and his wife 1rs#0ainall<s wealth# $e also asserts to 1rs# 1arwood that as soon as he gets the fortune of his wife, he will marry her and they will go somewhere to another world, if their plan to divest lady Wishfort and 1illamant is su%%eeded# Thus this relationship %ontributes to two or more features of the %omedy of manners? the adultery, illi%it love and property %onfli%t#

3.3. "o#e and Marria%e

Love and marriage were the most %entral features of the restoration %omedies# Through su%h features, the dramati%s reveals the manners of the aristo%rati% so%iety# The way of the world is one of su%h plays that gives a real pi%ture of the manners of the restoration age or the aristo%rati% so%iety# Love and marriage are presented through the relationships of various %hara%ters in the play li'e that of 1r# 0ainall with 1rs# 0ainall wait wall with 0oible and 1irabell with 1illamant#

1) Mr. Fainall and Mrs. Fainall

The relationship between 1r# 0ainall and 1rs# 0ainall is not a relation of love affair but it is the result of another illi%it love or adultery between 1rs# 0ainall and 1irabell# *o, in order to %over up the pregnan%y of 1rs# 0ainall, she gets married to 1r# 0ainall who a%%ept this marriage or we %an %all it the deal not be%ause he loves 1rs# 0ainall, but for the sa'e of money and property# This relationship is one of the false relationships in this play whi%h portrait or depi%ts the manners of the aristo%rati% so%iety of the restoration age# &t is a 'ind of marriage of %onvenien%e as the two has something to fulfill through this marriage# 0irst, it is to %over up the pregnan%y of her whi%h made 1rs# 0ainall marries 1r# 0ainall# *e%ondly, it is the greediness and the %onfli%ts of property whi%h made 1r# 0ainall marry 1rs# 0ainall# Thus, this marriage is really depi%ts the true pi%ture of the aristo%rati% so%iety# &t is a %omplete failure#

2) Wait$ell and Foible

4nother e)ample of what we %an %all it a marriage of %onvenien%e@ it is the marriage of Waitwell and 0oible# Waitwell is the servant of 1irabell and 0oible is the maid of Lady Wishfort#

&t is a 'ind of physi%al love as well as a marriage of %onvenien%e thought this %onvenien%e not on the side of the %ouple but for the interest of someone else who is 1irabell# &t is a part of 1irabell plan# The plan through whi%h 1irabell tries to get the %onsent to his marriage with 1illamant# $e has arranged for a false un%le, ,owland to love and win Lady Wish fort# The false un%le is Waitwell# *e).relationship is the %ore of this relationship# Thus, this marriage is another e)ample of love and marriage whi%h present the so%ial life of the time of the writer and satiri:ing the manner of the restoration age#

3) Mirabell and Millamant

The %entral love relationship in the play is that of 1irabell and 1illamant# 1illamant is a young %harming woman# 1irabell is a young handsome man# Their love is true# 1irabell who was in an illi%it love with 1rs# 0ainall, the first %ousin of 1illamant, now is in love with 1illamant but it is a true love not a false one# Both of them lay down their marriage %onditions and a%%epts them is instantly# 1irabell ma'es a plan to ma'e lady Wishfort ready to allow him to marry 1illamant# 0inally, the two lovers get married# This 'ind of relationship represents the ideal love and sure love and emotions@ their relation is the most important one as they represent the hero and the heroine of the play#

3.&. The pro#iso scene bet$een Mirabell and Millamant.

The A6roviso s%ene< between 1irabell and 1illamant had been universally praised# &t provides a good %omi% entertainment and at the same time has serious overtones# The introdu%tion of the proviso s%ene in the play owes its allegian%e to the %ommunity of su%h s%enes in most restoration %omedies# The affair<s between 1irabell and 1illamant rea%hes the a%me in the proviso# &n this famous s%ene the two lovers laid down the %onditions for their marriage whi%h %an be stated as follow#

I. The condition of Millamant

1. Millamant would not like to be addressed by such names as wife, spouse, my dear, my joy, my jewel, my love, my sweet heart etc she regards them as vulgar modest of address. 2. She would not like to go to Hyde ark with Mirabell on the first Sunday to

attract the attention of people and become the subject of their whispers, as the newly wedded couples are never seen together after that. !. She would also not like to pay social visits in his company or go to the theaters. ". She would like to maintain distance with trim at least in public. #. She would like to be free to pay visits to whomsoever. She likes and receives visits from whomsoever. She pleases and write or receive letters.

$. Have the freedom to wear clothes that please her. %. &alk on the subjects which agree with her taste. '. &alking dinner a time and place of her choice. (. Mirabell is not to be permitted without permission at tea table

II. The conditions of Mirabell.

1. Mirabell wouldn)t like Millamant to keep any confidence with whom she should share her secrets. 2. She wouldn)t go to the theater masked. !. She wouldn)t be allowed to give her face a new look by the use of cosmetics. ". She would not use any kind of masks during the day or night. #. *hen she becomes pregnant she would not wear tight fitting clothes in order to give a good impression of her figure thus shifting the child in the womb. $. She will also be prevented from the use of all foreign drinks. The demand of 1illamant is stated in an witty and entertaining manner have serious overtones# 1illamant spea's, =uit rightly so for the personal liberty and insist on having it# Thus the proviso s%ene serves a double purpose and this is its remar'able feature# The s%ene provides ri%h %omi% entertainment# 4t the same time, it has a serious as it defines the on whi%h two person in love %an lead a harmonies married life#

3.'. (roperty Conflicts

Lega%y %onfli%ts were %ommon in those days# Boung men sought after ri%h ladies for marriage# 1oney was the prime %onsideration for the matrimonial relationships# 0ainall marries lady wish forts daughter for her money# 1r# 0ainall in league with 1rs# 1arwood tries to parta'e of 1illamants<s lega%y# &ntrigues were very %ommon in matrimonial allian%es as well as a part of so%ial and domesti% life# 1irabell though the hero of the play %ourts lady wish fort thought the ob3e%ts of his %ourtship is 1illamant# *o, property %onfli%ts is one the manners of the time of the restoration age# Te manners of the aristo%rati% so%iety#

&. Conclusion
The way of the world is a fine %omedy of manners as it gathers most of the features of this features of play# The play depi%ts all or most of the manners of the restorations age or period the manners of the aristo%rati% so%iety# The play deals with the life in upper.%lass so%iety? fashion of the time, its manners, its spee%h, %offeehouse, drawing room streets and gardens of London# The so%ial fashionable manners illi%it love, the adulterants relationships and love and marriage are most of those manners of that time and so%iety#

)I)"I*+! (,-

1# 4brams, 1#$# 2""C, A Handbook of Literary Terms, Cengage Learning &ndia 6DT# LTE#, ;ew Eelhi# 2# Congreve, William# 2""C, The Way of the World, 1a%millan publishers &ndia LTE, &ndia#
2# http99www#en#wi'ipedia#org 4. http//www#boo'rags#%om

F# http99www#enotes#%om