William Wycherley

Dawn Lewcock (Independent Scholar - Europe)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.05: English Writing and Culture from the Glorious Revolution to the French Revolution, 1689-1789.
Vol. editors: Paul Baines (University of Liverpool), Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Pat Rogers (University of South Florida), Nicholas Seager (University of Keele)

Dates

Born 1641
Died 1715
Activity 1671-1715

Places

Born in England
Active in England

Activities

Primary

Playwright / Dramatist

Other

Poet

Resources

Wycherley's Works

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The Life

William Wycherley is an important figure in Restoration drama although his reputation as a dramatist rests on only four plays. The first, Love in a Wood was staged in 1671, his second The Gentleman Dancing Master in 1672, his third The Country Wife in 1675 and his fourth and last, The Plain Dealer, in 1676, after which he wrote nothing but some rather poor poetry which he published as Miscellany Poems in 1704, although he lived for another forty years. A mocking bawdy burlesque of Hero and Leander, published anonymously in 1669, is also credited to him

William Wycherley is an important figure in Restoration drama although his reputation as a dramatist rests on only four plays. The first,

Love in a Wood

was staged in 1671, his second

The Gentleman Dancing Master

in 1672, his third

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2395 words

Citation: Lewcock, Dawn. "William Wycherley". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 24 September 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=4818, accessed 29 April 2024.]

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