The Country Wife is more neatly constructed than most Restoration comedies, but is typical of its time and place in having three sources and three plots. The separate plots are interlinked but distinct, each projecting a sharply different mood. They may be schematized as Horner's impotence trick, the married life of Pinchwife and Margery, and the courtship of Harcourt and Alithea. 1. Horner's impotence trick provides the play's organizing principle and the turning-points of the action. The trick, to pretend impotence in order t ...

See also:

The Country Wife, The Country Wife - Background, The Country Wife - Plots, The Country Wife - Key scenes, The Country Wife - First performance, The Country Wife - Stage history, The Country Wife - Critical history, The Country Wife - Modern criticism, The Country Wife - Notes

Read more here: » The Country Wife: Encyclopedia II - The Country Wife - Plots

Including:

Adultery in literature - Drama Adultery in literature - Fiction

Read more here: » Adultery in literature: Encyclopedia - Adultery in literature

The culture of the United Kingdom is rich and varied, and has been influential on culture on a worldwide scale. It is a European country, and has many cultural links with its former colonies, particularly those that use the English language (the Anglosphere). Considerable contributions to British culture have been made over the last half-century by immigrants from the Indian Subcontinent and the West Indies. While it can be argued that a common British identity still permeates society (though this is a contested and contentious assert ...

Including:

Culture of the United Kingdom - Language Culture of the United Kingdom - The Arts
Culture of the United Kingdom - Literature Culture of the United Kingdom - Theatre Culture of the United Kingdom - Music Culture of the United Kingdom - Broadcasting Culture of the United Kingdom - Visual Art Culture of the United Kingdom - Architecture
Culture of the United Kingdom - Science and technology Culture of the United Kingdom - Religion Culture of the United Kingdom - Food Culture of the United Kingdom - Education
Culture of the United Kingdom - England Culture of the United Kingdom - Northern Ireland Culture of the United Kingdom - Scotland Culture of the United Kingdom - Wales Culture of the United Kingdom - Higher education
Culture of the United Kingdom - Sociological issues
Culture of the United Kingdom - Housing Culture of the United Kingdom - Living arrangements
Culture of the United Kingdom - Sport Culture of the United Kingdom - National costume Culture of the United Kingdom - Naming convention

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The comedy of manners satirizes the manners and affectations of a social class, often represented by stock characters, such as the miles gloriosus in ancient times, the fop and the rake during the Restoration, or an old person pretending to be young. The plot of the comedy, often concerned with an illicit love affair or some other scandal, is generally less important than its witty and often bawdy dialogue. The comedy of manners was preceded by the new comedy of the Ancient Greek playwright Menander. His style, elaborate plots, ...

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Variety and dizzying fashion changes are typical of Restoration comedy. Even though the "Restoration drama" unit taught to college students is likely to be telescoped in a way that makes the plays all sound contemporary, scholars now have a strong sense of the rapid evolvement of English drama over these forty years and of its social and political causes. The influence of theatre company competitio ...

See also:

Restoration comedy, Restoration comedy - Theatre companies, Restoration comedy - Original patent companies 1660–82, Restoration comedy - United Company 1682–95, Restoration comedy - War of the theatres 1695–1700, Restoration comedy - Actors, Restoration comedy - First actresses, Restoration comedy - First celebrity actors, Restoration comedy - Comedies, Restoration comedy - Aristocratic comedy 1660–80, Restoration comedy - Decline of comedy 1678–90, Restoration comedy - Comedy renaissance 1690–1700, Restoration comedy - End of comedy, Restoration comedy - After Restoration comedy, Restoration comedy - Stage history, Restoration comedy - Literary criticism, Restoration comedy - List of notable Restoration comedies

Read more here: » Restoration comedy: Encyclopedia II - Restoration comedy - Comedies

The Restoration was an age of poetry. Not only was poetry the most popular form of literature, but it was also the most significant form of literature, as poems affected political events and immediately reflected the times. It was, to its own people, an age dominated only by the king, and not by any single genius. Throughout the period, the lyric, ariel, historical, and epic poem was being developed. ...

