Comedy PDF EPUB Audio

The Conscious Lovers

Downloads: Under 100
First published: 1722
Pages: 110

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2 h 54 min · 5 parts

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Act 1
45:26
Act 2
40:44
Act 3
25:19
Act 4
23:33
Act 5
39:04

The Conscious Lovers (1894) is a public domain work.

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About this book

First staged in 1722, Richard Steele's most celebrated comedy set out to reform the London stage. Where Restoration playwrights traded in cynicism and easy laughs, Steele wanted the theatre to teach virtue and reward good conduct. The plot turns on young Bevil, who is bound by his father to marry Lucinda but has quietly fallen for Indiana, a penniless young woman he once rescued. Questions of honor, duty, and love tangle together, including a famous scene in which Bevil refuses to settle a quarrel by dueling. Everything resolves happily once Indiana's true parentage comes to light. The play became the defining example of English sentimental comedy and shaped the stage for decades. This free PDF and EPUB edition makes Steele's landmark work easy to read today.

About the author

Richard Steele

Richard Steele (1672-1729) was an Irish-born writer, soldier, and politician who helped found The Tatler and The Spectator alongside his friend Joseph Addison. His essays and plays championed morality, sentiment, and good manners, leaving a lasting mark on English journalism and drama.

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