Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Country Wife, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Reputation, Appearance, and Hypocrisy
Love, Marriage, and Misogyny
Theatre, Puritanism, and Forbidden Desire
Town vs. Country
Summary
Analysis
In Horner’s house, the Quack has returned to find out how Horner’s trick has worked out for him. He is shocked at how much progress Horner has made. Horner tells him that he has already spent time with several “civil persons” and that, while all the husbands and chaperons in the city believe that he is impotent, their “wives, sisters, and daughters” know the truth. The doctor is shocked and impressed by what he hears and presses Horner for information about how “honorable” ladies behave in private. While they are talking, Lady Fidget arrives, and Horner tells the Quack to hide behind a screen so that he can witness how successful Horner’s ploy has been.
Horner uses the word “civil” ironically since, although the “civil” ladies pretend to be “honorable,” they are “noble” in title only and are corrupt and promiscuous underneath. Hiding a character behind a screen is a common device in theatrical farce, in which characters are often concealed during scenes to discover important pieces of information.
Themes
Horner begins to seduce Lady Fidget, but she stops him and seeks more assurance that her “honor” will be protected and her secret kept safe with him. Horner insists that all her talk of “honor” is spoiling the mood, but Lady Fidget insists that, even if Horner only tells other women that he is not impotent, her “honor” could be put in jeopardy, as other women might seek to ruin her. Horner says that, if they did, he would ruin their reputations first by sleeping with them and telling everyone, but Lady Fidget thinks that it is best if she is the only person who knows that Horner is not really impotent.
Lady Fidget is extremely worried about her reputation but does not wish to conform to Restoration standards of morality and virtue. “Honor” is considered the opposite of sexual and, therefore, those who pretend to be the most “honorable” are the most sexual. Lady Fidget hints at the scandal, intrigue, and backstabbing that goes on in high Restoration society. Lady Fidget wants to keep Horner to herself and is possessive of him.
Themes
Lady Fidget throws herself into Horner’s arms just as her husband, Sir Jasper Fidget, walks in. She quickly pretends she is tickling Horner and he pretends to be infuriated with her and begs Sir Jasper to keep his wife under control. Sir Jasper thinks this is hilarious and Lady Fidget explains that she is angry with Horner because he would not come shopping with her to get some new china. She adds that Horner owns some “very fine china” himself and that she means to take some of it for herself.
Sir Jasper is a stereotypical stage cuckold and stock character in Restoration theatre. He is totally oblivious and a comical figure to the audience. “China” is a codeword which refers to sex; Horner has previously arranged this code with his mistresses. It is used in this scene as an extended sexual innuendo. This scene, known as “the china scene,” is one of the most famously lewd scenes in British theatre and was removed from some productions of the play for being too vulgar.
Themes
With that, Lady Fidget rushes into another room and locks the door. Horner pretends to be extremely frustrated and tells Sir Jasper that there is another way into the room by which he will follow her. He rushes off and Sir Jasper remains behind, helpless with laughter. He shouts through the door to his wife that Horner is “coming in the back way” and Lady Fidget replies that he may do as he pleases.
Sir Jasper inadvertently joins in with Horner and Lady Fidget’s banter but does not understand the real content of what he says. “Coming in the back way” is a reference to anal sex.
Themes
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While Sir Jasper is listening at the door, Mrs. Squeamish bursts in looking for Horner. When she hears that he is with Lady Fidget she suggests they break down the door and, when Sir Jasper brushes off this suggestion, she determines to find another way into the room and hurries out of the parlor. Her grandmother, Old Lady Squeamish, then enters the room and frantically looks for Mrs. Squeamish. When she hears from Sir Jasper that this is Horner’s house, she relaxes, and she and Sir Jasper wait patiently outside the door for the others to return.
Mrs. Squeamish is clearly jealous and wishes to keep Horner to herself. She suspects that Lady Fidget also knows Horner’s secret and is eager for them not to be alone together. She must conceal this from Sir Jasper to protect her own reputation. Husbands and elderly chaperones were stock figures in Restoration drama and acted as obstacles for young lovers to overcome. Old Lady Squeamish has heard the rumors of Horner’s impotence.
