The Country Wife

Synopsis

In Restoration London, a rakish gentleman’s scheme to seduce married women sets off a whirlwind of deception, jealousy, and sexual intrigue.

Mr. Horner, a notorious libertine, spreads a false rumour that he’s become impotent to gain the trust of jealous husbands and access to their wives. His plan works brilliantly, particularly with Sir Jasper Fidget, who happily leaves his wife in Horner’s company. Meanwhile, Margery Pinchwife, a naïve country wife newly brought to London by her insanely jealous husband, becomes fascinated by the city’s thrills and Horner himself.

Wycherley’s play is a biting satire of Restoration society’s sexual hypocrisy and marital customs. Through witty dialogue and farcical situations, he skewers the affectations of the town wits, the paranoia of jealous husbands, and the false modesty of seemingly virtuous ladies. The play explores themes of sexual freedom, the battle of the sexes, and the contrast between rural innocence and urban sophistication. As the various plots intertwine and identities are mistaken, The Country Wife offers a wickedly funny critique of social mores that remains sharply relevant.