Contextual Studies 2 (The Double Dealer)

William Congreve's play was first produced in 1693, to which Henry Purcell set it to music.
Major events during 1693 are as follows:

February 8 - The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, is granted a Royal Charter from King William III and Queen Mary II of England.
March - William Congreve's first play "The Old Bachelor", is performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. 
17th June (27th June New Style) - Nine Years' War: The French fleet defeats the joint Dutch and English fleet in the Battle of Lagos off Portugal.
19th June (29th July New Style) -  Nine Year's War: The Dutch-English army led personally by King William III of England is defeated by the French (with Irish Jacobite Mercenaries) at the Battle of Landen near Neerwinden in Flemish Brabant.
October - Congreves Comedy "The Double Dealer" is first performed in Drury Lane.  (1)

Another event ties in with the theme of justice 'poetic justice' to be more specific, the character Maskwell is a great portrayal of this within the play 'the double dealer', as he takes advantage of other characters bending them to his own will, before he is found out at the end. The historical event was way before the time of this play being written in fact it was when Congreve was a student, the event its self was Robert Young who at the time was a forger being put on trial for forging a document in Marlborough's hand, and for this was convicted to the tower. Although you may think that the story is based around Mellephant this is a small misconception, it actually concentrates more on Maskwell and this character is based on Robert young, the fact that ties this person to the character is the fact they so easily deceive the people surrounding them to their own benefits.   (2)

Themes of the Play:

• Deceit
• Love
• Lust
• War of the sexes
• Manners and behaviours of class it addresses anti puritanical
• Sexual life by large numbers of courtiers
• Trickery
• Comedy

Refrences:

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1693
(2) http://ardhendude.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/the-double-dealer-congreves-art-of-plot.html