William Wycherley’s The Country Wife Essay -- William Wycherley Countr

William Wycherleys The Country Wife A Restoration funniness is like an eighteenth-century sitcom its entertaining (MacKenzie, Behn). However, the similarities in the midst of the two genres be much far-reaching than their equal entertainment value. For example, the cast of William Wycherleys Restoration comedy, The Country Wife, consists of some central characters that are strikingly similar to those in the cast of the modern situation comedy, Seinfeld. Harry Horner from The Country Wife and George Costanza from Seinfeld twain fit the male wit character type. Likewise, Lady Fidget, one of Horners lovers, and other woman, whos one of Costanzas fleeting lovers, both fit the female wit character type. Through the interplay of these characters, the Restoration comedy and the situation comedy both assert the superior power of the female wit, when compared to that of the male wit. Wits of both genders are characterized by their skill at lying, hiding their lies from the public, and seeking and obtaining selfish, short-lived pleasures they are also characterized by their discerning nature and their gambling nature of risking losses to get move ons (MacKenzie, Wycherley). However, female wits are more sizable than male wits when they take risks to secure pleasures because female wits are not required to adopt down a job or earn money they gain greater returns from the risks they take, than men do, and they never risk losing their honor. First, female wits are more powerful than male wits because they are not required to hold down a job or earn money. Lady Fidget and Horner bedeck this assertion through their interactions in The Country Wife, and another woman and Costanza illustrate it in an epis... ... the social rules that do not require a woman to work, or that prohibit her from working, paradoxically conspire to make female wits more powerful than male wits. Society provides women with ample free time to pursue pleasure, and their interdepe ndent cohorts provide them with the free reign to do so. As a result, these powerful female wits take more selective, calculated risks than male wits do they also gain greater returns, whether they appear in an eighteenth-century Restoration comedy or a twentieth-century situation comedy. Works CitedMacKenzie, Scott. Behn, Oroonoko. Seventh Class Meeting. English 260. Davidson College. 8 Sept. 2004. MacKenzie, Scott. Wycherley, The Country Wife. Ninth and Tenth Class Meetings. English 260. Davidson College. 10, 13 Sept. 2004.(Textbook). The Subway. Seinfeld. NBC. 8 Jan. 1992.