William Congreve, English playwright and poet (born 1670)

William Congreve was an English playwright, satirist and poet. He spent most of his early career between London and Dublin, during which time he was an apprentice to John Dryden and was noted for his highly polished style of writing. Congreve is regarded by critics as the foremost dramatist of the Restoration era, being one of the most influential figures in shaping the course of English comedy during this period, and the popularity of his plays during the late 17th and 18th centuries was central to the development of the comedy of manners satirical genre. His best-known works include the plays The Way of the World (1700), which is considered a centerpiece of Restoration comedy literature, and The Mourning Bride (1697), which contains the popular proverb, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned".