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The Way of the World
William Congreve
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Table of Contents
Play Summary (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/play-summary)
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Subjects
About The Way of the World (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/about-the-way-of-the-world)
Character List (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/character-list)
Summary and Analysis (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/summary-and-
analysis/dedication)
Dedication (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/summary-and-analysis/dedication)
Prologue (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/summary-and-analysis/prologue)
Act I (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/summary-and-analysis/act-i)
Act II (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/summary-and-analysis/act-ii)
Act III (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/summary-and-analysis/act-iii)
Act IV (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/summary-and-analysis/act-iv)
Act V (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/summary-and-analysis/act-v)
Epilogue (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/summary-and-analysis/epilogue)
Character Analysis (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/character-analysis/mirabell)
Mirabell (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/character-analysis/mirabell)
Millamant (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/character-analysis/millamant)
Fainall (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/character-analysis/fainall)
Mrs. Marwood (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/character-analysis/mrs-marwood)
Lady Wishfort (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/character-analysis/lady-wishfort)
Sir Wilfull Witwoud (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/character-analysis/sir-wilfull-witwoud)
Young Witwoud (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/character-analysis/young-witwoud)
Petulant (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/character-analysis/petulant)
Waitwell (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/character-analysis/waitwell)
Foible (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/character-analysis/foible)
Mincing (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/character-analysis/mincing)
Mrs. Fainall (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/character-analysis/mrs-fainall)
William Congreve Biography (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/william-congreve-biography)
Critical Essays (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/critical-essays/themes-in-the-way-of-the-
world)
Themes in The Way of the World (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/critical-essays/themes-in-
the-way-of-the-world)
Style, Wit, and Irony in The Way of the World (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/critical-
essays/style-wit-and-irony-in-the-way-of-the-world)
Notes on Performance of The Way of the World (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/critical-
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The Reputation of Restoration Drama (https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/w/the-way-of-the-world/critical-essays/the-
reputation-of-restoration-drama)
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Character Analysis Mrs. Marwood
Mrs. Marwood is not carefully drawn. The mistress of Fainall, she loves Mirabell. Hypocrisy is a
necessary part of the way of their world for everyone, but it is the most significant characteristic of
Mrs. Marwood.
We first meet Mrs. Marwood talking to Mrs. Fainall. Both women speak hypocritically, both are
engaged in delicate maneuvers designed to gain information but to reveal none, both are
suspicious. Mrs. Marwood is hypocritical in her relation with Fainall. She can pretend to be
wholeheartedly and unreservedly in love with him, while actually she is disguising her feelings for
Mirabell, not with complete success. Her disguised love for Mirabell is an important motivation in
the action. It is one-although only one — of the reasons why she encourages Fainall in his plot.
When Millamant insults her, taunting her with love for Mirabell and her greater age, she is like the
traditional villain of the tragedies of the period, revengeful because her vanity is offended.
But Mrs. Marwood's essential hypocrisy and villainy show up most clearly in her relations with
Lady Wishfort. Here she feigns friendship. She tries to spoil Mirabell's plan; as confidante and
adviser, she tries to get Lady Wishfort to accede to Fainall's demands. There is, in short, no one on
the stage with whom her relations are not based on an important lie.
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