The Country Wife by William Wycherly and “Mrs. similar ideas. Both works consider the constraints of honor and societal expectations placed on women, as well as the double standard of fidelity between husbands and wives. Ultimately, the works present a final statement on the consequences for women affected by these issues, with different views on the future of oppressed women. Montagu's "Epistle from Mrs. Yonge to her Husband" opens the discourse on repressed female sexuality with a very clear statement that "The laws of honor are too severe / The weak and submissive sex of woman" (Montagu ll. 9-10). The speaker portrays women as weak and submissive, using the very concepts that society uses to keep the ties on women to reinforce the truth of the statement. The speaker is clear that honor is the tool used to maintain oppression, as society polices itself and moderates individuals. In Wycherly's The Country Wife, honor is also responsible for controlling women's sexuality. Horner observes that ladies-in-waiting “care only for their reputation, not for their person, and that is a scandal they would avoid, not the men” (Wycherly 183). This reinforces the representation of honor as constraining and controlling women's behavior. Additionally, it introduces the concept of female sexual desire, suggesting that women ultimately avoid romantic relationships due to the societal repercussions. Montagu's "Epistle" also discusses female sexual desire, asserting that "nature has clothed a fire equal to our souls" (Montagu ll. 26). ). Female desire is constructed as natural and equivalent to male desire. This emphasizes the speaker's point of view on the middle of a sheet of paper written into the never-ending contract of an unhappy marriage. The Country Wife may reveal truths about the state of marriage and women's sexuality, but the text's conclusion presents a future that perpetuates these truths. In contrast, Montagu's "Epistle" presents a more optimistic view of the state of society. Ms. Yonge's affair is revealed to society and she faces the consequences of the scandal. However, the text expresses his struggle and presents a reasoned argument in his favor, which "will surely find with pity / every just and reasonable mind" (Montagu ll. 65-66). Montagu's text is self-redemptive, giving the speaker assurance that public sympathy is on her side and hinting at retaliation for her husband (Montagu ll. 80). The action permitted by the existence of the text ensures that “the lips condemn me, but their souls depart” (Montagu ll. 68).