# Mr. Harcourt — The Country Wife character guide

> Mr. Harcourt in The Country Wife by William Wycherley.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Harcourt, Ned Harcourt, Ned

**First appearance:** 0005-act-i

## Snapshot

A gentleman of wit and persistence who falls for his friend's betrothed and argues that a man who cannot be jealous cannot truly love.

## Who they are

Harcourt is Horner's friend and Sparkish's, which puts him in the awkward position of courting Alithea while her fiancé cheerfully pushes them into corners together. He presses her with the claim that Sparkish's confidence is not virtue but indifference, and that marrying a fool for reputation is a worse bargain than marrying for love. His pursuit gives the play its one genuinely romantic thread, and his wit makes him the standard against which Sparkish's folly is measured.

## Relationships

### [Alithea](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_country_wife_se/characters/alithea)

_romantic_

Alithea and Harcourt are genuinely in love, though their relationship is complicated by her engagement to the foolish Sparkish.

### [Sir Jasper Fidget](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_country_wife_se/characters/sir_jasper_fidget)

_social_

Harcourt and Sir Jasper move in the same social circles, with Harcourt tolerating Sir Jasper's gullibility for his own romantic schemes.

### [Mrs. Margery Pinchwife](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_country_wife_se/characters/mrs_margery_pinchwife)

_social_

Harcourt interacts with Margery as a friend of her brother-in-law and as part of Horner's circle, finding her amusingly naive.

### [Lucy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_country_wife_se/characters/lucy)

_friendship_

Lucy acts as a go-between for Harcourt and Alithea, supporting their romance out of loyalty to her mistress.

### [Frank](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_country_wife_se/characters/frank)

_friendship_

Frank is a friend and companion to Harcourt, sharing in the social life and rakish adventures of the group.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_country_wife_se/characters/mr_harcourt
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_country_wife_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_country_wife_se/characters