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Harcourt
Dorilant is the companion of Horner and Harcourt and a well-known “rake.” Dorilant does not play a large role in the action of the play but is present in the background of many scenes. He makes up the third of Horner’s party so that the group of three “rakes” mirrors the group of three “honorable” ladies, Lady Fidget, Mrs. Dainty Fidget, and Mrs. Squeamish. Just as Dorilant and his friends know the “honorable” ladies by their reputations, and know that they pretend to be intolerably virtuous, the ladies know Dorilant by his reputation as a “lewd fellow” and refuse to allow him to accompany them to the theatre with Horner for fear that his presence will threaten their public image. Dorilant ends the play a confirmed bachelor and this suggests that he will continue to live a “rakish” life while Harcourt will soon be married to Alithea and while he believes Horner to be impotent.
Dorilant Quotes in The Country Wife
The The Country Wife quotes below are all either spoken by Dorilant or refer to Dorilant. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Act 3, Scene 2 Quotes
Because I do hate 'em and would hate ’em yet more. I’ll frequent ’em. You may see by marriage, nothing makes a man hate a woman more than her constant conversation. In short, I converse with ’em, as you do with rich fools, to laugh at ’em and use ’em ill.
Related Characters:
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Explanation and Analysis:
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Dorilant Character Timeline in The Country Wife
The timeline below shows where the character Dorilant appears in The Country Wife. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1
...luck and leaves to attend to his patients. After he leaves, Horner’s friends Harcourt and Dorilant arrive. They want to find out if Horner is ready to face public life again;...
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Dorilant commiserates with Horner and tells him that, although he can no longer seduce women, he...
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Horner, Harcourt and Dorilant are dismayed. They dislike Sparkish and feel that he is an arrogant bore who will...
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Sparkish bursts in and begins to tease Horner about his impotence. Horner, Harcourt and Dorilant try to make it clear that they do not find Sparkish funny and they try...
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...the town, and he asks Pinchwife about his new bride. Pinchwife tells Horner, Harcourt and Dorilant that she is plain, stupid and awkward and that, because of this, there is no...
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...not make him a “cuckold,” even if Horner has his way. Hearing this, Harcourt and Dorilant realize that Pinchwife has not heard the rumors of Horner’s impotence. Horner tells Pinchwife that...
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Horner, Harcourt and Dorilant pester Pinchwife to tell them who this woman was, although they can tell from Pinchwife’s...
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Act 2
While the ladies are talking, Sir Jasper, Horner, and Dorilant approach. Sir Jasper tells them that he has an engagement that evening and, therefore, Horner...
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Act 3, Scene 2
In the New Exchange, in the city center, Horner, Harcourt, and Dorilant are discussing their plans for the evening. Harcourt and Dorilant are confused that Horner will...
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...young man with them is. Sparkish says that it is Margery’s brother and Horner and Dorilant follow them at a distance.
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As Pinchwife is trying to lead his sister away, Horner and Dorilant join them. Pinchwife tries to get away but Horner accosts him and implores him to...
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...kisses Margery several times in front of Pinchwife. He then passes her to Harcourt and Dorilant to be kissed by them too.
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Pinchwife is furious but cannot reveal Margery’s identity. When Horner, Harcourt, and Dorilant finally saunter away, he rushes off to find his carriage to take Margery home. While...
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...for him to join them for dinner. He begins to lead Horner away and, when Dorilant tries to invite himself along, Sir Jasper rejects him because, he says, there will be...
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Horner leaves with Sir Jasper while Pinchwife still tries to lead Margery away. Harcourt and Dorilant take their leave of Lucy and Alithea and wander off. Margery, gathering up the gifts...
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Act 5, Scene 4
...to this, however, and claims that she does love Horner. Pinchwife threatens her again and Dorilant and the Quack enter the scene and demand to know what is going on. Horner...
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...Horner was a womanizer in the past, his trip to France has changed all that. Dorilant backs up the Quack’s story, but Margery tries to protest and claim it is not...
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...will soon be married to Alithea and promises not to be a jealous husband, and Dorilant and Sparkish share their relief that they are bachelors. Horner laments that he could not...
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