See also:

Restoration literature, Restoration literature - Historical context, Restoration literature - The Restoration and its initial reaction, Restoration literature - Top-down history, Restoration literature - Poetry, Restoration literature - The English epic, Restoration literature - Lyric poetry pastoral poetry ariel verse and odes, Restoration literature - Other poets translations controversialists etc., Restoration literature - Prose genres, Restoration literature - Philosophical writing, Restoration literature - Religious writing, Restoration literature - Journalism, Restoration literature - Fiction, Restoration literature - Subliterary genres and writers, Restoration literature - Drama, Restoration literature - Context, Restoration literature - Serious drama, Restoration literature - Comedy

Read more here: » Restoration literature: Encyclopedia II - Restoration literature - Poetry

Act 1 is set in a chocolate house where Mirabell and Fainall have just finished playing cards. A servant comes and tells Mirabell that Waitwell (Mirabell's servant) and Foible (Lady Wishfort’s servant) were married that morning. Mirabell tells Fainall about his love of Millamant and is encouraged to marry her. Witwoud and Petuland appear and Mirabell is informed that should Lady Wishfort marry, he will lose £6000 of Millamant’s inheritance. He will only get this money if he can make La ...

See also:

The Way of the World, The Way of the World - Important Characters, The Way of the World - Plot Synopsis, The Way of the World - The Epigraph of the 1700 Edition, The Way of the World - Historical context, The Way of the World - Further Points of Consideration

Read more here: » The Way of the World: Encyclopedia II - The Way of the World - Plot Synopsis

Vanbrugh is assumed to have attempted to tailor his play to the talents of particular actors and to what audiences would expect from them, as was normal practice (Holland), but this was exceptionally difficult to accomplish in 1695–96. Love's Last Shift had been cast from the remnants of the Patent Company—"learners" and "boys and girls"—after the walkout of the stars. Following the surprising success of this young cast, Vanbrugh and Rich had even greater difficulty in retaining the actors needed for The Relapse. However, ...

See also:

The Relapse, The Relapse - The Relapse as sequel, The Relapse - Sexual ideology, The Relapse - Love's Last Shift plot, The Relapse - The Relapse plot, The Relapse - Background: theatre company split, The Relapse - Casting, The Relapse - Love's Last Shift cast, The Relapse - The Relapse cast, The Relapse - Stage history, The Relapse - Notes

Read more here: » The Relapse: Encyclopedia II - The Relapse - Casting

Variety and dizzying fashion changes are typical of Restoration comedy. Even though the "Restoration drama" unit taught to college students is likely to be telescoped in a way that makes the plays all sound contemporary, scholars now have a strong sense of the rapid evolution of English drama over these forty years and of its social and political causes. The influence of theatre company competitio ...

See also:

Restoration comedy, Restoration comedy - Theatre companies, Restoration comedy - Original patent companies 1660–82, Restoration comedy - United Company 1682–95, Restoration comedy - War of the theatres 1695–1700, Restoration comedy - Actors, Restoration comedy - First actresses, Restoration comedy - First celebrity actors, Restoration comedy - Comedies, Restoration comedy - Aristocratic comedy 1660–80, Restoration comedy - Decline of comedy 1678–90, Restoration comedy - Comedy renaissance 1690–1700, Restoration comedy - End of comedy, Restoration comedy - After Restoration comedy, Restoration comedy - Stage history, Restoration comedy - Literary criticism, Restoration comedy - List of notable Restoration comedies

Read more here: » Restoration comedy: Encyclopedia II - Restoration comedy - Comedies

Long known as a superb theatre actress, Plowright trained at the Old Vic in London and made her stage debut in 1951 and her London debut in 1954. In 1956 she joined the English Theatre Company and won the role of Margery Pinchwife in The Country Wife. She appeared in The Chairs (by Eugène Ionesco), Major Barbara, Saint Joan, and in 1958 she co-starred with future husband Sir Laurence Olivier in the original London production ...

See also:

Joan Plowright, Joan Plowright - Career, Joan Plowright - Personal, Joan Plowright - Selected Filmography

Read more here: » Joan Plowright: Encyclopedia II - Joan Plowright - Career

Declan Donnellan was born in England of Irish parents in 1953. He grew up in London and read English and Law at Queens' College, Cambridge. He was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 1978. His early work was spotted by a lecturer from the Arts Educational Drama School, who employed him to direct his students. He founded Cheek by Jowl with Nick Ormerod in 1981. The company has performed across the world and gave the first performance of S ...

See also:

Declan Donnellan, Declan Donnellan - Biography, Declan Donnellan - Awards, Declan Donnellan - Cheek by Jowl's Productions, Declan Donnellan - Other productions, Declan Donnellan - Bibliography

Read more here: » Declan Donnellan: Encyclopedia II - Declan Donnellan - Biography

Culture of the United Kingdom - Literature. Main article: British literature The earliest native literature of the territory of the modern United Kingdom was written in the Celtic languages of the isles. The Welsh literary tradition stretches from the 6th century to the 21st century. Irish poetry represents a more or less unbroken tradition from the 6th century to the present day, with the Ulste ...

