The Way of the World

“If it has happened in any part of this comedy that I have gained a turn of style or expression more correct, or at least more corrigible, than in those which I have formerly written, I must, with equal pride and gratitude, ascribe it to the honor of your Lordship’s admitting me into your conversation, and that of a society where everybody else was so well worthy of you, in your retirement last summer from the town; for it was immediately after that this comedy was written.”

Part of the satire of William Congreve’s writing is his dedication, which credits the Earl and his friends with influencing the play’s success. The play is about upper-class characters who are immoral fools, so this passage is more of an insult to the Earl and his friends than a compliment. However, the specification about “style or expression” serves as a possible defense against any complaint from the Earl himself. Though the theme hasn’t been made clear through the story yet, this dedication is a tongue-in-cheek example of The Performative Aspects of Social Interaction.

FAINALL: Satire, he thinks, you ought not to expect;

For so reformed a town who dares correct?

To please this time has been his sole pretense;

He will not instruct, lest it should give offense.

Should he by chance a knave or fool expose

That hurts none here; sure here are none of those.

One complaint against “moral” comedies was that the characters too explicitly try to explain what is moral or immoral, and Congreve dispels this criticism in advance by noting that none of the characters can instruct on morality. However, the satirical point of the Prologue is that all the characters are fools, so each member of the audience is likely to relate to at least one character even if they do not realize it.

MIRABELL: You are a fortunate man, Mr. Fainall.

FAINALL: Have we done?

MIRABELL: What you please. I’ll play on to entertain you.

FAINALL: No, I’ll give you your revenge another time, when you are not so indifferent; you are thinking of something else now, and play too negligently. The coldness of a losing gamester lessens the pleasure of the winner. I’d no more play with a man that slighted his ill fortune then I’d make love to a woman who undervalued the loss of her reputation.

This opening passage foreshadows the events of the play, as Fainall does not want to play cards against