The Man of the World (1792)

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Macklin, Charles, approximately 1697-1797.

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"The Man of the World" by Charles Macklin is a comedy written during the late 18th century. The play centers around the character of Sir Pertinax Macsycophant and explores themes of social ambition, personal integrity, and the complexities of familial and romantic relationships. The narrative delves into the moral dilemmas faced by the characters, particularly regarding love and duty. The opening of the play introduces us to a swirling social environment where the household's servants gossip about their masters' affairs, hinting at the romantic entanglements between Charles Egerton, who has adopted his mother's family name, and Constantia, a dependent orphan raised by Lady Macsycophant. As their attraction blossoms, there are underlying tensions with Sir Pertinax, who aims to marry Charles to Lady Rodolpha Lumbercourt for social elevation. Constantia struggles with her feelings of loyalty towards Lady Macsycophant, while the play sets the stage for dramatic developments surrounding the characters' desires and familial expectations. This dynamic interplay of relationships and comedic misadventures suggests a satire of the social mores of the time. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Produced by David Starner, Charles Bidwell and the PG Online Distributed Proofreading Team

Notes:

Augustan Reprint Society, publication number 26

Reading ease score: 71.0 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.

Release date is 2004-12-25