The Way of the World by William Congreve (Questions with Answers)

Discuss The Way of the World as a brilliant example of Restoration Comedy.

    Restoration as a historical period was a time when England was an established colonial power in the world. It was a time of materialism and commerce and the people of the period emphasized money, pleasure and sex. Love and marriage were judged in terms of money. Artificiality and immorality were the defining features of the age. People looked towards relaxation and pleasure and serious things mattered less to them. By highlighting these things, The Way of the World exposes the issues of money, love, sex, marriage and in short the behavior of the people of the time in the language of prose. The rakes, fops, gallants and wits are the primary types dealt with in a language that is outwardly brilliant but lacking philosophical and emotional or psychological depth. This makes the play a typical restoration comedy of manners. The mode employed is satiric and ironic which befits the social reality of the time. Read More...

    Lady Gregory: The Rising of the Moon     Lady Gregory’s The Rising of the Moon is an explicitly political play dealing with the relation between England and Ireland trying to fight for freedom from English rule. Read More...

    Sophocles: Oedipus Rex       Oedipus Rex vividly dramatizes the tension between individuals and their interdependences as well. As the city of Thebes has been paralyzed by a plague the people expect something from the king to end their suffering. Read More...

    Aristophenes: Lysistrata     Aristophanes takes up the issue of war in the cities of ancient Greece and satirizes war for the loss of life and property it has caused. Through a conflict between the sexes he exposes the futility of war and the devastation it has brought about. Read More...

    William Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream     Shakespeare explores the issues of inconsistency in human nature and relation by creating a world of dream where the characters behave in an irrational way by running after dreams, fantasies and romance that lead to anarchy, chaos, and confusion. Read More...

      William Shakespeare: Hamlet       Hamlet is a revenge tragedy written in the line of Roman senecan tragedy. It is the tragedy of reflection and moral sensitivity. The protagonist is very reflective and too sensitive thus unfit for taking revenge. Read More...

    William Shakespeare: The Tempest     The play’s major focus is on Prospero’s quest for perfection, knowledge and power. He devotes himself to learning even to the extent of neglecting his duties as a ruler. Read More...

    Oscar Wilde: The Importance of Being Earnest     A comedy is a play with happy ending and aims at making people laugh at certain follies, vanities, hypocrisies and weaknesses of people for reforming society. Read More...

    Anton Chekov: The Cherry Orchard    The history of the early twentieth century Russian society is the history of social transition, transformation. The late 19th century Russian society was struggling to be free from the shibboleth of the dying feudal aristocracy. Read More...

    Eugene O'Neill: Desire Under the Elms    O’Neill presents women as victims of male’s greed and cruelty and at the same time it is women who are driven by a desire for property. They are shown as lustful too. To bring out this image of women O’Neill resorts to myth, symbol and the technique of naturalism. Read More...

    Samuel Beckett: Endgame       Beckett’s play Endgame belongs to the theatre of the Absurd as it views life as meaningless and beyond human rationality to understand. It shows the influence of existentialist philosophy Read More...

    Arthur Fugrad: The Master Harold ::: and the boys     Athol Fugrad’s Master Harol…. and the boys is written in South African context and the issue of apartheid is central in the play. Read More...

    Marsha Norman: Night, Mother       Marsha Norman’s one act play Night Mother is basically about Jessie, who is preparing for suicide which may have been provoked by her relation with the other people and the failure of communication and lack of understanding in that relation. Read More...

Shakespearean Soliloquy.

    Shakespeare is known for his deep understanding of human nature with diverse feelings, emotions, and passions both positive and negative involved in it. Soliloquy is a device according to which a character brings out the inner complex feelings by speaking to himself / herself. Read More...

Hamlet as tragedy.

      Hamlet is a revenge tragedy written in the line of Roman senecan tragedy. It is the tragedy of reflection and moral sensitivity. The protagonist is very reflective and too sensitive thus unfit for taking revenge through action. Read More...