Congreve's Comedy of Manners

By Morlock, Frank J.

Book Id: WPLBN0000624227
Format Type: PDF eBook
File Size: 122.60 KB
Reproduction Date: 2005

Title:	Congreve's Comedy of Manners
Author:	Morlock, Frank J.
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Literature, Literature & thought, Writing.
Collections:	Blackmask Online Collection
Historic Publication Date:
Publisher:	Blackmask Online


Citation APA MLA Chicago Morlock, F. J. (n.d.). Congreve's Comedy of Manners. Retrieved from http://self.gutenberg.org/

Description
Excerpt: BY WAY OF Preface My intention in writing this play was to distill the essence of Congreve, to the extent of my ability, into one stageworthy play. Congreve wrote four comedies, The Way of The World being his acknowledged masterpiece. Love for Love is less brilliant but easier to perform, though it seldom is. His earlier plays, The Old Bachelor and the Double Dealer contain very good material but are rarely read let alone performed. Revival is unlikely. I had the idea of building a pastiche of all the comedies. My plan was to build on the general plot of Love for Love and weave characters and dialogue from the other plays into and around it. In the process some characters are blended with other characters, and acquire clever dialogue found elsewhere. The result is, hopefully, a lively play that will keep Congreve?s best work before the public eye. But for a transitonal phrase or two, almost every line in this play is Congreve?s. It stands to reason then, that whatever virtues it has are his, and whatever faults are mine. The play is not meant as an imitation or improvement of Congreve but rather a ?good parts? version of his existing works. Frank Morlock.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents: Congreve's Comedy of Manners, 1 -- Frank J. Morlock, 1 -- BY WAY OF Preface, 2 -- Act I, 2 -- Scene I. A room in Foresight's house. The room is furnished with various astrological -- paraphernalia. Foresight, a fiftyish, pedantic man in a rather unstylish wig enters and addresses an -- old servant woman, 2 -- Scene II. The same, later that day, 15 -- Act II, 22 -- Scene I. Same as Act I, later that day, 22 -- Act III, 33 -- Scene I. Same as Act I, the next morning, 33 -- Scene II. The same, early evening, 46 -- Act IV, 55 -- Scene I. Same as Act I, the next morning, 55 -- Scene II. The scene changes to Valentine's room. He lies disheveled on a couch, 61 -- Scene III. Same as Act I, 66 -- Scene IV. Same as Act I, a little later, 74 -- Act V, 78 -- Scene I. Lady Foresight's Bed Chamber, a little later that evening, 78 -- Scene II. Same as Act I, later that night, 81 -- Scene The last. Same as Act I, 84