Typical of nineteenth-century drama was the "parlor comedy," which had its roots in the "comedy of manners" popularized during the Restoration period (late-seventeenth century). The dominant theme of the comedy of manners was society life, specifically as it related to courtship and marriage. In a comedy of manners, the plot both reflects and satirizes the moral behavior of the characters, who represent "types" of people rather than fully rounded individuals. The parlor comedy moved the action to the parlor, or sitting room, where the characters discussed their predicaments.
Shaw advanced the parlor comedy into the play of ideas......
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