The Way of the World
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Prologue Act 1, Scene 1 Act 1, Scene 2 Act 1, Scene 3 Act 1, Scene 4 Act 1, Scene 5 Act 1, Scene 6 Act 1, Scene 7 Act 1, Scene 8 Act 1, Scene 9 Act 2, Scene 1 Act 2, Scene 2 Act 2, Scene 3 Act 2, Scene 4 Act 2, Scene 5 Act 2, Scene 6 Act 2, Scene 7 Act 2, Scene 8 Act 2, Scene 9 Act 3, Scene 1 Act 3, Scene 2 Act 3, Scene 3 Act 3, Scene 4 Act 3, Scene 5 Act 3, Scene 6 Act 3, Scene 7 Act 3, Scene 8 Act 3, Scene 9 Act 3, Scene 10 Act 3, Scene 11 Act 3, Scene 12 Act 3, Scene 13 Act 3, Scene 14 Act 3, Scene 15 Act 3, Scene 16 Act 3, Scene 17 Act 3, Scene 18 Act 4, Scene 1 Act 4, Scene 2 Act 4, Scene 3 Act 4, Scene 4 Act 4, Scene 5 Act 4, Scene 6 Act 4, Scene 7 Act 4, Scene 8 Act 4, Scene 9 Act 4, Scene 10 Act 4, Scene 11 Act 4, Scene 12 Act 4, Scene 13 Act 4, Scene 14 Act 4, Scene 15 Act 5, Scene 1 Act 5, Scene 2 Act 5, Scene 3 Act 5, Scene 4 Act 5, Scene 5 Act 5, Scene 6 Act 5, Scene 7 Act 5, Scene 8 Act 5, Scene 9 Act 5, Scene 10 Act 5, Scene 11 Act 5, Scene 12 Act 5, Scene 13 Act 5, Scene 14
Themes
All Themes Jealousy, Deceit, and Intrigue Wits and Fools Men vs. Women Female (In)dependence Love and Money
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Mirabell Fainall Marwood Mrs. Arabella Fainall Lady Wishfort Foible Millamant Sir Wilfull Witwoud Waitwell Witwoud Petulant
Symbols
All Symbols Masks
Literary Devices
All Literary Devices Allusions Dramatic Irony Fallacy Foil Foreshadowing Genre Imagery Irony Metaphors Mood Motifs Personification Satire Setting Similes Situational Irony Soliloquy Style Tone Verbal Irony
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The Way of the World

by

William Congreve
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The Way of the World: Act 5, Scene 3 Summary & Analysis

Jealousy, Deceit, and Intrigue Theme Icon
Wits and Fools Theme Icon
Men vs. Women Theme Icon
Female (In)dependence Theme Icon
Love and Money Theme Icon
Themes Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Way of the World, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Jealousy, Deceit, and Intrigue Theme Icon
Jealousy, Deceit, and Intrigue
Wits and Fools Theme Icon
Wits and Fools
Men vs. Women Theme Icon
Men vs. Women
Female (In)dependence Theme Icon
Female (In)dependence
Love and Money Theme Icon
Love and Money
Summary
Analysis
Mincing arrives in the dressing room with news: Waitwell has been released from prison, while Wishfort is terribly upset over something that Fainall has told her. He is shouting at a crying Wishfort that he’ll have her fortune or get divorced. Mincing continues that Mirabell and Millamant have sent her to find Wilfull. She believes that Millamant will indeed marry Wilfull in order not to lose her dowry.
As relayed by Mincing, the audience can see how Mirabell’s plot has completely fallen apart. Fainall has gone through with his threat to extort Wishfort’s fortune by revealing Mrs. Fainall’s former relationship with Mirabell. Even further, it seems that to save her fortune Millamant has been forced to sacrifice both her love and her independence.
Themes
Jealousy, Deceit, and Intrigue Theme Icon
Men vs. Women Theme Icon
Female (In)dependence Theme Icon
Love and Money Theme Icon
Mrs. Fainall orders Foible to tell Mincing that she must reveal what she knows about Marwood’s affair with Fainall when called on. Mincing promises to help no matter what happens to her.
Mrs. Fainall takes matters into her own hands and begins to organize a counter scheme for Mirabell’s benefit and her own, as well.
Themes
Jealousy, Deceit, and Intrigue Theme Icon
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