The Way of the World
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Prologue Act 1, Scene 1 Act 1, Scene 2 Act 1, Scene 3 Act 1, Scene 4 Act 1, Scene 5 Act 1, Scene 6 Act 1, Scene 7 Act 1, Scene 8 Act 1, Scene 9 Act 2, Scene 1 Act 2, Scene 2 Act 2, Scene 3 Act 2, Scene 4 Act 2, Scene 5 Act 2, Scene 6 Act 2, Scene 7 Act 2, Scene 8 Act 2, Scene 9 Act 3, Scene 1 Act 3, Scene 2 Act 3, Scene 3 Act 3, Scene 4 Act 3, Scene 5 Act 3, Scene 6 Act 3, Scene 7 Act 3, Scene 8 Act 3, Scene 9 Act 3, Scene 10 Act 3, Scene 11 Act 3, Scene 12 Act 3, Scene 13 Act 3, Scene 14 Act 3, Scene 15 Act 3, Scene 16 Act 3, Scene 17 Act 3, Scene 18 Act 4, Scene 1 Act 4, Scene 2 Act 4, Scene 3 Act 4, Scene 4 Act 4, Scene 5 Act 4, Scene 6 Act 4, Scene 7 Act 4, Scene 8 Act 4, Scene 9 Act 4, Scene 10 Act 4, Scene 11 Act 4, Scene 12 Act 4, Scene 13 Act 4, Scene 14 Act 4, Scene 15 Act 5, Scene 1 Act 5, Scene 2 Act 5, Scene 3 Act 5, Scene 4 Act 5, Scene 5 Act 5, Scene 6 Act 5, Scene 7 Act 5, Scene 8 Act 5, Scene 9 Act 5, Scene 10 Act 5, Scene 11 Act 5, Scene 12 Act 5, Scene 13 Act 5, Scene 14
Themes
All Themes Jealousy, Deceit, and Intrigue Wits and Fools Men vs. Women Female (In)dependence Love and Money
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Mirabell Fainall Marwood Mrs. Arabella Fainall Lady Wishfort Foible Millamant Sir Wilfull Witwoud Waitwell Witwoud Petulant
Symbols
All Symbols Masks
Literary Devices
All Literary Devices Allusions Dramatic Irony Fallacy Foil Foreshadowing Genre Imagery Irony Metaphors Mood Motifs Personification Satire Setting Similes Situational Irony Soliloquy Style Tone Verbal Irony
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The Way of the World

by

William Congreve

The Way of the World: Act 3, Scene 3 Summary & Analysis

Jealousy, Deceit, and Intrigue Theme Icon
Wits and Fools Theme Icon
Men vs. Women Theme Icon
Female (In)dependence Theme Icon
Love and Money Theme Icon
Themes Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Way of the World, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Jealousy, Deceit, and Intrigue Theme Icon
Jealousy, Deceit, and Intrigue
Wits and Fools Theme Icon
Wits and Fools
Men vs. Women Theme Icon
Men vs. Women
Female (In)dependence Theme Icon
Female (In)dependence
Love and Money Theme Icon
Love and Money
Summary
Analysis
Peg returns, explaining that she was looking for a cup. Wishfort complains about the size of the cup she brings, saying that Peg must think her a “fairy” to drink out of an “acorn” sized cup. Finally Wishfort tells Peg to pour her a drink, but they are interrupted by a knock at the door. Wishfort orders Peg to see who it is but then calls her back to first hide the bottle before she answers the door. It’s Marwood. Wishfort tells Peg to invite her inside.
The foolish Peg’s innocence invites her tormenter Wishfort to rain down abuse on her. However, though Wishfort’s criticisms of Peg are funny and Wishfort thinks herself vastly superior to her young servant, she herself is not any wiser than Peg. And, like Peg, she often makes more mistakes than she gets things right.
Themes
Wits and Fools Theme Icon
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