comedy of manners

comedy of manners
a comedy satirizing the manners and customs of a social class, esp. one dealing with the amorous intrigues of fashionable society.
[1815-25]

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Witty, ironic form of drama that satirizes the manners and fashions of a particular social class or set.

Comedies of manners were usually written by sophisticated authors for members of their own social class, and they typically are concerned with social usage and the ability or inability of certain characters to meet social standards, which are often exacting but morally trivial. The plot, usually concerning an illicit love affair or other scandalous matter, is subordinate to the play's brittle atmosphere, witty dialogue, and pungent commentary on human foibles. Its notable exponents include William Congreve, Oliver Goldsmith, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Oscar Wilde, and Noel Coward.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • comedy of manners — comedy that satirically portrays the manners and fashions of a particular class or set * * * noun, pl comedies of manners [count] : a humorous play, movie, novel, etc., about the way a particular group of people behave * * * ˌcomedy of ˈmanners 7 …   Useful english dictionary

  • comedy of manners — n. a type of comedy depicting and satirizing the manners and customs of fashionable society: see also HIGH COMEDY …   English World dictionary

  • Comedy of Manners —   [ kɔmɪdɪ ɔv mænəz] die, , Komödientyp der englischen Restaurationszeit (17. Jahrhundert), in dem zeitgenössischen Sitten (»manners«) und Anschauungen satirisch überzeichnet dargestellt werden; die C. of M. steht damit in der Tradition des… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • comedy of manners — plural comedies of manners n a play, film, or television programme that shows how silly people s behaviour is or can be …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Comedy of manners — The comedy of manners is a genre of play/television/film which satirizes the manners and affectations of a social class, often represented by stock characters, such as the miles gloriosus in ancient times, the fop and the rake during the… …   Wikipedia

  • comedy of manners — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms comedy of manners : singular comedy of manners plural comedies of manners a play, film, television programme etc that shows the behaviour of people belonging to a particular social class in a humorous way …   English dictionary

  • Comedy of Manners — Co|me|dy of Man|ners [ əv mænəz] die; <aus engl. comedy of manners »Sittenkomödie«> ein beliebter Komödientyp der engl. Restaurationszeit im 17. Jh …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • comedy of manners — comedy that ridicules through the use of satire the manners and behaviours of a certain class of society …   English contemporary dictionary

  • comedy of manners — Date: 1822 comedy that satirically portrays the manners and fashions of a particular class or set …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • comedy of manners — (Roget s IV) n. Syn. light social satire, high comedy, play; see drama 1 , parody . Famous comedies of manners include Goldsmith: She Stoops to Conquer; Sheridan: School for Scandal, The Rivals; Vanbrugh: The Relapse, The Provok d Wife; Farquhar …   English dictionary for students

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