| The term 'comedy of manners' is generally used | | | | complaining for the immoral behavior Lady |
| in the literary history and criticism and more | | | | Sneerwell and Sir Benjamin Backbite. It revives |
| specifically applied to the restoration dramatists | | | | the wit and gaiety, while deleting the indecency, of |
| such as William Congreve and William Wycherley. | | | | the comedy of Restoration period. |
| This type of comedy continues to appear in the | | | | The dialogue of such comedy consists of witty |
| works of Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Oscar | | | | conversations and repartee as if fencing match! |
| Wilde. | | | | The depiction of jealous husband, conniving rivals, |
| The form of restoration comedy owes to the | | | | and foppish dandies all catches attention. |
| powerful dramas of the French writer Moliere. It | | | | The comedy of manners failed in the early |
| deals with the intrigues and relations of men and | | | | nineteenth century, but was revived again by |
| women of sophisticated upper class society. It | | | | many skillful dramatists like A. W. Pinero, Oscar |
| makes fun of social groups and their fashionable | | | | Wilde, G. B. Shaw, Noel Coward, Neil Simpson and |
| manners. It is often satirical but in a good-natured | | | | many other writers of the present era. It is |
| way! | | | | artificial form of drama which is full of verbal wit |
| Many critics have objected the low moral tone of | | | | and therefore, it is sometimes considered as |
| the restoration comedy. Wycherley's The Country | | | | cynical. |
| Wife, shows the moral weakness of a particular | | | | The cynicism and the occasional indecency of the |
| social group meant for laughing at it rather than | | | | restoration comedy led Jeremy Collier to react |
| approving it. Sheridan's The School For Scandal | | | | which resulted in another form of comedy known |
| does the same thing but there is nothing like | | | | as 'sentimental comedy. |