Reconsidering Harcourt in Wycherley’s The Country Wife Essay -- Wycher

Reconsidering Harcourt in Wycherleys The Country WifeWycherleys The Country Wife opens on Horner, the lead, telling his physician about his send off to change his reputation from that of a rake (promiscuous man-about-town) to that of a eunuch in order to gain access to women without anyone kno lureg. He withholds this plan from everyone but the doctor, who becomes his henchman by spreading the rumor of Horners impotence to the gossipiest women in London. Horners sex life constitutes two of the three main plots, in twain of which he gains access to a married woman and cuckolds her husband. He comes mean to being found out but narrowly escapes discovery when the women of the command and the doctor reaffirm his condition, and so persuading the cuckolded husbands that they have not been made cuckolds. The opposite plot involves Harcourt, Horners best friend, who falls in love with and direct proposes to Alithea when Sparkish, the would-be wit whom she is arranged to marry, introdu ces them in an attempt to make Harcourt grabby and thus win his approval. Harcourt then spends the rest of the play making failed attempts to win Alithea away from Sparkish. In the end, Horners plots intersect with Harcourts, and Horner slanders Alithea to keep his affairs secret. Sparkish had unploughed Alitheas loyalty because ostensibly he was not jealous and seemed to faith her, but he believes what Horner says about Alithea without waiting to hear her defense and shows that he is not in reality who she thought he was, nor did he ever really care about her. Harcourt, on the other hand, defends her honor and trusts her, despite the slander, and one time again offers marriage. Alithea, who had fallen for Harcourt but had to keep her feelings secret, is now free t... ...and his imperativeness on ignoring Alitheas warnings. I assume that Harcourt relies on this stupidity and is thus confident and in control.26 Vieth 343.27 As Ogden points out, His Horners most serious mistake i s to deem Margery Pinchwife will share his uncomplicated view of sex. Ogden xxiv.28 follow through note 8.29 See note 10.30 sly Gill argues that Harcourt steps in to redeem Alithea from obloquy, claiming that his consult and his word (his sign) will supply any lack she may have. wish Horners confident play with language, Harcourts deployment of his name to squelch rumors is a power maneuver, an assertion of dominance over the female domain of gossip. Pat Gill, Interpreting Ladies Women, Wit, and Morality in the Restoration Comedy of Manners (Athens U of Georgia P, 1994) 69.31 Hume 14-5.32 Canfield 254.33 Hume 15-23.