"The Man of Mode"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the play, "The Man of Mode", by Sir George Etherege, as a story about the courtship rituals that are present in society and how these rituals are a result of stereotypical gender roles. The paper specifically discusses the protagonists in the plot and their relationships and then suggests that the play calls into question the social conventions that are present in society.

From the Paper:

"The only difference between Harriet and Young Bellaire and the rest of society is that they are fully aware that they are acting and they are not doing so with the purpose of fooling each other. Over the course of Act III, the protagonists become more and more aware of the roles that they are supposed to fill in society and, with this awareness, they become more and more defiant towards these roles. These two characters develop into people who will actively question what is expected of them because they do not believe that these expectations are correct. Through the interaction between and subsequent development of Harriet and Young Bellaire, "The Man of Mode" shows the audience that the status quo is not always the best method of proceeding in life."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Canfield, J. Douglas. The Broadview Anthology of Restoration & Early Eighteenth-Century Drama. Ontario, Canada: Broadview Press. 2001.

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