Historical Context


Each section contains a collection of tidbits and excerpts related to various facets of The Beaux' Stratagem and its background. Because the play was written and apparently occurs in 1707, the context is geared toward the early 1800s. Quotes are arranged chronologically, from earliest to most recent.


Marriage and Divorce: Oft-condemned and tricky to secure, divorce threatened the supposed stronghold of marriage, and Farquhar's own seemingly permissive handling of the subject has been oft-noted and more than occasionally censured.

Highwaymen: Highwaymen stood as prominent and even popular figures, and made already-inconvenient travel all the more perilous.

Medicine: Medicals cures such as those prescribed by Lady Bountiful were often less than reliable, based more on traditional beliefs than any particularly solid knowledge.

The Military: In 1707, England found itself caught up in the War of the Spanish Succession, and even Farquhar found himself raising men for troops as England carried on its rivalry with France.

Lichfield: Unlike many plays of its time, The Beaux' Stratagem unfolds far from London, in the comparatively backwater town of Lichfield.