Which theme is central to Restoration Theater's Comedy of Manners?

• A. The comical nature of love and marriage
• B. The hero's tragic downfall
• C. The exploration of political power
• D. The quest for immortality

Answer: (C)

Restoration comedies of manners revolve around how people navigate love, flirtation, and marriage within a society obsessed with wit, social performance, and status. The laughter comes from sharp dialogue, clever disguises, and strategic matchmaking as characters try to secure affection, money, or reputation. Because the focus is on personal relationships and the superficial rules of polite society, the plays expose hypocrisy and pretension rather than pursuing tragic downfall or grand political schemes.

That’s why the comical nature of love and marriage is the best description: these works use romance as a social game, where wit and maneuvering determine outcomes, rather than exploring a hero’s fall or political power struggles. The other themes don’t fit as well because they belong more to tragedy, political drama, or mythic quests, not the social satire and intimate plotting central to this genre.