See also:

Culture of the United Kingdom, Culture of the United Kingdom - Language, Culture of the United Kingdom - The Arts, Culture of the United Kingdom - Literature, Culture of the United Kingdom - Theatre, Culture of the United Kingdom - Music, Culture of the United Kingdom - Broadcasting, Culture of the United Kingdom - Visual Art, Culture of the United Kingdom - Architecture, Culture of the United Kingdom - Science and technology, Culture of the United Kingdom - Religion, Culture of the United Kingdom - Food, Culture of the United Kingdom - Education, Culture of the United Kingdom - England, Culture of the United Kingdom - Northern Ireland, Culture of the United Kingdom - Scotland, Culture of the United Kingdom - Wales, Culture of the United Kingdom - Higher education, Culture of the United Kingdom - Sociological issues, Culture of the United Kingdom - Housing, Culture of the United Kingdom - Living arrangements, Culture of the United Kingdom - Sport, Culture of the United Kingdom - National costume, Culture of the United Kingdom - Naming convention

Read more here: » Culture of the United Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Culture of the United Kingdom - The Arts

Main article: Religion in the United Kingdom Although today one of the most 'secularised' states in the world, the United Kingdom is traditionally a Christian country, with two of the Home nations having official faiths: Anglicanism, in the form of the Church of England, is the Established Church in England. The Queen is Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Presbyterianism (Church of Scotland) is the official faith in Scotland. The Anglican Church in Wales was disestablished in 1920. The Ang ...

See also:

Culture of the United Kingdom, Culture of the United Kingdom - Language, Culture of the United Kingdom - The Arts, Culture of the United Kingdom - Literature, Culture of the United Kingdom - Theatre, Culture of the United Kingdom - Music, Culture of the United Kingdom - Broadcasting, Culture of the United Kingdom - Visual Art, Culture of the United Kingdom - Architecture, Culture of the United Kingdom - Science and technology, Culture of the United Kingdom - Religion, Culture of the United Kingdom - Food, Culture of the United Kingdom - Education, Culture of the United Kingdom - England, Culture of the United Kingdom - Northern Ireland, Culture of the United Kingdom - Scotland, Culture of the United Kingdom - Wales, Culture of the United Kingdom - Higher education, Culture of the United Kingdom - Sociological issues, Culture of the United Kingdom - Housing, Culture of the United Kingdom - Living arrangements, Culture of the United Kingdom - Sport, Culture of the United Kingdom - National costume, Culture of the United Kingdom - Naming convention

Read more here: » Culture of the United Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Culture of the United Kingdom - Religion

In the early 1690s, London had only one officially countenanced theatre company, the "United Company", badly managed and with its takings bled off by predatory investors ("adventurers"). To counter the draining of the company's income, the manager Christopher Rich slashed the salaries and traditional perks of his skilled professional actors, antagonizing such popular performers as Thomas Betterton, the tragedienne Elizabeth Barry, and the comedienne Anne Bracegirdle. However, the owners of the United Company, wrote Colley Cibber in his autob ...

See also:

The Relapse, The Relapse - The Relapse as sequel, The Relapse - Sexual ideology, The Relapse - Love's Last Shift plot, The Relapse - The Relapse plot, The Relapse - Background: theatre company split, The Relapse - Casting, The Relapse - Love's Last Shift cast, The Relapse - The Relapse cast, The Relapse - Stage history, The Relapse - Notes

Read more here: » The Relapse: Encyclopedia II - The Relapse - Background: theatre company split

by Declan Donnellan (English edition) Nick Hern Books, London, 2002 .... ISBN 1-85459-127-4 Approaching the Millennium: Essays on Angels in America eds. Deborah R. Geis and Steven F. Kruger University of Michigan Press, Michigan, 1997 .... ISBN 0472096230 Cheek by Jowl: Ten Years of Celebration by Simon Reade Oberon Books, (hardback) 1991 .... ISBN 0948230479 ... out of print Directing the Stage by Polly Irvin RotoVision, Hove, ...

See also:

Declan Donnellan, Declan Donnellan - Biography, Declan Donnellan - Awards, Declan Donnellan - Cheek by Jowl's Productions, Declan Donnellan - Other productions, Declan Donnellan - Bibliography

Read more here: » Declan Donnellan: Encyclopedia II - Declan Donnellan - Bibliography

The desperate straits of the United Company, and the success of The Relapse in saving it from collapse, are attested in a private letter from November 19, 1696: "The other house [Drury Lane] has no company at all, and unless a new play comes out on Saturday revives their reputation, they must break." The new play is assumed to have been The Relapse, and it turned out the success Rich needed. "This play", notes Colley Cibber in his autobiography, "from its new and easy turn of wit, had great success, and gave me, as a comedian, a second flight of reputation along with it." Charles Gildon summarizes: " ...

