The Country Wife

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