The Second Mrs. Tanqueray

…The Profligate (1889) and—most sensationally—in The Second Mrs. Tanqueray (1893), which established Pinero as an important playwright. This was the first of several plays depicting women battling with their situation in society. These plays not only created good parts for actresses but also demanded sympathy for women, who were judged…

…the level of art with The Second Mrs. Tanqueray in 1893. The polished techniques of the well-made play were also turned to serious purposes in the plays of Émile Augier and Alexandre Dumas fils, which dealt with social conditions, such as prostitution and the emancipation of women, and are regarded…