The Way of the World
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Authors
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
"Occasionally a book comes to hand that is so satisfactory that one would not change it in the slightest detail. Miss Lynch''s edition of the greatest of all Restoration comedies of manners in such a book. . . . A model for 20th-century editors."-Choice
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
Product Description
LADY. With Mirabell? You call my blood into my face with mentioning that traitor. She durst not have the confidence. I sent her to negotiate an affair, in which if I'm detected I'm undone. If that wheedling villain has wrought upon Foible to detect me, I'm ruined. O my dear friend, I'm a wretch of wretches if I'm detected.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Considered in literature the finest of all the restoration comedies, and Congreves personal masterpiece. The way of the world sets out a comedy of manners, a complicated plot and several memorable characters. I studied this text for A level english literature, and ive got to say its amazing! Its completely under rated and never staged anywhere (much to my annoyance), not because it isnt well known, but because its complicated.
the plot is too complicated to explain, id be writing pages. but it is amazingly funny, witty and holds a mirror up to the failings of restoration society. it challenges the position of women in society, and criticises marriage, money and the worlds obsession with youth. A complete masterpiece. buy it now, THEN stage it, THEN give it to other people to read, THEN they will stage it, and it will get the credit it deserves, as one of the greatest plays of its generation and one of the highest points in past english literature and drama.
the plot is too complicated to explain, id be writing pages. but it is amazingly funny, witty and holds a mirror up to the failings of restoration society. it challenges the position of women in society, and criticises marriage, money and the worlds obsession with youth. A complete masterpiece. buy it now, THEN stage it, THEN give it to other people to read, THEN they will stage it, and it will get the credit it deserves, as one of the greatest plays of its generation and one of the highest points in past english literature and drama.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Plays I have ever read & studied. I heartily recommend this play, the content clearly shows on reflection that 'things' remain similar, if not the same throughout time. For other Restoration plays try All for Love - John Dryden and The Country Wife - William Wycherley. There are others of course and are equally as good and entertaining.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
10 reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Classic Comedy of Manners - Restoration Period
28 Nov 2004
Format:Hardcover
The first three acts of William Congreve's play, The Way of the World (1700), involve little action. The scenes focus on introducing and contrasting characters, highlighting witty dialogue, and slowly revealing details of prior events through casual references. Polite, formalized language disguises selfish motives, rivalries, deceit, and deviousness.
Selfish motives, deciet, and other negative attributes may not seem a proper basis for comedy, and yet The Way of the World warrants four stars. For comparison purposes I strongly recommend reading two other Restoration period comedies: Wycherley's The Country Wife (1675) and Etherege's The Man of Mode (1676). All three plays share a cynical view of the sanctity of marriage and portray a self-centered London society obsessed with extramarital affairs.
The action (certain steps to overcome obstacles to a marriage) in The Way of the World does not occur until the later acts. The marriage between Mirabell and Millamant proceeds only after both are assured that their financial situation will not be jeopardized. Love is secondary. Similarly, the unpleasant situation of Mrs. Fainall - a marriage without any pretence of love - remains unchanged.
While humor may be somewhat sparse in the earlier acts, the tempo clearly picks up in acts four and five. The plot becomes extremely fluid when Mirabell's inventive fraud unravels, and his rival, Mr. Fainall, gains the upper hand. However, the last act offers a delightful twist that puts things right. (Puts things right might be an overstatement given that the play's key characters are somewhat lacking in scruples.)
Although The Way of the World is only occasionally staged today, this play is often assigned reading. My favorite edition is Barron's Educational Series (1958) as it provides plentiful stage directions. In particular, indications of expression - essentially guidance to actors on the proper delivery of the dialogue - are inserted as the dialogue switches from one character to another. Examples include: "somewhat sourly recollecting the rebuff of the previous evening", "using frankness as a bait to draw equal frankness from her companion", and "too preoccupied to pay serious attention". The Barron's edition also has a lengthy introduction by Vincent Hopper and Gerald Lahey, a 5-page note on staging by George Hersey, and illustrations by Fritz Kredel.
A Crofts Classic edition (published 1951, reprinted 1985) provides a useful section titled The Argument of the Play, in which the editor, Henry T. E. Perry, summarizes events that occurred prior to the beginning of the play. (Remember that the dialogue in the early acts slowly - and often obliquely - reveals details of prior events through casual references.) Perry also discusses how William Congreve adroitly used dialogue to reveal much about the personalities of his characters.
