The Way of the World Literary Elements

Comedy of Manners

English

Restoration England

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Satirical

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Mirabell wants to marry Ms. Millamant, but her aunt Lady Wishfort hates Mirabell for a past offense and holds power over Ms. Millamant's inheritance.

Mr. Fainall attempts to use the exposure of Mirabell's scheme and prior relationship with Mrs. Fainall as leverage to get all of Lady Wishfort's money, but Mirabell and Ms. Millamant foil his plan.

Ms. Marwood overhearing Foible's conversation with Mrs. Fainall regarding Mirabell's scheme and promising aloud to write Lady Wishfort a letter to be delivered at a later time, as well as her subsequently creating her own scheme with Mr. Fainall, foreshadows and directly leads to the play's climax.

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Countless references to poems and novels are made in the play, most prominently to an untitled poem by Sir John Suckling, "The Story of Phoebus and Daphne, Applied" by Edmund Waller, and Don Quixote, less directly, at multiple places in the play.

Imagery-full similes and metaphors are employed to create bright and witty dialogue throughout the play. Furthermore, as a visual medium, the play is full of action and emotion to create interesting visual imagery, especially with the importance of fashion and makeup to the play.

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The relationship of Mirabell and Ms. Millamont is paralleled and foiled by that of Fainall and Ms. Marwood, a couple less successful in society and in the play's outcome.

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Metatheatricality is employed in the prologue, epilogue, and a quote discussed in the Act V summary spoken by Witwoud. Oftentimes, action will take place offstage and be discussed, adding to the theme of gossip and to the suspense of the play, as so much is rumor and hearsay.