Why should a foolish marriage vow,
Which long ago was made,
Oblige us to each other now
When passion is decay'd?
We lov'd, and we lov'd, as long as we could,
Till our love was lov'd out in us both:
But our marriage is dead, when the pleasure is fled:
'Twas pleasure first made it an oath.
If I have pleasures for a friend,
And farther love in store,
What wrong has he whose joys did end,
And who could give no more?
'Tis a madness that he should be jealous of me,
Or that I should bar him of another:
For all we can gain is to give our selves pain,
When neither can hinder the other.
ONE: Tis poem is a Restoration comedy that explores themes of marriage, infidelity, and social norms. The play intertwines two plots: one serious and one comic.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
TWO: Summed up, the play critiques the institution of marriage and the often hypocritical nature of social conventions, blending humor with a more serious commentary on human relationships.