Etherege, Sir George (ĕth`ərĭj), 1636–1692, English dramatist. His witty, licentious comedies—The Comical Revenge; or, Love in a Tub (1664) and She Wou'd If She Cou'd (1668)—set the tone of the Restoration comedy of manners that Congreve was to continue. His last play, The Man of Mode (1676), is famous for its creation of the great fop, Sir Fopling Flutter. His years spent as English minister to Ratisbon (1685–89) are recorded in his Letterbook (ed. by Sybil Rosenfeld, 1928).

Bibliography

See his works (2 vol., ed. by H. F. B. Brett-Smith, 1927; repr. 1971); study by A. Huseboe (1987).

Etherege, Sir George

(born c. 1635, Maidenhead, Berkshire, Eng.?—died c. May 10, 1692) British playwright. He is remembered as the creator of the Restoration comedy of manners. His first comedy, Love in a Tub (1664), was an immediate success and was novel in its lively exploitation of contemporary manners. He also wrote She Wou'd if She Cou'd (1668) and the popular The Man of Mode (1676). Though his own plays ceased to be performed after the 18th century, his style of comedy was adopted by later playwrights and persisted into modern times.