Tony’s celebratory speech when he is finally released of any obligations to Constance parodies traditional marriage vows, but inverts their meaning for comic effect. Having previously been deceived as to his real age, when Tony finds out he is actually already 21 and thus of age to formally reject Constance, he says:
TONY. Then you’ll see the first use I’ll make of my liberty. (Taking Miss NEVILLE’S hand.) Witness all men by these presents, that I, Anthony Lumpkin, Esquire, of BLANK place, refuse you, Constantia Neville, spinster, of no place at all, for my true and lawful wife.
By comparing these words to traditional marriage vows, one can see how Tony parodies them. Tony’s adaptation of these vows to formally reject Constance is intentionally overblown and comical, as is typical of Tony’s jocular and rambunctious character. His additions of remarks like “of no place at all” speak to the tongue-in-cheek nature of his humor and help add to the fun, light-hearted atmosphere as the play draws to a close.
Tony’s ironic anti-marriage vows also help disrupt what may otherwise be an overly sweet and sentimental ending, with the play otherwise complying with the traditional double-marriage resolution common in romance literature. Tony’s rejection of marriage highlights his own individual happy ending and shows that marriage is not the only resolution available.