See also:

The Relapse, The Relapse - The Relapse as sequel, The Relapse - Sexual ideology, The Relapse - Love's Last Shift plot, The Relapse - The Relapse plot, The Relapse - Background: theatre company split, The Relapse - Casting, The Relapse - Love's Last Shift cast, The Relapse - The Relapse cast, The Relapse - Stage history, The Relapse - Notes

Read more here: » The Relapse: Encyclopedia II - The Relapse - Stage history

Ever since the scientific revolution, the United Kingdom has been prominent in world scientific and technological development. The philosopher Francis Bacon put forward his Baconian method in his 1620 book, Novum Organum. This method promoted empiricism and induction in scientific enquiry and was one of the driving forces behind the scientific revolution. Possibly the most famous of all British scientists, Isaac Newton, is considered by historians of science to have crowned and ended the scientific revolution with the 1687 publ ...

See also:

Culture of the United Kingdom, Culture of the United Kingdom - Language, Culture of the United Kingdom - The Arts, Culture of the United Kingdom - Literature, Culture of the United Kingdom - Theatre, Culture of the United Kingdom - Music, Culture of the United Kingdom - Broadcasting, Culture of the United Kingdom - Visual Art, Culture of the United Kingdom - Architecture, Culture of the United Kingdom - Science and technology, Culture of the United Kingdom - Religion, Culture of the United Kingdom - Food, Culture of the United Kingdom - Education, Culture of the United Kingdom - England, Culture of the United Kingdom - Northern Ireland, Culture of the United Kingdom - Scotland, Culture of the United Kingdom - Wales, Culture of the United Kingdom - Higher education, Culture of the United Kingdom - Sociological issues, Culture of the United Kingdom - Housing, Culture of the United Kingdom - Living arrangements, Culture of the United Kingdom - Sport, Culture of the United Kingdom - National costume, Culture of the United Kingdom - Naming convention

Read more here: » Culture of the United Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Culture of the United Kingdom - Science and technology

In 1700, the world of London theatre-going had changed significantly from the days of, for example, The Country Wife. Charles II was no longer on the throne, and the jubilant court that reveled in its licentiousness and opulence had been replaced by the far more dour and utilitarian Dutch-inspired court of William of Orange. His wife, Mary II, was, long before her death, a retiring person who did not appear much in public. William himself was a military king who was reported to be hostile to drama. The political instabilities that had been beneath the surface of many Restoration comedies were s ...

See also:

The Way of the World, The Way of the World - Important Characters, The Way of the World - Plot Synopsis, The Way of the World - The Epigraph of the 1700 Edition, The Way of the World - Historical context, The Way of the World - Further Points of Consideration

Read more here: » The Way of the World: Encyclopedia II - The Way of the World - Historical context

The epigraph found on the title page of the 1700 edition of The Way of the World contains two Latin quotations from Horace's Satires. In their wider contexts they read in English: "It is worthwhile, for those of you who wish adulterers no success, to hear how much misfortune they suffer, and how often their pleasure is marred by pain and, though rarely achieved, even then fraught with danger" "I have no fear in her company that a husband may rush back from the country, the door burst open, the dog bark, th ...

See also:

The Way of the World, The Way of the World - Important Characters, The Way of the World - Plot Synopsis, The Way of the World - The Epigraph of the 1700 Edition, The Way of the World - Historical context, The Way of the World - Further Points of Consideration

Read more here: » The Way of the World: Encyclopedia II - The Way of the World - The Epigraph of the 1700 Edition

Prose in the Restoration period is dominated by Christian religious writing, but the Restoration also saw the beginnings of two genres that would dominate later periods: fiction and journalism. Religious writing often strayed into political and economic writing, just as political and economic writing implied or directly addressed religion. Restoration literature - Philosophical writing. The Restoration saw the publication of a number of significant pieces of political and philosophical writing that had bee ...

See also:

Restoration literature, Restoration literature - Historical context, Restoration literature - The Restoration and its initial reaction, Restoration literature - Top-down history, Restoration literature - Poetry, Restoration literature - The English epic, Restoration literature - Lyric poetry pastoral poetry ariel verse and odes, Restoration literature - Other poets translations controversialists etc., Restoration literature - Prose genres, Restoration literature - Philosophical writing, Restoration literature - Religious writing, Restoration literature - Journalism, Restoration literature - Fiction, Restoration literature - Subliterary genres and writers, Restoration literature - Drama, Restoration literature - Context, Restoration literature - Serious drama, Restoration literature - Comedy

Read more here: » Restoration literature: Encyclopedia II - Restoration literature - Prose genres