Edgar Mirabell – overview

• Protagonist of the play

• Fashionable, Intelligent and Scheming – His idea to dress up Waitwell as Sir Rowland to
woo Lady Wishfort

• Is in love with Mrs. Millamant – “And for a discerning man somewhat too passionate a
lover, for I like her with all her faults; nay, like her for her faults. Her follies are so
natural, or so artful, that they become her, and those affectations which in another
woman would be odious serve but to make her more agreeable.” ACT I, Scene III

Traits of Mirabell

• Graceful and eloquent manner of speech – Can be seen in his exchanges especially with
Millamant – “Have you any more conditions to offer? Hitherto your demands are pretty
reasonable.” (A modern restoration hero) ACT IV, Scene V “For beauty is the lover's
gift: 'tis he bestows your charm.” (His love for her makes her beautiful) ACT II, Scene V

• Sarcastic and witty - “An old woman’s appetite is depraved like that of a girl. ’Tis the
green-sickness of a second childhood, and, like the faint offer of a latter spring, serves
but to usher in the fall, and withers in an affected bloom.”(Green-sickness is a reference
to chlorosis – a condition that affected girls at puberty) ACT II, Scene IV

• Never shown as a drunk in the play (unlike Sir Willful)

Relations with the women in the play

• Millamant – in love with Mirabell (Gets married to Mirabell)

• Mrs. Fainall – Former Mistress of Mirabell; wife of Fainall

• Mrs. Marwood – In love with Mirabell

• Lady Wishfort – In love with Mirabell but the love turns to hate because of her
unrequited love for him

Loyal followers of Mirabell

• His servant Waitwell – disguises himself as Sir Rowland to try and win the heart of Lady
Wishfort

• His servant’s wife and servant of Lady Wishfort – Foible

• Former lover Arabella Fainall

A Restoration Hero
• Many critics regard Mirabell as a rake. But other critics think different due to the fact that
Mirabell only had one affair – with Arabella Fainall when she was a widow. It is only the
main women who are in love with Mirabell and not the other way around. Although, the
fact that he tried to get close to Lady Wishfort in order to win Millamant’s heart cannot
be overlooked.

• But such behavior was acceptable (and common) during Congreve’s time. Men were in
fact encouraged to have affairs with women along with polishing their manners.

• Mirabell actually represents the “ideal gentleman” of Congreve’s time. Unlike Fainall
who married Arabella only for her fortune, Mirabell marries Millamant because he loved
her (although it benefitted him practically as well because of her wealth).

• Even his qualities including his grace, charm and polite treatment of a woman like Lady
Wishfort qualify him as a Restoration Hero

• His sexual life in no way diminishes his status as a “gentleman.” Men were not expected
to be chaste like the women

• The only affair that Mirabell has had is that with Arabella Fainall before her marriage to
Fainall. However, he also pretended to love Lady Wishfort to get close to Millamant.

• He even asks for forgiveness from Lady Wishfort and offers to protect her from Fainall
(who along with Mrs. Marwood wanted Lady Wishfort’s fortune) – “But be it as it may, I
am resolved I’ll serve you; you shall not be wronged in this savage manner.”ACT V,
Scene X

Quotes

• "Why do we daily commit disagreeable and dangerous actions? To save that idol,
reputation.” – Reputation was something very important to people during Congreve’s
time and it was important to protect that reputation. They would do anything to protect it.
Some actions were “disagreeable and dangerous” but it was done for the sake of
reputation. ACT II, Scene IV

• "A fellow that lives in a windmill, has not a more whimsical dwelling than the heart of a
man that is lodged in a woman." – His schemes meddled in the lives of almost everybody
in the play. This is the quote he uses as an excuse. It was because he was so in love with
Millamant that he couldn’t think straight. ACT II, Scene VII

• Took her to pieces; sifted her, and separated her failings; I studied ‘em and got ‘em by
rote – He really loves Millamant for who she is – both the good and the bad. Although he
is practical in his approach to marriage (Millamant’s wealth) he loves her at the same
time. ACT I, Scene III