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Restoration Comedy and Stage

Comedy of Manners Practice Questions

20 free Comedy of Manners practice questions for the English Literature, each with the correct answer and a detailed explanation. Open any question below, or take the full set as an interactive quiz.

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All Comedy of Manners questions

20 questions
  1. Q1. Which of the following is the defining characteristic of the 'Comedy of Manners' genre during the Restoration period?
  2. Q2. In William Congreve’s 'The Way of the World', which famous scene involves the negotiation of marital conditions between Mirabell and Millamant?
  3. Q3. Which character archetype is defined as a person who over-affects fashion and wit, only to be ridiculed by the 'true wits'?
  4. Q4. Who is the author of 'The Country Wife' (1675), a play notorious for its scandalous 'China Scene'?
  5. Q5. Which Restoration playwright was the first professional woman writer in England, known for 'The Rover'?
  6. Q6. What is the primary function of 'Wit' (esprit) in the Comedy of Manners?
  7. Q7. In Wycherley’s 'The Country Wife', what ruse does Mr. Horner use to gain access to the wives of jealous husbands?
  8. Q8. The term 'Restoration' in Restoration Comedy refers to the return of which monarch to the English throne?
  9. Q9. Which play by George Etherege features the definitive 'true wit' Dorimant and the archetypal fop Sir Fopling Flutter?
  10. Q10. What significant physical change occurred in English theaters during the Restoration that affected the performance of comedies?
  11. Q11. Which of these is a common plot motif in the Comedy of Manners?
  12. Q12. Who wrote 'The Provoked Wife' (1697), a play that questioned the permanence of marriage and the double standard for infidelity?
  13. Q13. The 'Double Entendre' is a common linguistic device in these plays. What does it entail?
  14. Q14. In 'The Way of the World', which character serves as the villainous foil to Mirabell, attempting to steal Lady Wishfort's fortune?
  15. Q15. Which critic wrote 'A Short View of the Immorality and Profaneness of the English Stage' (1698), attacking the Comedy of Manners?
  16. Q16. George Farquhar’s 'The Beaux' Stratagem' (1707) is noted for shifting the Comedy of Manners in which direction?
  17. Q17. What is the typical social setting for a Comedy of Manners?
  18. Q18. In the context of this genre, what is a 'Rake'?
  19. Q19. Which character in 'The Way of the World' is an elderly woman obsessed with staying young and being courted?
  20. Q20. Which 18th-century playwright revived the Comedy of Manners style with 'The School for Scandal'?