About
William Congreve, British Restoration playwright, was born in Bardsey, near Leeds, in 1670. Educated at Kilkenny College and Trinity College Dublin, he studied law in London before turning to literature. A protégé of John Dryden, he wrote five plays between 1693 and 1700, including 'Love for Love' and 'The Way of the World', a masterpiece of the comedy of manners. He also wrote a novella, poems, and translations. His lines, such as 'Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast', have remained famous. He died in 1729 in London and is buried in Poets' Corner, Westminster Abbey.
* 1670-01-24 — † 1729-01-19
Major works
- The Old Bachelor (1693)play
- The Double-Dealer (1693)play
- Love for Love (1695)play
- The Mourning Bride (1697)tragedy
- The Way of the World (1700)play
Key milestones
- 1692Publication of the novella 'Incognita: or, Love and Duty Reconcil'd'.
- 1714Appointed Secretary of the Island of Jamaica by George I.
- 1729Buried in Poets' Corner, Westminster Abbey.
Themes
Comedy of mannersSocial satireLove and marriageHypocrisyWit and repartee
Sources: britannica.com · westminster-abbey.org