Previous
Style
Definition of Tone
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical, and so on. For instance... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical... read full definition
Act 3, Scene 2
Explanation and Analysis:
Wycherley takes a satirical tone throughout The Country Wife as he critiques a wide range of social and sexual attitudes. Out of all the characters, Horner is the most vocally critical of Restoration society and the social mores surrounding romance and sexuality. His role as a satirist within the play tonally aligns him with Wycherley's own authorial voice. Both Horner and Wycherley are critical of those who obscure their sexual predilections behind moral posturing and the safety of institutional approval (i.e. marriage).
Despite this, Horner's point of view is neither omniscient nor objective: he himself is as much a part of the problem as those he criticizes, a statement that could just as easily be applied to Wycherley himself. Thus, Horner's tone in the narrative calls to attention the possibility that a satirist may become the object of his own satirical lens. Note, for instance, the cynical and often derogatory stance Horner takes regarding women, exemplified in this passage from Act 3, Scene 2:
HORNER. Because I do hate ’em and would hate ’em yet more, I’ll frequent ’em. You may see by marriage, nothing makes a man hate a woman more than her constant conversation. In short, I converse with ’em, as you do with rich fools, to laugh at ’em and use ’em ill.
Although a certain amount of this attitude may be over-emphasized to sell the falsehood of his impotency, there is likely also a certain amount of Horner's personal viewpoint infusing this commentary. His reductive view of women ultimately undermines his stance as satirist. Horner's case signals that the nature of Wycherley's satirical tone and criticism, while important to engage with, should be criticized itself instead of taken at face value.
Related Themes:
