The Conscious Lovers: Analysis of Setting
"The Conscious Lovers: Analysis of Setting" examines the various locations that significantly contribute to the play's themes and character dynamics. Central to the narrative is Sir John Bevil's house, a symbol of wealth and practicality, which serves as the backdrop for much of the comedy stemming from interactions among the household staff. This contrasts sharply with Indiana's more modest home, which reflects her genteel status despite her relative poverty. The simplicity of Indiana's residence, situated in Charing Cross, indicates her social standing and contrasts with the opulence of Bevil's abode. Additionally, the lone outdoor scene in St. James Park highlights a fashionable social space where characters interact, emphasizing the cultural norms of the time regarding courtship and social display. This setting not only contrasts with the indoor scenes but also enhances the comedic and romantic elements of the play. Through these varied settings, the play explores themes of class, social expectations, and the nature of love within different societal contexts.
The Conscious Lovers: Analysis of Setting
First published: 1723
First produced: 1722
Type of work: Drama
Type of plot: Sentimental
Time of work: Early eighteenth century
Asterisk denotes entries on real places.
Places Discussed
Bevil’s house
Bevil’s house. London home of Sir John Bevil. Contrasts in the play may be seen in the different lodgings of the characters since all the scenes but one take place indoors. Sir John Bevil’s house is the house of a wealthy merchant replete with a full staff of servants. It is a house designed for practical uses and plain taste. Much of the comedy in the play comes from the scenes with servants, especially Tom and Phillis.
Indiana’s house
Indiana’s house. Home of Indiana and Lucinda, a small, simple dwelling that fronts the street in Charing Cross. When Mr. Sealand enters the house searching for Indiana he has no difficulty finding her. Nevertheless, Indiana’s house, despite her state of relative poverty, is a genteel dwelling suitable for one of her class. It is not a dwelling of the lower classes such as would have been common in the historical London of the day.
*St. James Park
*St. James Park. Large London park. Only one scene is set out of doors. The setting of act 4, scene 2, is the fashionable Mall area of St. James Park. The Mall was a long tract in St. James that was formerly used for playing pall-mall. By the time of this play it was known as a fashionable park used for walking, for meeting lovers, and for displaying the latest fashions. It is often confused with Pall Mall, another park close by.
Bibliography
Aitken, G. A. Introduction to Richard Steele, edited by G. A. Aitken. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1968. An introduction to a collection of Richard Steele’s plays. Section 9 focuses on The Conscious Lovers, providing a production history and accounts of early performances, and a discussion of the eighteenth century philosophical debates about the play.
Bernbaum, Ernest. The Drama of Sensibility. Gloucester, Mass.: Peter Smith, 1958. Traces eighteenth century English drama from the rakish Restoration comedy to the sentimental comedy exemplified by Richard Steele’s plays. Discusses The Conscious Lovers as a cultural artifact and provides interesting information about the play’s debt to Terence.
Loftis, John. Comedy and Society From Congreve to Fielding. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1959. Discusses the changes in English comedy resulting from social upheavals in eighteenth century England. Places The Conscious Lovers in the middle of social change. Treats the play as a comedy of ideas with a definite Whiggish bias and suggests that political ideas interfere with the dramatic development of the play.
Loftis, John. Steele at Drury Lane. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1973. Detailed discussion of The Conscious Lovers. Discusses the play as the culmination of Steele’s efforts to reform the English stage. Examines the play’s origins and production history, analyzes the controversy over the play, and defines sentimental comedy as a genre best exemplified by The Conscious Lovers.
Steele, Richard. The Conscious Lovers. Edited and with an introduction by Shirley Strum Kenny. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1968. The introduction places the play in its cultural, historical, philosophical, and theatrical contexts. Describes the play as a moral comedy that features good-natured characters and shows the influence of Richard Steele’s work on the plays of Oliver Goldsmith and Richard Sheridan.