The comedy of manners is a genre of comedic literature that flourished in the late 17th and early 18th centuries in England. It is characterized by its depiction of the manners and social conventions of a particular class or society, often focusing on the upper classes. This genre satirizes the behaviors, affectations, and pretensions of the characters, revealing the absurdities and hypocrisies of their social milieu. The comedy of manners typically features witty dialogue, intricate plots, and a keen observation of social interactions.
The roots of the comedy of manners can be traced back to ancient Greek and Roman comedies, such as the plays of Aristophanes and Plautus, which often lampooned contemporary society and its customs. However, it was in Restoration England (1660-1700) that the genre truly came into its own, influenced by the libertine atmosphere of the court of King Charles II and the French comedies of Molière.
One of the earliest and most influential writers of comedy of manners was William Wycherley (1640-1716). His play "The Country Wife" (1675) is a classic example of the genre, satirizing the sexual intrigues and moral corruption of the aristocracy. Wycherley's sharp wit and biting social commentary set the tone for many subsequent works in the genre.
Another prominent figure in the development of the comedy of manners was William Congreve (1670-1729). Congreve's masterpiece, "The Way of the World" (1700), is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of the genre. Set in the high society of Restoration London, the play skewers the hypocrisy, vanity, and opportunism of its characters with razor-sharp dialogue and intricate plotting.
In addition to Wycherley and Congreve, other notable playwrights of the comedy of manners include George Etherege (1636-1691), whose play "The Man of Mode" (1676) satirizes the fashionable society of Restoration London, and Sir John Vanbrugh (1664-1726), whose works include "The Relapse" (1696), a sequel to Wycherley's "The Country Wife," and "The Provoked Wife" (1697), which explores the themes of marriage and infidelity in the upper classes.
Outside of England, the comedy of manners also found expression in the works of French playwrights such as Molière (1622-1673), whose plays "Tartuffe" (1664) and "The Misanthrope" (1666) are masterpieces of the genre. Molière's sharp wit and keen observation of human nature influenced many English playwrights, including Congreve and Wycherley.
Although the heyday of the comedy of manners was in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, its influence can still be seen in modern literature and drama. Writers such as Oscar Wilde, Noel Coward, and Tom Stoppard have continued to explore the themes of social satire and comedic wit in their works, keeping the tradition of the comedy of manners alive for contemporary audiences.
The comedy of manners is a genre of comedic literature that emerged in Restoration England and flourished in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Writers such as William Wycherley, William Congreve, and George Etherege used sharp wit and keen observation to satirize the manners and social conventions of their time, creating works that continue to entertain and enlighten readers and audiences to this day.
Here are 50 important MCQs related to The Comedy of Manners
1. Who is considered one of the earliest and most influential writers of comedy of manners?
A) William Shakespeare
B) William Wycherley
C) Jane Austen
D) Charles Dickens
◾️ B) William Wycherley
2. Which play by William Wycherley is a classic example of the comedy of manners?
A) The Way of the World
B) Tartuffe
C) The Country Wife
D) The School for Scandal
◾️ C) The Country Wife
3. What is the title of William Congreve's masterpiece in the comedy of manners genre?
A) The School for Scandal
B) The Importance of Being Earnest
C) The Way of the World
D) The Provoked Wife
◾️C) The Way of the World
4. Who wrote the play "The Man of Mode," which satirizes the fashionable society of Restoration London?
A) William Shakespeare
B) George Etherege
C) Oscar Wilde
D) Samuel Johnson
◾️B) George Etherege
5. Which playwright wrote "The Relapse," a sequel to William Wycherley's "The Country Wife"?
A) William Congreve
B) Sir John Vanbrugh
C) William Shakespeare
D) Molière
◾️ B) Sir John Vanbrugh
6. What is the genre of comedy that flourished in the late 17th and early 18th centuries in England?
A) Tragedy
B) Comedy of Errors
C) Comedy of Manners
D) Satire
◾️C) Comedy of Manners
7. Who is the French playwright whose works, such as "Tartuffe" and "The Misanthrope," influenced English writers of comedy of manners?
A) William Congreve
B) William Shakespeare
C) Molière
D) Oscar Wilde
◾️C) Molière
8. Which playwright explored the themes of marriage and infidelity in the upper classes in the play "The Provoked Wife"?
A) George Etherege
B) William Wycherley
C) William Congreve
D) Sir John Vanbrugh
◾️D) Sir John Vanbrugh
9. What is the setting of most comedy of manners plays?
A) Ancient Rome
B) Victorian England
C) Restoration London
D) Renaissance Italy
◾️ C) Restoration London
10. Who among the following is known for his sharp wit and biting social commentary in the comedy of manners genre?
A) Charles Dickens
B) William Congreve
C) Jane Austen
D) George Eliot
◾️ B) William Congreve
11. Which play by William Congreve is often regarded as one of the finest examples of the comedy of manners?
A) The Importance of Being Earnest
B) The Way of the World
C) The Country Wife
D) The Relapse
◾️B) The Way of the World
12. Who is the author of "The School for Scandal," a classic comedy of manners?
A) William Shakespeare
B) Richard Brinsley Sheridan
C) Oscar Wilde
D) George Etherege
◾️B) Richard Brinsley Sheridan
13. Which playwright wrote the play "The Way of the World"?
A) William Shakespeare
B) William Wycherley
C) William Congreve
D) Sir John Vanbrugh
◾️C) William Congreve
14. In which century did the comedy of manners genre flourish in England?
A) 15th century
B) 17th century
C) 19th century
D) 21st century
◾️B) 17th century
15. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of comedy of manners?
