1. THE COMEDY OF MANNERS

2. HOME: What is “commedy” Comedy of manners in England
The most important playwrights
The way of the world

3. What is “commedy” The term comes from Greek “κωμωδία”,komodia
The aim is any humorous discourse to amuse.
Its characteristics are:
Happy ending
Choral singing
Derision
A reference to sexuality
It starts with a prologue, recited by characters to introduce initial situation

4. Comedy of manners in England
Comedy of Manners developed in England between the 1685 and the 1700, thanks to the king Charles II
Its aim: it satarizes the social classes of Nobility and Aristocrazy
It criticizes people’s manners of: speech, behavior and relationships
The themes were:
Materialistic nature
Hypolitical existence
Gossip of everyday life

5. The most important playwrights
William Shakespeare: “Much Ado about Nothing”
William Wychrley: “The Country Wife” (1675)
William Congreve: “The Way of the World” (1700)
Oliver Goldsmith: “She Stoops to Conquer” (1773)
Richard Brinsley Sheridan: “The Rivals” (1775)
“The School for Scandals” (1777)

6. The way of the world It was written in the 1700 by William Congreve
The protagonists are the two levers:
Mirabell (mira-bell He who is beautiful to see him)
Millamant (mill-amant She who has a lot of lovers)

7. Work by:
RIVETTI GIULIA