The document discusses the comedy of manners genre that was popular during the English Restoration period. Comedies of manners poked fun at the mannerisms and hypocrisies of the upper class through witty dialogue and comic situations. Playwrights like Aphra Behn satirized the aristocracy by portraying them engaging in vices like sexual indiscretions despite upholding a strict moral code in public. Some key aspects of comedies of manners during this time included bawdy humor, criticism of social norms, and plays written by pioneering female playwrights. This genre focusing on analyzing human folly and hypocrisy through comedy has endured and remains popular today.

1. Catherine Calac
CommunicationT338
January25, 2015
Comedy of Manners
Since the time of the veryfirstplaysperformedinancientGreece people have enjoyed satirizing
the livesof others. Theyespeciallyenjoypokingfunatthe rich and powerful. The Restorationperiodin
Englandwasno different. Duringthistime the comedyof mannersbecame the mostpopulargenre to
take the stage. Ingeneral a comedyof mannersisa work that pokesfunat anygroup of people.
However,the works of the Restoration period usuallytargetedthe upperclass.
The reasonthe upperclassisso easyto target isthat theypretendtolive theirlivesbyastrict
social code. How oftendoour political andreligiousleaderstell ushow tolive ourlivesandput
themselves upasa moral example? Onlylaterduringascandal do we findoutthat theywere notquite
livingastheypretended. The comedyof mannersbringstolightthe starkcontrast betweenthe
acceptedsocial contract thatpeople pretendtofollowandthe realityof life ashumanbeings
(McDonald).
Life isdifficultbut,comedymakesittolerable. Difficultsubjectslike relationships,poverty,
agingand deathcan become somethingwe canlaughat rather than fear. The comedyof manners
offeredaudiencesasatirical lookatsome verydeepsubjects. The comedyof mannersalsoofferedabit
of bawdyentertainment. The upperclasswasshownina truerlight. Theywere showntoengage sexual
indiscretions,use questionable languageandsuccumbtoall mannerof vices. All done throughwitty
exchangesandcomedicsituations. The comedyof mannerswasa starkcontrast to the seriousdramas
of the Restorationera. These playsdealtwithlife onamore seriousnote. Theywere dramasand
tragediesthatwere oftenrewritesof Shakespeareanworks (Wilson234-5).
Some of the best playsof the Restorationperiodwere writtenbywomen. AphraBehnwas
believedtobe the firstwomantoearn herlivingasa writer (Wilson235). Otherwriterssuchas

2. Catherine Trotter,MaryPix and Delariviere Manlywere knownasremarkable femalewits. These
womenhelpedpave the wayforthe greaterinvolvementof womeninthe theatre. These women
shapedthemselvesandthe worldof theatre bybreakingmoldsandnotshyingawayfrom bawdy humor
(Wilson240-1).
The traditionof wittywomenincomedycontinuestoday. A fantasticexample of amodern
comedyof mannersisAbsolutelyFabulouswrittenbyJenniferSaunders. ThisBBCproducedsitcom
satirizesthe worldsof highfashionandcelebrity.Atthe same time it addressesperceivedupperclass
viewsonalcoholism, drug-abuseandaging. Thisshow presentsaperfectexampleof whataudiences
may have seeninthe comediesof the Restoration. A storyof twoupperclass,hypocritical,alcoholic
and youthobsessedwomenwrittenandperformedbywomen. Trulythe onlythingthathas changed
since the Restorationare the clothes. The show’shighratingsalsoreflectthatthistype of comedywill
neverbe outof fashionwithaudiences.
One thingthat has changedsince the Restorationisstaging. Now large playhousesoffera
varietyof differentstagestomeetthe needsof anyproduction. Mypersonal favorite istheatre inthe
round. In contrast to the stagesof the Restorationwhere the audience lookedonfromonlyone
directiontheatre inthe roundoffersthe audiencea360 degree view of the production. The
productionsIhave seen were done withnosceneryandlittle tonoprops. The actors truly toldthe
whole story. The stagesof the Restorationusedlarge paintedflatsassceneryandsetchangeswere
done byhand usinga groove systemwhenawhistle wasblown (Wilson253). The Restorationsystem
of setchangesseemsasthoughit wouldbe a distractionandthe audience wouldhave holesintheir
suspensionof disbelief.
In conclusionthe comedyof mannersisagenre that will nevergocompletelyoutof style. It
startedwiththe playsof the ancientGreeksandcontinuestodayinmoderntheatre,televisionandfilm.

3. Human nature will alwaysbe afavorite subjectof analysisforwriters. Therefore,until we asa species
conquerour fearsandfrustrationsthere will be plentytowrite (andlaugh) about.

4. Works Cited
McDonald,Deanne."What’sso Funny?Examiningthe Popularityof Comedyof Manners."Graduate
ResearchConference Journal,1Jan.2010. Web.24 Jan. 2015.
http://grad.mnsu.edu/research/grc/2010journal/McDonald--GRCJournal Submission.pdf
Wilson,Edwin,andAlvinGoldfarb."The Theatre of the EnglishRestoration." Living Theatre:History of
the Theatre.5th ed.Boston,Mass.: McGraw-Hill,2008. Print.