A) Sharp wit
B) Intricate plotting
C) Tragic endings
D) Social satire
◾️C) Tragic endings
16. Who is the playwright known for works such as "The Provoked Wife" and "The Relapse"?
A) William Wycherley
B) William Congreve
C) Sir John Vanbrugh
D) George Etherege
◾️C) Sir John Vanbrugh
17. Which French playwright influenced the comedy of manners genre with works like "Tartuffe"?
A) Molière
B) Voltaire
C) Jean Racine
D) Victor Hugo
◾️A) Molière
18. What is the predominant social class depicted in comedy of manners plays?
A) Lower class
B) Middle class
C) Aristocracy
D) Clergy
◾️C) Aristocracy
19. Which playwright is associated with the play "The Man of Mode"?
A) William Shakespeare
B) George Etherege
C) Sir John Vanbrugh
D) William Congreve
◾️B) George Etherege
20. What is the primary focus of comedy of manners plays?
A) Political satire
B) Religious themes
C) Social conventions and behaviors
D) Romantic tragedy
◾️ C) Social conventions and behaviors
21. Who among the following is NOT a renowned playwright of the comedy of manners genre?
A) William Shakespeare
B) William Wycherley
C) William Congreve
D) Sir John Vanbrugh
◾️A) William Shakespeare
22. Which playwright wrote "The Country Wife," a satirical play on the sexual intrigues of the aristocracy?
A) William Shakespeare
B) William Congreve
C) William Wycherley
D) George Etherege
◾️C) William Wycherley
23. Which of the following is a common feature of comedy of manners?
A) Serious tone
B) Tragic endings
C) Witty dialogue
D) Historical settings
◾️C) Witty dialogue
24. Who is the author of "The Relapse," a sequel to "The Country Wife"?
A) William Congreve
B) Sir John Vanbrugh
C) George Etherege
D) William Wycherley
◾️B) Sir John Vanbrugh
25. Which century saw the heyday of the comedy of manners?
A) 16th century
B) 17th century
C) 18th century
D) 19th century
◾️B) 17th century*
26. Who is known for exploring themes of marriage and infidelity in the comedy of manners?
A) William Shakespeare
B) William Congreve
C) Oscar Wilde
D) George Etherege
◾️ B) William Congreve
27. Which of the following playwrights is NOT associated with the comedy of manners genre?
A) Molière
B) Oscar Wilde
C) William Wordsworth
D) Richard Brinsley Sheridan
◾️C) William Wordsworth
28. Which play by Richard Brinsley Sheridan is a classic comedy of manners?
A) The Importance of Being Earnest
B) The Provoked Wife
C) The School for Scandal
D) The Relapse
◾️C) The School for Scandal
29. Who is the protagonist of William Wycherley's "The Country Wife," known for his deceptive tactics to seduce women?
A) Sir Fopling Flutter
B) Horner
C) Mirabell
D) Harpagon
◾️ B) Horner
30. In William Congreve's "The Way of the World," which character is known for her intelligence, wit, and determination to marry for love?
A) Lady Teazle
B) Lady Wishfort
C) Mrs. Millamant
D) Mrs. Malaprop
◾️C) Mrs. Millamant
31. Who is the titular character of George Etherege's "The Man of Mode," known for his charm, wit, and fashionable lifestyle?
A) Sir Peter Teazle
B) Dorimant
C) Sir Fopling Flutter
D) Tartuffe
◾️B) Dorimant
32. In Sir John Vanbrugh's "The Provoked Wife," who is the central character trapped in a loveless marriage and tempted by the advances of other men?
A) Lady Teazle
B) Lady Brute
C) Lady Wishfort
D) Mrs. Malaprop
◾️B) Lady Brute
33. Which character in Molière's "Tartuffe" pretends to be pious and moral but is ultimately revealed as a hypocrite and a fraud?
A) Tartuffe
B) Alceste
C) Harpagon
D) Dorante
◾️A) Tartuffe
34. Who is the young lover in William Congreve's "The Way of the World," determined to marry Mrs. Millamant despite social obstacles?
A) Mirabell
B) Dorimant
C) Valentine
D) Sparkish
◾️ A) Mirabell
36. In Richard Brinsley Sheridan's "The School for Scandal," which character is known for spreading rumors and gossip throughout society?
A) Lady Teazle
B) Lady Sneerwell
C) Mrs. Malaprop
D) Sir Peter Teazle
◾️B) Lady Sneerwell
37. Who is the central figure in Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest," known for his double life and witty banter?
