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William Congreve

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Playwright

The Resume

    (January 24, 1670-January 19, 1729)
    Born in Bardsey, England, United Kingdom
    Playwright and poet
    Wrote the comedies 'The Old Bachelor' (1693), 'The Double Dealer' (1693), 'Love for Love' (1695) and 'The Way of the World' (1700) and the tragedy 'The Mourning Bride' (1697)
    Died of complications from injuries suffered in a carriage accident

Why he might be annoying:

    He fathered a daughter out of wedlock with the Duchess of Marlborough.
    He stopped writing in response to a bad review.
    When Voltaire visited him (1726), he dismissed his plays as trifles and asked to be considered just a gentleman; Voltaire replied, 'If you had been merely a gentleman, I would not have come to see you.'
    He was the author of one of the most misquoted lines in literature: 'Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast' (with 'beast' frequently substituted for 'breast').

Why he might not be annoying:

    He met Jonathan Swift when they both attended Trinity College and became lifelong friends.
    John Dryden said of 'The Old Bachelor' that he had never seen a more brilliant first play.
    He received a prize of 100 pounds from King William for a poem he wrote on the death of Queen Mary.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 85.71% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 7 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 10 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 14 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying