William Congreve

William Congreve (24 January 1670 – 19 January 1729) was an English playwright and poet. He played a major role in shaping English comedy, and is regarded by literary critics as one of the greatest playwrights of the Restoration period. The popularity of his plays in the late 17th and early 18th centuries was central to the development of satirical comedy of manners, and he became recognised as a seminal figure of Restoration literature. Although he wrote several commercially successful works, Congreve is best remembered today for his quotes, such as, "O fie, miss, you must not kiss and tell", and "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned".

He spent most of his early career between London and Dublin, during which time he was an apprentice to the English poet John Dryden and became noted for his highly polished style of writing. He initially wrote under the pseudonym Cleophil, and first achieved widespread fame beginning in 1693 when he produced some of the most popular English plays of the time. Congreve's best-known works include his plays The Way of the World (1700), which is regarded by commentators as a centerpiece of Restoration comedy literature, and The Mourning Bride (1697).