 Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
|
Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
Table of Contents A messenger comes in with a letter for Witwoud from his half- brother, Sir Wilfull Witwoud, the nephew of Lady Wishfort (who is also Millamant’s aunt). Fainall reasons that if Mirabell were to marry Millamant, then he would be related to Sir Wilfull Witwoud. The audience learns from the ensuing conversation that Sir Wilfull Witwoud has come to town to equip himself for travel. Fainall describes Sir Wilfull Witwoud as "an old mixture of bashfulness and obstinacy," who is as lovable as the monster in the Tempest (a Shakespeare play) when he is drunk. His half-brother, Witwoud, is a little better since he possesses a little wit. During this discussion Witwoud himself enters. He appears to be immensely distressed by the letter from his brother. He then criticizes his friend, Petulant, who has just beaten him at a game of cards. Fainall tells Witwoud that he should allow Petulant to win at cards since he (Witwoud) monopolizes all the wit between them. However, Witwoud defends his friend and asserts that he too possesses "an odd sort of small wit." Then Witwoud's loyalty towards his friend wavers. While he patronizingly defends Petulant’s faults, he dismisses him as a "rogue," who has had "no more breeding than a bum-bailey." The chief fault that Witwoud finds in Petulant is his tendency to lie. At this moment a coachman enters with a message from three ladies who are waiting outside for Petulant. Witwoud hints that the ladies waiting for Petulant are prostitutes, hired to come to call on him. Soon Petulant arrives. He is very irritated at being visited at an unusual hour and refuses to see the ladies waiting outside. Harmless joking ensues, and Witwoud praises Petulant’s wit. Betty, the waiting-maid, comes in with the news that the ladies have left in great anger. This does not affect Petulant, who sarcastically says that anger is good for the complexion and saves makeup.
Fainall says that Petulant is courting Millamant and claims that this drama with the three ladies has been enacted to convince Millamant that he has forsaken the entire female sex for her. This comment angers Mirabell, who vows to cut Petulant’s throat. But Petulant coolly says that he knows that there are other throats, which deserve Mirabell’s attention. He insinuates that an uncle of Mirabell’s has arrived in town and lodges near Lady Wishfort’s house. If this uncle should marry and have a child, Mirabell will be disinherited and lose his fortune. Both Witwoud and Petulant are also Millamant's admirers, but they are courting her only because it is the fashion to chase after the currently reigning beauty. Witwoud says that he would not break his heart for her. He thinks that Mirabell will not have Millamant, since Lady Wishfort hates him. He does, however, see Mirabell’s uncle as a potential rival because Lady Wishfort would encourage a match between him and Millamant. Mirabell declares that he does not wish to discuss the subject any further and asks Fainall whether he will accompany him to the Mall where the ladies are waiting for them. All the men agree to leave for a walk in the park. Table of Contents | |
|
|
|||||||
