Lady Wishfort

Lady Wishfort

Introduction

Lady Wishfort is one of the most striking and comic figures in William Congreve’s The Way of the World. She is an elderly, wealthy widow obsessed with her appearance, social image, and desire for love. Through her, Congreve satirizes vanity, pretension, and the absurdity of age trying to imitate youth. Her character provides some of the richest comedy in the play.

Act wise appearance:

In Act I, Lady Wishfort does not appear, but her vanity, pride, and control over Millamant’s fortune are highlighted through others’ conversations, establishing her as a central figure in the comic complications. In Act II, she remains offstage, yet her susceptibility to flattery and desire for admiration are emphasized, foreshadowing her later gullibility. She finally appears in Act III, displaying her fiery temper, vanity, and foolishness, easily manipulated by Mrs. Marwood and Foible into believing Sir Rowland’s false courtship, which provides much of the play’s comedy. In Act IV, her infatuation grows, and her determination to marry Sir Rowland advances Mirabell’s scheme while exposing her absurdity. By Act V, she discovers the deception and feels humiliated but, concerned for Millamant’s happiness, reluctantly consents to her marriage with Mirabell. Critics view her as “a standing satire on the affectations of the elderly in Restoration society,” combining pride, folly, and comic charm throughout the play.

Her Role and Importance in the Play:

Lady Wishfort is a central figure in The Way of the World, serving as both a comic character and a key obstacle to the young lovers’ plans. As Millamant’s wealthy aunt and guardian, she controls her niece’s fortune and potential marriage, making her pivotal to the plot. Her vanity, pride, and longing for admiration make her easily deceived, particularly by the false courtship of Sir Rowland (Waitwell in disguise), which drives much of the play’s humor and intrigue. Through her exaggerated emotions, quick temper, and desire for revenge, she becomes the source of wit and satire, highlighting the pretensions and affectations of Restoration society. Ultimately, her role is crucial: her consent and eventual softening allow Mirabell and Millamant’s marriage to succeed, resolving the central conflict while keeping her comic folly intact.

Her Weakness:

Lady Wishfort’s greatest weakness is her vanity. She tries to appear young and attractive though she is well past her youth. Her scenes show her anxiously adjusting her looks, worrying about her complexion, or trying to act charming. For example, her exaggerated preparation to meet “Sir Rowland” (actually Waitwell in disguise) shows how desperate she is for admiration. Critics observe: “Lady Wishfort’s age and her attempts to deny it become the source of her ridicule and the play’s laughter.”

Her Foolishness and Credulity:

Lady Wishfort’s foolishness is revealed in how easily she is deceived. She quickly falls for Waitwell as “Sir Rowland,” blind to the obvious trick. This shows not only her gullibility but also her hunger for romance. Her foolishness stands in contrast to Mirabell’s sharp planning, making her the perfect target of wit and satire.

Her Hypocrisy and Affectation:

While Lady Wishfort pretends to be strict, moral, and a guardian of decorum, her behavior often shows hypocrisy. She condemns immorality in others but secretly longs for a lover herself. Her flowery language, exaggerated manners, and false dignity highlight the affectations of Restoration high society. As one critic puts it: “Lady Wishfort is a caricature of social pretensions, ridiculous in her words and tragic in her desires.”

Source of Comedy:

Lady Wishfort’s character provides endless comic relief. Her pompous speeches, misunderstandings, and vain gestures make her one of the funniest characters in Restoration drama. For instance, her passionate reaction when Sir Rowland (Waitwell) praises her beauty, though the audience knows it’s a trick, creates dramatic irony. The comedy lies in her being unaware of her own ridiculousness.

As a Contrast to Mirabell:

Lady Wishfort’s vanity, foolishness, and hypocrisy serve as a foil to Mirabell’s intelligence, control, and refinement. If Mirabell represents polished wit, Lady Wishfort embodies exaggerated folly. This contrast sharpens the play’s satire on the manners of the upper class.

Summing Up:

Lady Wishfort is one of Congreve’s most memorable comic creations. She, act by act, emerges as vain, foolish, revengeful, and gullible, but at the same time, she is central to the humour and progress of The Way of the World. Without her, the play would lose both much of its comedy and the very obstacles that give Mirabell’s scheme its dramatic tension.  Her role demonstrates the Restoration comedy of manners at its sharpest — exposing the gap between what society pretends to be and what it really is. Through Lady Wishfort, Congreve gives us both laughter and a biting satire of human weakness.