1) Near the end of 3.6, around line 80, Madam Haughty upbraids Morose for not properly celebrating his wedding with a masque as well as not giving out the proper presents for the guests. Scathingly, she asks, "How much plate have you lost today--if you had but regarded your profit--what gifts, what friends, through your mere rusticity?" (3.6.85-87). While we may see this question of manners as somewhat ironic since so many characters in the play fail to act in a proper manner, I think it brings up an interesting issue. Is Morose treated unfairly, here and at the end of the play? There are so many other instances of transgression that go unpunished, Epicene, most notably, or the Collegiate ladies back-stabbing as they attempt to woo Dauphine. I think this passage is indicative of the sort of changes that this city comedy illustrates, but could this be a darker passage than it seems at first glance? What kinds of transgression and proprieties are punished? Which are not? Is there a connection?
2) Perhaps it is not so surprising that the first performance of this play did not elicit any applause from the spectators at its end. The last 50 lines or so seem to indicate a manifest silence on the part of all the characters save Dauphine and Truewit. No one speaks to defend themselves, Epicene is not allotted any input for his part in this ruse, and the reader is left with Truewit's voice as final authority. What sort of conclusions can we draw from this conclusion, especially considering that Truewit and Dauphine are culpable of just as many tricks or transgressions of manners? With all the talking that everyone, men and women alike, has been doing during the play, why give the final explanation to Truewit? He is the motivator behind most of the practical jokes, yet this precedence of finality seems indicative of a dark undercurrent of London life. Is the play only games for the amusement of Truewit, Dauphine, and Clerimont? Does any of what happened really matter to anyone (in the play)?
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