Final answer:
The central issues in a comedy of manners revolve around satirizing social mannerisms and aristocratic behaviors, employing devices like misunderstandings and mistaken identities, and culminating in a happy ending.
Step-by-step explanation:
The central issues in a comedy of manners typically revolve around the social mannerisms, etiquette, and the behaviors exhibited by characters, often belonging to a particular social class. These comedies focus on satirizing the trivialities and hypocrisies of aristocratic society, emphasizing clever dialogue and wit rather than plot or character development. The pinnacle of this form was reached in the works of authors like Oscar Wilde, who showcased the absurdities and contradictions within the social structures of his time.
A comedy of manners heavily employs comedic devices such as misunderstandings, mistaken identities, and a play on social hierarchies to create humor. The farcical elements are designed to reflect and mock the conventions and superficialities of society. Unlike tragedies, which delve into serious moral dilemmas, the issues in a comedy of manners are lighthearted, dealing with the complexities of social conduct rather than ethical ones and culminating in a typically happy ending.