The Country Wife: Act 5, Scene 3 Summary & Analysis

In Covent Garden, in the heart of London, Pinchwife shows Sparkish the letter that, signed with Alithea’s name, confesses her love for Horner. Sparkish is shocked but wonders if the letter was really written by Alithea because he does not know her handwriting. Pinchwife says that, if Sparkish doesn’t believe him, he should go and check Horner’s house and he bids Sparkish good day.

Sparkish is left alone in the street where he sees Alithea and Lucy walking in the direction away from Horner’s house. He takes this as proof of her infidelity and confronts her about it. Alithea is shocked and confused; she thinks that he must be drunk. Sparkish will not hear her protests, however. He accuses her of being “false” to him and haughtily wishes her luck in her marriage to Horner, which Pinchwife has just informed him of.

Alithea watches Sparkish storm of and believes that Pinchwife has decided to break off their engagement. She is relieved, as she sees now that Sparkish is capable of jealousy. She cannot believe that Pinchwife really wishes her to marry Horner and confesses to Lucy that she would rather marry Harcourt instead. The pair set off to find him while Alithea remarks on her luck; she has avoided being married to a man who would spend freely, ignore her in the town and, probably, send her out to live in the country so that he could do as he liked. She hopes that he is never known by any “title” except that of a “cuckold.”