The Gentleman Dancing-Master

work by Wycherley

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June 29, 2026

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The Gentleman Dancing-Master is a play by English dramatist William Wycherley, written in 1672. While Wycherley was admired for his satire, this particular play was unsuccessful. The play follows the tradition of satirizing pretentious characters, such as fops and rakes, revealing their flaws through humorous dialogue. Wycherley's work often explored a conflict between puritanism and physical nature. The 17th century in England also saw the publication of The English Dancing Master by John Playford, which collected traditional English dances and contributed to the democratization of dance, making it accessible as a playful activity rather than solely an exercise in courtly etiquette.12

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William Wycherley
His next play, The Gentleman Dancing-Master, was presented in 1672 but proved unsuccessful. These early plays—both of which have some good farcical moments—followed tradition in “curing excess” by presenting a satiric portrait of variously pretentious characters—fops, rakes, would-be wits, and the solemn of every kind. The Plain-Dealer, presented…
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His next play, The Gentleman Dancing-Master, was presented in 1672 but proved unsuccessful. These early plays—both of which have some good farcical moments—followed tradition in “curing excess” by presenting a satiric portrait of variously pretentious characters—fops, rakes, would-be wits, and the solemn of every kind. The Plain-Dealer, presented…
Read More