The Country Wife

Originally performed and published in 1675, this five-act play parodies the vices and hypocrisies of Restoration London. The plot centers on the aptly named Mr. Horner, a notorious rake who feigns impotence to trick his way into the intimate company of married ladies. Bursting with racy dialog and bawdy humor, this comic masterpiece offers an enduring combination of cynicism, satire, and farce. About the Author English dramatist William Wycherley (c.1640–1716) is best known for his plays The Country Wife and The Plain Dealer. His Restoration-era comedies are notable for their keen satires of manners and society, and the playwright was a favorite among the wits in the court of Charles II.