Themes
Lady Fidget reappears, holding a piece of china, and Horner follows, complaining that she has taken his best piece. Mrs. Squeamish then re-enters the room and begs Horner to give her some china too but he tells her he has none left and will give her some another time. The women take hold of Horner and insist that he come for dinner with them while Sir Jasper and Old Lady Squeamish laugh at how they harass the poor, long-suffering man. The Quack, still behind the screen, is absolutely incredulous and vows to believe every word that Horner says in future.
The china symbolizes sex and shows the audience that Horner and Lady Fidget have just had sex offstage (something the audience are already in on because of the use of innuendo and double entendre). Mrs. Squeamish also knows the codeword, “china,” but does not know whether Horner has literally given Lady Fidget china or has had sex with her.
Themes
While this commotion is underway, Pinchwife strides in upon the scene. The ladies, seeing another man enter, immediately cover their faces and leave with Sir Jasper, wary of their “honor.” Pinchwife presents Horner with the letter from Margery. Horner is confused but plays along with Pinchwife’s belief that Margery’s letter is abusive and unkind. Pinchwife thinks that Horner is making light of the situation and begins to threaten him. He reveals that it was not a young man that Horner kissed the night before but his wife. Horner pretends to be shocked and agrees with Pinchwife that he would never knowingly insult Pinchwife’s "honor." Pinchwife leaves feeling vindicated.
It is ironic that the ladies want to protect their virginal reputations given that they have both come to Horner’s house to have sex with him. Pinchwife believes that he has given Horner the letter that he dictated for Margery; he does not know that she has switched them. Horner conceals the love letter from Pinchwife because he is confused and does not want to betray Margery before he understands the situation. Pinchwife is on edge and plays right into Horner’s hands; he confesses that Horner kissed Margery (rather than her brother), which Horner already knows, but this gives Horner the opportunity to pretend he did not know this and to flatter Pinchwife.
Themes
Horner drags the Quack out from his hiding place and shows him the letter. The Quack observes that Pinchwife has not heard the rumors about Horner. A moment later, Sparkish enters, dragging Pinchwife after him. Sparkish has come to insist that Pinchwife and Horner attend his wedding dinner but Pinchwife reminds him that Sparkish is not yet married; his bride took issue with the parson who was to marry them. He tells Sparkish he will attend his dinner, though, and leaves.
Pinchwife has avoided being social in London and still has not heard that Horner is “impotent.” Sparkish does not care about Alithea’s part in the wedding at all and does not think it is important that she refused to go through with the ceremony.
Themes
Horner asks Sparkish whom he has married and, when he hears it is Alithea, he says that it is a shame for another man. Sparkish demands to know who his “rival” is. Although he is indignant about the existence of this “rival” at first, he soon decides that a rival might end up being quite a useful thing in a marriage. Horner is repelled by Sparkish’s words, but Sparkish fails to notice and, again, invites Horner to dinner.
Horner means that it is a shame for Harcourt, who is in love with Alithea. Sparkish thinks that a rival will help him in the future when he is sick of Alithea. It will give him an excuse to cheat on her or will distract her so that he can keep his mistresses unnoticed. Horner finds Sparkish’s conniving unpalatable, even though he is a rogue himself.
Themes
Horner says that he will only attend the dinner if Margery is there. Sparkish tells Horner that Pinchwife will not let Margery go to a dinner where there will be other men but persuades Horner to come with him anyway, as his aunt’s house, where the dinner is being held, is near Pinchwife’s. Horner makes to follow Sparkish out and, on his way, tells the Quack that Margery has begged for his help and that he is most willing to oblige.
Horner realizes that Margery has tricked Pinchwife somehow with the letter and views this as a cry for help and a sign that she is unhappy and unfulfilled in her marriage. He, therefore, intends to liberate her by making her his mistress.
Themes
