45 pages • 1 hour read
William WycherleyA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
184
Play • Fiction
London • 1670s
1675
Adult
18+ years
The Country Wife by William Wycherley, written in 1675, is a Restoration comedy centered on Harry Horner, who feigns impotence to gain access to and seduce married women. Meanwhile, newlywed Jack Pinchwife tries to keep his naive wife, Margery, away from Horner but fails as she falls for him. Concurrently, Frank Harcourt pursues Pinchwife’s sister, Alithea, who is engaged to the foolish Mr. Sparkish. The play humorously explores themes of marriage, infidelity, and male competition.
Humorous
Spicy
Playful
Mysterious
Romantic
The Country Wife by William Wycherley is celebrated for its sharp wit and satirical edge, epitomizing Restoration comedy. Critics laud its clever dialogue and incisive social commentary. However, some note its outdated gender politics and bawdy humor may not resonate with modern audiences. Overall, it remains a vital, though polarizing, theatrical work.
An ideal reader for The Country Wife by William Wycherley enjoys witty and risqué Restoration comedies. Fans of provocative humor and critiques of social mores akin to Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest or Richard Sheridan's The School for Scandal will relish Wycherley's satirical take on marriage and hypocrisy.
184
Play • Fiction
London • 1670s
1675
Adult
18+ years
Continue your reading experience
Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.