The Way of the World can also be found in the Norton Critical Edition (1973) titled Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Comedy. The extensive appendix includes an 80-page section titled Criticism From Lamb to the Present; two articles directly address Congreve's play: The Way of the World by Norman Holland and Form and Wit in The Way of the World by Martin Price.
Selfish motives, deciet, and other negative attributes may not seem a proper basis for comedy, and yet The Way of the World warrants four stars. For comparison purposes I strongly recommend reading two other Restoration period comedies: Wycherley's The Country Wife (1675) and Etherege's The Man of Mode (1676). All three plays share a cynical view of the sanctity of marriage and portray a self-centered London society obsessed with extramarital affairs.
The action (certain steps to overcome obstacles to a marriage) in The Way of the World does not occur until the later acts. The marriage between Mirabell and Millamant proceeds only after both are assured that their financial situation will not be jeopardized. Love is secondary. Similarly, the unpleasant situation of Mrs. Fainall - a marriage without any pretence of love - remains unchanged.
While humor may be somewhat sparse in the earlier acts, the tempo clearly picks up in acts four and five. The plot becomes extremely fluid when Mirabell's inventive fraud unravels, and his rival, Mr. Fainall, gains the upper hand. However, the last act offers a delightful twist that puts things right. (Puts things right might be an overstatement given that the play's key characters are somewhat lacking in scruples.)
Although The Way of the World is only occasionally staged today, this play is often assigned reading. My favorite edition is Barron's Educational Series (1958) as it provides plentiful stage directions. In particular, indications of expression - essentially guidance to actors on the proper delivery of the dialogue - are inserted as the dialogue switches from one character to another. Examples include: "somewhat sourly recollecting the rebuff of the previous evening", "using frankness as a bait to draw equal frankness from her companion", and "too preoccupied to pay serious attention". The Barron's edition also has a lengthy introduction by Vincent Hopper and Gerald Lahey, a 5-page note on staging by George Hersey, and illustrations by Fritz Kredel.
A Crofts Classic edition (published 1951, reprinted 1985) provides a useful section titled The Argument of the Play, in which the editor, Henry T. E. Perry, summarizes events that occurred prior to the beginning of the play. (Remember that the dialogue in the early acts slowly - and often obliquely - reveals details of prior events through casual references.) Perry also discusses how William Congreve adroitly used dialogue to reveal much about the personalities of his characters.
The Way of the World can also be found in the Norton Critical Edition (1973) titled Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Comedy. The extensive appendix includes an 80-page section titled Criticism From Lamb to the Present; two articles directly address Congreve's play: The Way of the World by Norman Holland and Form and Wit in The Way of the World by Martin Price.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
eek!
12 Mar 2000
Format:Paperback
I had to write a review after reading the two preceeding mine!
This is perhaps the most brilliant of the late Restoration comedies. For all of those unfamiliar with Restoration drama, it is a rich, witty genre which has been too often neglected in American educational institutions, relegated to the "secondary canon" of English lit. The Way of the World is ridiculously sublime, incorporating the tropes of the genre, but exceeding its predecessors.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
One of the greatest plays of all time
21 Sep 2004
Format:Paperback
"The Way of the World" is a true masterpiece of wit and social commentary. It anticipates later works by such masters of dialogue as Oscar Wilde. I read this play in a course on restoration and 18th century drama that I took in graduate school and it was by far among my favorite plays that semester. Those who complain that it is too complex (and then contradict themselves by calling it a mere soap opera) clearly do not appreciate the subtlety and multiple layers of Congreve's genius. While yes, some characters are one dimensional, the main characters are multi-layered and complex. Case in point - Mirabel, the male protagonist, clearly loves Millamant but has mercenary ambitions as well. He also has an implied rakish past, which led to the extremely unhappy marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Fainall (though he endeavors to come to Mrs. Fainall's aid during the course of the play). Certainly many of the characters are stereotypes, but that in itself is interesting and highly comical. The dialogue is absolutely brilliant, among the best I've seen. I highly recommend giving this play the time and attention it deserves - "The Way of the World" is highly rewarding entertainment.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
