How do Fainall
and Mrs. Marwood contribute to the development of the action in The Way of the
World?
Answer: Fainall, is having a secret affair
with Mrs. Marwood, a friend of Mrs. Fainall's, who in turn once had an affair
with Mirabell. Both Fainall and Mrs. Marwood
contribute to the development of the action in Congreve’s The Way of the World through their plan of conspiracy.
Acts 3, 4 and
5 in Congreve’s The Way of the World
are all set in the home of Lady Wishfort. We are introduced to Lady Wishfort
who is encouraged to marry ‘Sir Rowland’ – Mirabell’s supposed uncle – by
Foible so that Mirabell will lose his inheritance. Sir Rowland is however
Waitwell in disguise, the plan being to arrange a marriage with Lady Wishfort,
which cannot go ahead because it would be bigamy, not to mention a social
disgrace (Waitwell is only a serving man, Lady Wishfort an aristocrat).
Mirabell will offer to help her out of the embarrassing situation if she
consents to his marriage. Later, Mrs. Fainall discusses this plan with Foible,
but this is overheard by Mrs. Marwood. She later tells the plan to Fainall, who
decides that he will take his wife’s money and go away with Mrs. Marwood. Later
their plan brings complexity into the plot of the play. 