The Lying Lover

Sir Richard Steele's play, The Lying Lover, is a sentimental comedy that premiered in 1703. Unlike traditional comedies that aim to provoke laughter, sentimental comedies, like The Lying Lover, sought to evoke tears by focusing on moral trials and the eventual triumph of virtuous protagonists. Steele's play, however, was not well-received and was "damned for its piety," running for only six nights. It is considered one of the earliest examples of this genre, which aimed to reform audiences through appeals to their noble sentiments, reflecting the belief that people are inherently good but can be led astray.12