The Way of the World

The Way of the World

by

William Congreve

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The Way of the World: Act 3, Scene 12 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Mincing returns to tell Millamant that the men will be ready soon. Millamant instructs Mincing to have the singer hired for the event to sing a song that Millamant likes. The singer sings about love being like a sickness when it is not joined with ambition. Love is also like a dying fire, if it is not fed by encouragement. The singer concludes by claiming to delight in love when it gives pain to others, either rivals or the lover himself.
It is little wonder that Millamant likes a song that describes love the way that she herself understands love and practices loving others. The song also describes the various romantic relationships Congreve portrays in the play.
Themes
Men vs. Women Theme Icon