The Way of the World (William Congreve) : The Proviso Scene

In the Proviso Scene of the play "The Way of the World", we find Mirabell and Millamant meeting together to arrange an agreement for their marriage. The scene is a pure comedy with brilliant display of wit by both of them, but, above all, provides instructions which have serious dimensions in the context of the society. Here, Congreve seems to come to realise the importance for providing an ideal pair of man and woman.
     The most noteworthy aspect of the Proviso Scene is Millamant's witty style in which she puts her condition before her lover Mirabell. According to her first condition, she wants equal amount of love and affection on the part of her would be husband throughout her life. Behind her above mentioned condition, we notice the pitiable condition of a wife after marriage. Just before marriage, lovers usually declare full support and love for each other but things take a turn when they marry each other. So, Millamant appears anxious because of this reason and that is why, she puts this condition. Millamant says that she hates those lovers who do not take proper care of their beloveds. She further wants that her husband must be a loyal and good natured man. Again, she says to Mirabell that she wants her full liberty after marriage. Millamant on her part makes it clear that a lover’s appeals and entreaties should not stop with the marriage ceremony. Therefore, she would like to be ‘solicited’ even after marriage.
       Mirabell listens to all the conditions of Millamant with patience, although he was not very happy with some of the conditions. Now he informs Millamant of some of his own conditions. When we go through his conditions, we observe that it is a witty satire on the affections of women in that society. Mirabell wants that after their marriage Millamant should not be in company of any woman who has a notorious background or who indulges in scandalous activities. The next condition is that she should not use the artificial things to cover her real appearance.
Nevertheless, Mirabell denounces the use of tight dresses during pregnancy by women, and he forbids the use of alcoholic drinks.

      The conditions are stated by both parties in a spirit of fun and gaiety, but the fact remained that both are striving to arrive at some kind of mutual understanding. Though this scene appears very funny, it is a serious comment on the degradation of conjugal relations. The conditions set down by the two lovers, confirm the sincerity of their motives and their wish to live a married life which was different from others.