Christmas Holidays; or a Visit at Home

William Wycherley: Four Plays is a collection of Wycherley’s most significant works: The Country Wife (1675) The Plain Dealer (1676) Love in a Wood (1671) and The Gentleman Dancing Master (1671). These plays written during the Restoration period showcase Wycherley’s sharp wit social critique and exploration of human relationships particularly regarding love marriage and societal expectations. In The Country Wife Wycherley critiques the sexual mores and hypocrisy of the time. The play follows Horner who pretends to be impotent to gain access to other men’s wives leading to comic misunderstandings and exposing the deceit within relationships. The Plain Dealer explores the moral corruption of society through the character of Manly who disillusioned by others’ deceit navigates a world of false appearances. In Love in a Wood a light-hearted comedy Wycherley satirizes romantic pursuit and the absurdities of love through mistaken identities and witty dialogue. Lastly The Gentleman Dancing Master mocks the pretensions of the upper class through Monsieur Jasin a dancing master who uses superficial manners to elevate his social status.