The Way of the World (Congreve): The Institution of Marriage

William Congreve is an English playwright and he is the author of the play The Way of the World. His mental make-up was such that he did not take kindly to the institution of marriage. He cites the example of the marriage of Catherine Braganza to Charles II - the king of England. Being catholic by birth, She was quite unpopular in protestant England. It was a loveless marriage and, therefore, not a happy one.

          Marriage should automatically mean love; without it, a marriage is bound to prove to be one that cannot beget fulfilment. Such marriages are prone to break-ups. In Congreve’s The Way of the World, the trend of restoration continues, but marriage becomes more about contractual agreements and greed, than about love. Congreve, however, seems to go against the typical restoration mistrust in the institution of marriage by showcasing a couple who have mutual trust and respect for each other would also secure their conjugal relationships.

         The Way of the World deserves special attention in terms of marriage with the proviso scene that represents active bargain for mutual respect before marriage. It could be read as an important step that couples did not care for so far before marriage. And the proviso scene got the promise, though not confirmation, of the success of their marriage.

          Congreve’s authentic transference of the public sphere into a domestic ethic with the use of legal jargons points to the notion of marriage as a legal contract - a deed that has to be sealed. Hence, the typical restoration situation was against romantic love, and this could be because of the emphasis on reason, logic and the intellect as opposed to emotion.  Millamant and Mirabell iron out a pre-nuptial agreement before they agree to marry. Then, Millamant, for an instant, seems willing to marry her cousin, Sir Wilful, so that she can keep her money. It is a battle of the wits, not a battlefield of emotions. It is comical to see the two wits going at it, but, when we look deeper, there is an edge of seriousness behind their words.

         Love may be the basis of their relationship, as Mirabell appears honest; however, their alliance is a sterile romance, devoid of the touchy, feely stuff, which one should hope for in a courtship. Mirabell and Millamant are two wits perfect for each other in the battle of the sexes; nevertheless, the pervading sterility and greed reverberates as the relationship between the two wits becomes much more confusing. But then, that is the way of the world.