Personification
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
Quizzes
All Quizzes Prologue Quiz Act 1, Scene 1 Quiz Act 1, Scene 2 Quiz Act 1, Scene 3 Quiz Act 1, Scene 4 Quiz Act 1, Scene 5 Quiz Act 1, Scene 6 Quiz Act 1, Scene 7 Quiz Act 1, Scene 8 Quiz Act 1, Scene 9 Quiz Act 2, Scene 1 Quiz Act 2, Scene 2 Quiz Act 2, Scene 3 Quiz Act 2, Scene 4 Quiz Act 2, Scene 5 Quiz Act 2, Scene 6 Quiz Act 2, Scene 7 Quiz Act 2, Scene 8 Quiz Act 2, Scene 9 Quiz Act 3, Scene 1 Quiz Act 3, Scene 2 Quiz Act 3, Scene 3 Quiz Act 3, Scene 4 Quiz Act 3, Scene 5 Quiz Act 3, Scene 6 Quiz Act 3, Scene 7 Quiz Act 3, Scene 8 Quiz Act 3, Scene 9 Quiz Act 3, Scene 10 Quiz Act 3, Scene 11 Quiz Act 3, Scene 12 Quiz Act 3, Scene 13 Quiz Act 3, Scene 14 Quiz Act 3, Scene 15 Quiz Act 3, Scene 16 Quiz Act 3, Scene 17 Quiz Act 3, Scene 18 Quiz Act 4, Scene 1 Quiz Act 4, Scene 2 Quiz Act 4, Scene 3 Quiz Act 4, Scene 4 Quiz Act 4, Scene 5 Quiz Act 4, Scene 6 Quiz Act 4, Scene 7 Quiz Act 4, Scene 8 Quiz Act 4, Scene 9 Quiz Act 4, Scene 10 Quiz Act 4, Scene 11 Quiz Act 4, Scene 12 Quiz Act 4, Scene 13 Quiz Act 4, Scene 14 Quiz Act 4, Scene 15 Quiz Act 5, Scene 1 Quiz Act 5, Scene 2 Quiz Act 5, Scene 3 Quiz Act 5, Scene 4 Quiz Act 5, Scene 5 Quiz Act 5, Scene 6 Quiz Act 5, Scene 7 Quiz Act 5, Scene 8 Quiz Act 5, Scene 9 Quiz Act 5, Scene 10 Quiz Act 5, Scene 11 Quiz Act 5, Scene 12 Quiz Act 5, Scene 13 Quiz Act 5, Scene 14 Quiz
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The Way of the World

by William Congreve

The Way of the World: Personification 1 key example

Definition of Personification

Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the sentence, "The rain poured down on the wedding guests, indifferent... read full definition
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the sentence, "The rain poured down... read full definition
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the... read full definition
Act 2, Scene 1
Explanation and Analysis—Love as an Emperor:

In Act 2, Scene 1, Mrs. Marwood tells Mrs. Fainall that she only pretends to hate men to please Lady Wishfort. She personifies love as an emperor in order to describe how she really feels:

To be free, I have no taste of those insipid dry discourses with which our sex of force must entertain themselves, apart from men. We may affect endearments to each other, profess eternal friendships, and seem to dote like lovers; but ’tis not in our natures long to persevere. Love will resume his empire in our breasts, and every heart, or soon or late, receive and readmit him as its lawful tyrant.

Related Characters: Fainall , Marwood , Mrs. Arabella Fainall , Lady Wishfort
Related Themes:
Jealousy, Deceit, and Intrigue Theme Icon
Men vs. Women Theme Icon
Female (In)dependence Theme Icon
Love and Money Theme Icon
Related Quotes:
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