What Does Mirabell Contrive against Lady Wishfort?
The Way of the World is a notable literary work by William Congreve. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of The Way of the World.
Answer
What does Mirabell contrive against Lady Wishfort?
“The Way of the World” (1700) is one of the most famous plays by English playwright William Congreve (1670-1729). In the play, Mirabell is a clever and strategic character. He devises a plan to win his beloved Millamant. However, he faces opposition from Lady Wishfort, Millamant’s aunt, who holds the key to Millamant’s inheritance. To achieve his goal, Mirabell contrives an elaborate scheme against Lady Wishfort.
Mirabell’s Plan: Mirabell’s scheme exploits Lady Wishfort’s vanity and desire for romance. He orchestrates a fake romance between Lady Wishfort and his supposed servant, Waitwell, who pretends to be Sir Rowland, a wealthy suitor. Mirabell knows that Lady Wishfort, eager to remarry, will be flattered and blinded to see Sir Rowland. The plan is to create the situation for Lady Wishfort through Sir Roland so that she falls in love with Sir Roland and agrees to marry him. Foible says:
Poison him? Poisoning’s too good for him. Starve him, madam, starve him; marry Sir Rowland, and get him disinherited.
Later, She discovers that he is Waitwell, a mere servant. This revelation would leave Lady Wishfort embarrassed and more inclined to agree to Mirabell’s terms to avoid public humiliation.
The Motives Behind the Scheme: Mirabell’s primary motive is to secure Millamant’s hand in marriage along with her entire inheritance. Lady Wishfort controls Millamant’s fortune and despises Mirabell. By manipulating Lady Wishfort’s feelings, Mirabell aims to force her into a position where she must consent to his marriage with Millamant to save face. After knowing everything, Lady Wishfort becomes very angry and says:
Have you made a passive bawd of me?
In termination, Mirabell’s scheme against Lady Wishfort is a central plot in “The Way of the World.” It highlights Mirabell’s intelligence and Lady Wishfort’s feelings for love. The play uses this plot to explore themes of love, trust, and societal expectations.