The Country Wife is a Restoration comedy written by William Wycherley and first performed in 1675. It is a sharp, witty, and often scandalous satire of lust, marriage, hypocrisy, and social pretensions in Restoration-era London. Known for its sexual innuendo and farcical plot, the play is one of the most famous examples of Restoration comedy of manners.
The play follows three interwoven plots involving deception, seduction, and social satire.
he play’s main character, Harry Horner, is a notorious womanizer.
To continue his affairs without suspicion, he spreads a false rumor that he has been rendered impotent ("a eunuch") due to a supposed venereal disease.
As a result, trusting husbands allow their wives to visit him freely, thinking he is harmless—when in fact, he seduces them.
Mr. Pinchwife, a jealous and possessive husband, has married Margery, a naïve young woman from the countryside.
He keeps her locked away, fearing she will be corrupted by London’s immoral society.
However, Margery is curious and full of life, eager to experience the city.
When she secretly meets Horner, she is immediately drawn to him, leading to comic misunderstandings and a series of disguises and deceptions.
Alithea, Pinchwife’s intelligent and virtuous sister, is engaged to Sparkish, a foolish fop who cares only about appearing fashionable.
Harcourt, a witty and honorable man, falls in love with her and tries to prove he is a better match.
Through clever wordplay and persistence, Harcourt exposes Sparkish’s shallowness and wins Alithea’s love.
Margery, now infatuated with Horner, nearly exposes their affair, but Horner and his friends quickly cover up the scandal through a series of absurd lies.
Pinchwife is tricked into believing Margery remains innocent, despite clear evidence to the contrary.
Alithea abandons her engagement to Sparkish and chooses Harcourt.
Horner, having successfully deceived society, remains unpunished, leaving the play’s central joke intact: the most immoral man gets away with everything.
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