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 4, Scene 7 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
Once they are alone, Mrs. Fainall tells Millamant that Wilfull has gotten so drunk and noisy that her mother had to leave Sir Rowland’s side to go out and quiet him. She adds that Wilfull was quarreling with Petulant the last time she saw him.
Poor Wishfort, it seems, can have no peace in her house. Though Wilfull is an obvious nuisance to her, she doesn’t realize that he isn’t her biggest problem, given the secret engagement.
Themes
Wits and Fools Theme Icon
Millamant, totally ignoring everything that Mrs. Fainall has just said, admits to Mrs. Fainall that she loves Mirabell “violently.” Mrs. Fainall is exasperated and tells her that if she ever doubts Mirabell, then she should marry Wilfull. Millamant is disgusted by this idea.
Mrs. Fainall has reached the limits of her patience with Millamant. She bluntly points out how lucky Millamant is to be engaged to Mirabell rather than forced to marry Sir Wilfull.
Themes
Wits and Fools Theme Icon
Men vs. Women Theme Icon
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