Why is hypocrisy a major target of Restoration comedy?

In Restoration comedy, hypocrisy is a primary target because of the inherent tension between human nature and the artificial constraints imposed by society.1

These plays operate on the premise that man’s animal nature—particularly regarding sexual desire—is a fundamental reality. However, the fashionable society of the time demanded that individuals maintain a facade of social decorum and respectability. Because society expected people to adhere to these strict codes while simultaneously engaging in the "game of love," a degree of hypocrisy became inevitable.1

Restoration dramatists, including William Congreve, delighted in exploring this paradox. The satire in these works typically targets the "artful dodges" that characters employ to satisfy their natural impulses while appearing to remain within the bounds of social propriety. Ultimately, the genre reflects a skeptical, unidealistic ethos that winks at indiscretions only when they are managed with enough style and discretion to preserve the appearance of social order.1