George Farquhar Libri

"The Recruiting Officer" by George Farquhar is a classic Restoration comedy that offers a humorous and satirical look at life in 18th-century England. Set in the town of Shrewsbury during the War of the Spanish Succession, the play follows the exploits of Captain Plume, a charming and roguish officer who is tasked with recruiting soldiers for the army. At the heart of the play is the rivalry between Captain Plume and Sergeant Kite, a wily recruiter who resorts to deceit and trickery to meet his recruitment quotas. As they compete for the affections of the local women and the allegiance of potential recruits, they find themselves embroiled in a series of hilarious misadventures and romantic entanglements.

George Farquhar (1678-1707) wrote some of the most exhilarating comedies in English, recording with great frankness the brutality and disorder of his age as well as its wit and vivacity. This modern spelling edition of four of the least formal and most actable Restoration comedies discloses the brutal, witty, and vigorously comic world in which Farquhar lived. Complete with an intorduction and full notes, this volume includes The Constant Couple, The Twin Rivals, The Recruiting Officer, and The Beaux' stratagem. All challenge many preconceptions about class, marriage, and the sexual politics of the early eighteenth century.