A) Jack Worthing
B) Algernon Moncrieff
C) Lady Bracknell
D) Gwendolen Fairfax
◾️A) Jack Worthing
38. Which character in William Wycherley's "The Country Wife" is a naive, virtuous woman married to an unfaithful husband?
A) Mrs. Pinchwife
B) Lady Teazle
C) Mrs. Malaprop
D) Lady Wishfort
◾️ A) Mrs. Pinchwife
39 . In William Congreve's "The Way of the World," who is the wealthy aunt of Mrs. Millamant, determined to control her niece's marital choices?
A) Lady Teazle
B) Lady Wishfort
C) Lady Brute
D) Mrs. Malaprop
◾️B) Lady Wishfort
40. Who is the scheming servant in Molière's "Tartuffe," known for his cunning and loyalty to his master, Orgon?
A) Figaro
B) Tartuffe
C) Harpagon
D) Dorante
◾️A) Figaro
41. Which character in George Etherege's "The Man of Mode" is a fashionable society lady pursued by Dorimant?
A) Lady Teazle
B) Lady Wishfort
C) Mrs. Millamant
D) Lady Fidget
◾️D) Lady Fidget
42. In Sir John Vanbrugh's "The Provoked Wife," who is the rakish husband of Lady Brute, known for his extramarital affairs?
A) Sir Peter Teazle
B) Sir John Brute
C) Sir Fopling Flutter
D) Sir Benjamin Backbite
◾️B) Sir John Brute
43. Who is the virtuous daughter of Orgon in Molière's "Tartuffe," determined to expose Tartuffe's deception?
A) Mariane
B) Elmire
C) Dorine
D) Valère
◾️A) Mariane
44. In William Congreve's "The Way of the World," who is the elderly and wealthy uncle of Mirabell, determined to control his inheritance?
A) Sir Peter Teazle
B) Sir Wilfull Witwoud
C) Sir Rowland Witwoud
D) Sir Anthony Absolute
◾️C) Sir Rowland Witwoud
45. Who is the clever and resourceful maid in Richard Brinsley Sheridan's "The School for Scandal," known for her wit and loyalty to her mistress?
A) Lady Teazle
B) Lady Sneerwell
C) Mrs. Malaprop
D) Maria
◾️D) Maria
46. In Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest," who is the formidable aunt of Gwendolen Fairfax, known for her strict adherence to social conventions?
A) Lady Teazle
B) Lady Bracknell
C) Lady Wishfort
D) Mrs. Malaprop
◾️B) Lady Bracknell
47. Who is the foolish and gullible husband in Molière's "Tartuffe," easily manipulated by the titular character?
A) Orgon
B) Tartuffe
C) Damis
D) Cleante
◾️A) Orgon
48. In William Wycherley's "The Country Wife," who is the wealthy, older husband of Margery Pinchwife, known for his jealousy and possessiveness?
A) Horner
B) Sir Fopling Flutter
C) Pinchwife
D) Sparkish
◾️C) Pinchwife
49. Who is the witty and independent heroine of "The Way of the World," known for her refusal to marry without love or independence?
A) Lady Teazle
B) Lady Wishfort
C) Mrs. Millamant
D) Mrs. Malaprop
◾️C) Mrs. Millamant
50. In George Etherege's "The Man of Mode," who is the wealthy and eligible bachelor pursued by several women in Restoration London?
A) Dorimant
B) Sir Peter Teazle
C) Sir Fopling Flutter
D) Sparkish
◾️A) Dorimant
51. Who is the cunning and manipulative antagonist in William Congreve's "The Way of the World," determined to thwart Mirabell's plans?
A) Mrs. Millamant
B) Lady Wishfort
C) Mrs. Marwood
D) Mrs. Malaprop
◾️Correct Answer: C) Mrs. Marwood
52. In Richard Brinsley Sheridan's "The School for Scandal," who is the wealthy bachelor pursued by Maria and Lady Teazle?
A) Sir Peter Teazle
B) Sir Benjamin Backbite
C) Sir Oliver Surface
D) Charles Surface
◾️D) Charles Surface
53. Who is the wise and loyal friend of Orgon in Molière's "Tartuffe," who ultimately helps expose Tartuffe's deception?
A) Cleante
B) Damis
C) Valère
D) Elmire
◾️ A) Cleante
54. In "The Country Wife" by William Wycherley, who is the naive and innocent young woman pursued by various men in London society?
A) Margery Pinchwife
B) Lady Teazle
C) Lady Wishfort
D) Mrs. Malaprop
◾️A) Margery Pinchwife
55. Who is the witty and charming bachelor in Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest," known for his clever wordplay and double life?
A) Jack Worthing
B) Algernon Moncrieff
C) Lady Bracknell
D) Gwendolen Fairfax
◾️B) Algernon Moncrieff
To get more MCQs visit : LITERARY SPHERE
#mcqsonthecomedyofmanners #comedyofmanners #restorationcomedy #restorationsatire #comedyofmannersnetpyq #theageofrestorationmcqs #comedyofmannersmcqsugcnet #englishliteraturemcqs
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
50 important MCQs on The Comedy of Manners
1 Comments
Really very helpful .... Thank you 😊
ReplyDelete