When studying Restoration and early 18th century drama, a predominant theme that emerges is the suppression of women. Plays ranging from Vanbrugh's The Relapse to Etherege's The Man of Mode use humor, wit and satire to criticize women's recklessness and vulnerability. Furthermore, not only do playwrights present female figures as weak and insufficient, but they also emphasize women's dependence on men, as they cannot rise in a society limited by legal and social prejudices. In Congreve's The Way of the World, however, the heroine named Millamant seems to rise above the inequality between men and women. Presented in a new light, Millamant differs from other heroines like Etherege's Harriet and Vanbrugh's Amanda. By portraying Millamant as a more feminist heroine, possessed not only of wealth and wit, but also of social grace and intelligence, Congreve shows a transition from society to fashion at the turn of the 18th century. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get an original essay Examining the romantic relationships between Amanda and Loveless in Vanbrugh's The Relapse and Millamant and Mirabel in Congreve's The Way of the World, it becomes clear that Millamant is more of a feminist heroine than Amanda. The first names of the two characters, Amanda and Loveless, are already a sign of an unbalanced and unreciprocated love. Amanda's name suggests love (amor), exemplified by her loyalty to her husband as seen throughout the play as she retains her virtue, despite Berinthia's attempt to arouse her into jealousy in order to that she sleeps with Worthy. Without love, as his name reveals, is a man who cannot love; his only quality lies in his ability to lust and woo other women. As their names suggest, Loveless and Amanda's marriage ends in failure as Loveless "gets" Bellinda while Amanda remains faithful. Similarly, Vanbrugh's The Relapse establishes an anti-feminist theme by limiting the voice of its female character. As Amanda confesses that her "fears are based on [her] love" and pleads for her husband not to leave for London, loveless guilt trips her up, asserting that "your love is then not based as it should, because if you can believe it, it is It is possible that I fall again into my past follies, I must appear to you as a thing of such an undigested composition” (II129-3). Unable to persuade her husband to stay, Amanda silently bows and says, “So I won't bother you with [her fears] any more” (Ii139-40). Through this relationship lacking mutual affection and loyalty, Vanbrugh is able to highlight women's weaknesses when it comes to power and voice. In contrast, Mirabel and Millamant appear to share an equal level of power, voice, and loyalty. Mirabel contrasts greatly with Loveless in that he is not a debauched character. While Loveless is a purported reformed libertine, Mirabel is a purported gentleman in love. From the beginning of The Way of the World to the end, Mirabel's love and affection for Millamant are based on the principles of loyalty, commitment and devotion. Millamant differs from Amanda in that she has not lost her sex appeal. Even though she knows that Mirabel is in love with her, Millamant affects a modest and shy demeanor, allowing Mirabel to try even harder to win her affections. Amanda, on the other hand, no longer dresses to attract her husband, which bores him and extinguishes his passion for her. Millamant does not sink into silence. During hismarriage negotiations with Mirabel, she declares everything she wishes to keep, from the hairdresser to her right to converse with others. More importantly, while Amanda seems to suffer all the betrayals of marriage, it is Mirabel in The Way of the World who must temporarily suffer in order to marry Millamant by first having to gain Mrs. Wishfort's approval. Ultimately, the happy ending that Congreve designs for Mirabell and Millamant allows Millamant to be seen in a more feminist light. Analyzing Millamant from Congreve's The Way of the World and Harriet from Etherege's The Man of Mode, we see a stark contrast in the way each playwright delineates their female heroine. Harriet, the heroine of Etherege's play, is described as "a fine, easy, clean form" (Ii138). She possesses natural beauty and wit, wealth and morality. In fact, unlike the other female characters in The Man of Mode, Harriet seems to bring hope to the other fallen women because she retains her virtue and conceals her emotions towards Dorimant, the debauchee. Moreover, his decisions are bold and courageous, free from “hoods and modesty, masks and silence, things that overshadow and hide” (III.i.25-26). Unfortunately, although Etherege contrasts the free-spirited and independent Harriet with all the other female characters in the play, she ultimately falls into Dorimant's hands and becomes another of his possessions. Even when Dorimant renounces "all the joys I have in friendship and in wine" and "sacrifices to [Harriet] all the interest I have for other women" (V.ii.152-154 ), Harriet's love for him prevents her from taking care of him. examine the sincerity of his motivations. Harriet's final form of abandonment lies in her submission to the values ​​of marriage, thereby reaffirming the anti-feminist notion that women have no place in society apart from men. Congreve's portrayal of Millamant in The Way of the World shares both similarities and differences. to the portrait of Harriet by Etherege. Like Harriet, Millamant is also young and beautiful, determined and witty. Showing great disdain for the male race, Millamant refrains from being seen as as stupid and desperate as Lady Wishfort and keeps herself in the company of "fops" so as not to be consumed by the plots and intrigues of other characters like Mrs. Marwood and Foible. Additionally, she is considered wealthy, or at least potentially wealthy, because her aunt, Lady Wishfort, is extraordinarily wealthy. In this way, Harriet and Millamant are portrayed as seemingly independent, witty, and beautiful. Although Millamant and Mirabell are clearly in love with each other, marriage is inevitable for a woman. There is, however, a slightly more feminine delineation of Millamant as Congreve allows her to compromise and negotiate within the marriage. Not wanting to sacrifice her full independence, Millamant declares: “I will never marry unless I am first assured of my will and my pleasure” (IV. 178-9). She further lists her demands and demands, from "I will no longer be called insults after my marriage" to "let's be as strange as if we had been married for a long time", Millamant refuses to give up her freedom. Additionally, seeking independence within her marriage, Millamant states that she will have the freedom “to pay and receive visits to whomever I please; write and receive letters without interrogations or grimaces on your part; wear what I like and choose the conversation based solely on my test…” (IV.213-7). There is a gender conflict as Mirabel also attempts to reassert her male control over her planned marriage to Millamant. Thanks to the loyalty of.