The Comedies of William Congreve: The Old Batchelour, Love for Love, The Double Dealer, The Way of the World

The Comedies of William Congreve: The Old Batchelour, Love for Love, The Double Dealer, The Way of the World

The Comedies of William Congreve: The Old Batchelour, Love for Love, The Double Dealer, The Way of the World

The Comedies of William Congreve: The Old Batchelour, Love for Love, The Double Dealer, The Way of the World

Paperback

$57.99 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    Qualifies for Free Shipping
    Choose Expedited Shipping at checkout for delivery by Thursday, April 4
  • PICK UP IN STORE
    Check Availability at Nearby Stores

Related collections and offers


Overview

The career of William Congreve as comic dramatist was brief but highly successful. From the beginning he showed a useful knack for cultivating influential literary friends and for giving audiences what they were sure to like. Early in 1693, his first comedy, The Old Batchelour, pleased the public at Drury Lane, and critics hailed the appearance of a new talent in the theatre who gave a sharp edge to the theatrical conventions at the time. Much was expected of Congreve's second offering, The Double Dealer, mounted later the same year. Its surprisingly bitter tone disconcerted many listeners, however, and the play drew only moderate praise. But this setback proved temporary, and Congreve found his reputation regained with Love for Love, and in 1700 his finest comedy of manners The Way of the World. After this he wrote no more comedies. Aware of changing tastes in his audience, and annoyed by critical squabbles over the question of morality in his plays, he retired at the age of thirty to the life of a gentleman of leisure.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780521289320
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Publication date: 10/28/1982
Series: Plays by Renaissance and Restoration Dramatists
Pages: 424
Product dimensions: 5.51(w) x 8.46(h) x 1.02(d)

Table of Contents

1. The Old Batchelour; 2. The Double Dealer; 3. Love for Love; 4. The Way of the World.
From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews