The Man of Mode or Sir Fopling Flutter, George Etherege

The Man of Mode or Sir Fopling Flutter is a comedy written by George Etherege in 1676 and is widely regarded to be a prime example of a Restoration comedy. It is set and written during the Restoration of the monarchy in England, which marked the return of Charles II as king, following the period of Oliver Cromwell’s Commonwealth. After public stage performances were banned for 18 years by the Puritan regime, reopening of the theatres in 1660 marked a renaissance of English drama, especially with the sexually and intellectually libertine spirit of court life under Charles II. George Etherege’s play The Man of Mode or Sir Fopling Flutter is a comedy about Dorimant, a libertine, who tries to seduce the wealthy Harriet and untangle himself from his previous romance with Mrs. Loveit. The play depicts frivolous lives revolving around flirtation and romance. The interplay among the characters reveals the intricate and often hypocritical nature of their society, making it a rich study of human behavior and relationships. Act IV begins with Dorimant in disguise as “Mr. Courtage” to attend a dance at Lady Townley’s and speak with Harriet under her mother’s nose. A witty banter ensues between Harriet and a disguised Dorimant before Sir Fopling Flutter appears and nearly gives Dorimant away.

How does this scene reveal a critique of conventions by starting with all the typical codes of what it wishes to criticise.

In this analysis, I will demonstrate how this scene appears to be a typical seduction scene which, however, turns into a satire of a seduction scene to voice a critique of appearances and norms which rule society and dominate language.

At first glance, the passage follows the recognizable pattern of a Restoration seduction scene. However, the scene quickly undermines these conventions. The exchange shifts from a simple romantic pursuit into a more complex power negotiation and social critique.

The scene presents itself as a typical scene of seduction. It takes place at “Lady Townley’s House” and the scene opens with “fiddles playing a country dance”, therefore immediately immersing us in a social setting. We are met with what seem to be archetypal characters: Dorimant as a Don Juan – which the onomastic play on the name of “Mr Courtage” he gives himself reinforces – and Harriet, the new object of his desires. This play firstly appears as a comedy of manners with its stock characters. The two protagonists, after the ritualistic “bow” and “curtsey” expected from them by social etiquette, engage in a conversation on the topic of love, women and themselves.

The seemingly archetypal seduction scene takes a shift as Harriet’s lines reveal that she won’t play the part of the lovesick girl seduced by a charming man. She is not easily swayed by male charm or social conventions. Her look is full of “scorn and coldness”, she doesn’t adopt the behaviour expected from a young lady in society when approached by a gentleman. Harriet depicts a portrait of herself in comparison to other women. She is defined by movement, she is “wild and wandering”, “cannot be tied”, likes the “variety” whereas other women -and the way they ought to behave- are defined by their stillness, their “set face”. Although he says, as a clear mean of seduction, she doesn’t need to play the part the other ladies play because she has a “sweetness” of her own-so one that would be in her nature-, Dorimant still advises her to change herself to let it show: “if you would but calm your frowns and let it settle”. However, Harriet refuses to be tamed by him or society. That makes Dorimant deviate from his “script” and forces him into a battle of words with Harriet, as he tries to hold his ground in front of her witty remarks.

By asserting herself in the dialogue, Harriet reverses traditional gender expectations. She is the one who holds the power, as Dorimant even admits himself “I fear she has an ascendant o’er me”, while he has the realisation that he loves her. Rather than being the object of male pursuit, she ridicules the entire idea of love when offered by a man like Dorimant: “I was informed you use to laugh at love and not make it.” And she also separates herself from “easy women” and asserts she wasn’t born to love or be loved, therefore choosing another possible path for herself.

However, the scene also deconstructs the mechanisms behind a seductive encounter and exposes the seduction scene for what it really is, a sort of dance based on codes the characters reveal, play with while rejecting them.

When Dorimant comments on the way women attract men, he says they have a “method of managing those messages of love”, meaning that they restrain themselves and that they learn the art of how to present things. He draws a parallel between “now” and “anon” and the opposing looks of women who either “look as if they would kill” or “as if they were dying”, thus pointing out the game of courting and the performance that goes with it (which everyone is aware of).  He explicitly reveals the mechanisms behind seduction and the game individuals play. He then tries to make Harriet adhere them by asking her to change her face -“put on a gentle smile”- and when confronted with her refusal comments on how he thinks she is capable of “improvement”. This explicitly shows the codes of seduction with which Dorimant plays here as he wants Harriet to embody them.

With its ironic tone, the scene quickly undermines these conventions. Harriet refuses to conform, rather than playing the expected role: “I shall not be complaisant and change it.” There is a critique of the courtship game, when Dorimant tries to initiate a serious declaration of love, Harriet deflects with irony and mockery: “When your love’s grown strong enough to make you bear being laughed at, I’ll give you leave to trouble me with it.” Rather than submission, Harriet exerts control over the interaction, dictating the terms of engagement and refusing to take the conventional “game” seriously.

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