About
William Congreve (24 January 1670 – 19 January 1729) was an English playwright, satirist, poet, and Whig politician. He spent most of his career between London and Dublin, and was noted for his highly polished style of writing, being regarded by critics as one of the most important dramatists of the early Georgian era. He wrote some of the most popular poems of the 17th century, and is credited with developing the satirical comedy of manners genre. His plays and poems, which formed a major part of Restoration literature, were favorably viewed for their use of satire and comedy. Congreve is remembered for his play The Way of the World (1700), which is considered by literary commentators to be one of the centerpieces of Restoration comedy literature.