W. S. Gilbert (1836-1911) and Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900) were theatrical collaborators during the nineteenth century. Prior to their partnership, Gilbert wrote and illustrated stories as a child, eventually developing his signature "topsy-turvy" style. Sullivan was raised in a musical family where he learned to play multiple instruments at an early age. Together, their talents would help produce a successful series of comic operas. Some notable titles include The Pirates of Penzance, The Sorcerer, H.M.S. Pinafore, and The Mikado.

A group of maidens compete for the affections of a popular aesthetic poet. Patience; or, Bunthorne's Bride, by W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, is a two-act comic opera. It follows a man and a woman who are desperate to find an honest and acceptable form of true love.