Essay Questions

How does Farquhar use stock characters in this play?

This play is a Comedy of Manners, a genre that typically uses stock characters. Stock characters are based on stereotypes within a society, which are caricatured for dramatic and comedic effect. For example, many Comedy of Manners plays include a stock character called a "fop", typically a young man who is incredibly vain. We might argue that Plume fits this description, which is confirmed by his name as "plume", a long feather used for exhibiting oneself.

What tells us that The Recruiting Officer is a Comedy of Manners play?

Comedy of Manners plays typically satirize high-class society through comedy and wit. Plays in this genre will likely include a focus on dialogue and verbal communication, rather than physical action or slapstick. As such, the jokes are often intellectual, satirical and witty. The Recruiting Officer is a satirical play, criticizing army recruitment officers and the manipulative lengths they will go to in order to enlist people. This play also satirizes the role of money and wealth in love, and how an improved social rank also improves someone's desirability.