George Etherege, The Man of Mode

Dawn Lewcock (Independent Scholar - Europe)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.04: English Writing and Culture of the Seventeenth Century, 1625-1688.
Vol. editors: Jennifer Brady (Rhodes College), Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Neil Forsyth (Université de Lausanne), Claire Preston (Queen Mary, University of London), J A Roe (University of York), Virginia Mason Vaughan (Clark University)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1676

Places

France (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Play

Resources

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The Man of Mode

by Sir George Etherege (1636 – 1691/2) is his best known play and is also considered the best of the three he wrote. First performed in 1676 at the Dorset Gardens theatre it was often revived in the next thirty years and is frequently performed today.

The story lines in the play are not especially complex. It explores the promiscuity and sexual games of several characters. The rake-hero Dorimant is planning to rid himself of one mistress, Mrs Loveit, and take up with her friend, Belinda, while deciding to court a rich heiress, Harriet, with a view to marriage. Harriet falls for Dorimant and deceives her mother in order to gain him. A young couple, Young Bellair and Emilia overcome more parental opposition to their marriage by Old Bellair, who has designs on Emilia

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1993 words

Citation: Lewcock, Dawn. "The Man of Mode". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 18 September 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=243, accessed 25 April 2024.]

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