The School for Scandal (Richard Brinsley Sheridan)

This section explores the play The School for Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, focusing on: the structure, setting, staging, characters, themes and the historical and cultural context of the play. The School for Scandal is a satirical comedy that critiques the superficiality, hypocrisy, and social ambitions of 18th-century British society. Through its sharp wit, farce, and complex characters, the play offers both entertainment and moral commentary, highlighting the dangers of gossip, false appearances, and the pursuit of social status. The play remains a classic example of comedy of manners and continues to offer insightful reflections on human nature and society.

Structure of the Play

The School for Scandal is a comedy of manners that uses satire to expose the hypocrisies and moral weaknesses of its characters. The structure follows a typical five-act play of the Restoration and 18th century, and the events unfold in a traditional linear narrative with multiple subplots interwoven.

• Act 1: The first act introduces the central conflict: the scandalous gossip mongering of Lady Sneerwell and her associates. The tone is set, highlighting the themes of deceit, social ambition, and manipulation. We meet the primary characters, including Sir Peter Teazle, who is conflicted about his marriage to his young wife, Lady Teazle, and Joseph Surface, a charming but duplicitous man.
• Act 2: The second act deepens the exploration of the characters' relationships, focusing on the hypocrisy and moral failings of the “respectable” figures in society. The act builds on the tension between appearances and reality, particularly in the relationship between Joseph and Lady Teazle, and the contrast between the “public” and “private” personas.
• Act 3: The third act focuses on the unraveling of the main plot. Sir Peter Teazle becomes more suspicious of his wife’s behaviour, and Joseph’s false pretensions begin to be exposed. The subplot with Charles Surface, a young man with more integrity despite his flaws, begins to take centre stage, setting the stage for a resolution in the final acts.
• Act 4: In this act, the tension increases with a series of misunderstandings, revelations, and comic encounters. Lady Teazle’s flirtations with Joseph reach their peak, while Charles Surface's genuine nature begins to come through. The growing conflict between Sir Peter and Lady Teazle reaches a climax.
• Act 5: The final act brings all of the subplots to a conclusion, with the truth about Joseph’s deception coming to light, and the misunderstandings being resolved. The play ends with the restoration of order and the marriage of Charles Surface and Maria, and Sir Peter and Lady Teazle reconciling. The resolution brings about a return to social harmony, which is a characteristic feature of comedy.

The structure of the play relies on complicated plots and mistaken identities, which lead to the comic resolution of the final act. The subplot involving Charles Surface and Maria contrasts with the central plot of deceit and gossip, offering a moral commentary on virtue and integrity.

Setting and Staging

The setting of The School for Scandal reflects the luxurious, fashionable world of the 18th-century British upper class, and the staging plays a significant role in conveying the social manners and social mores of the time.

• Setting: The play is set in the drawing rooms and salons of aristocratic homes, such as Sir Peter Teazle’s residence and Lady Sneerwell’s house. These spaces reflect the upper-class society of the time—elegant and socially focused. The emphasis on wealth, status, and appearance is reinforced by the setting, which is a critical aspect of the comedy’s social satire.
• Staging: The play’s staging would traditionally use elaborate interiors, with furnishings reflecting the wealth and fashionable tastes of the characters. There are multiple locations that correspond to the social settings where the characters engage in their various forms of social manipulation and gossip, such as dining rooms, ballrooms, and drawing rooms. The use of costumes would highlight the social status of the characters, with flashy gowns for the women and tailcoats for the men, emphasising the superficiality and pretensions of the society portrayed.
• Lighting and Sound: In a traditional production, lighting would be naturalistic, focusing on the interior of the upper-class homes. The lighting would serve to highlight the characters’ expressions, which are often exaggerated to emphasise the farce and mockery inherent in the play. Sound effects, such as the noise of a carriage arriving or the gossiping murmur of a social gathering, would help to establish the social atmosphere of 18th-century London.
• Comic Elements: As a farce, The School for Scandal would employ slapstick comedy, with exaggerated actions, misunderstandings, and comic timing. Staging might include physical gestures or over-the-top reactions to heighten the humour of the situation. For example, Sir Peter’s jealousy and his comedic physical reaction to his wife’s perceived infidelity would be performed with exaggerated gestures.

Historical and Cultural Context

The School for Scandal was written in 1777, during a period of significant social and political change in Britain. It was a time when the aristocracy and the nouveau riche were navigating their positions within society, and gossip, scandal, and appearance were often at the forefront of social life.

• Theatre of Manners: Sheridan’s play is an example of comedy of manners, a genre that focuses on the behaviour, speech, and values of the upper class. The genre was popular in the Restoration period (1660-1700) and the 18th century, and was characterised by sharp wit, social satire, and a focus on the hypocrisy and vanity of the upper classes. In these plays, social norms, appearance vs. reality, and manners are often scrutinised and ridiculed.
• Class and Social Mobility: At the time, Britain was experiencing a growing divide between the traditional aristocracy and the emerging merchant class or nouveau riche. The play reflects this tension, particularly in the characters of Sir Peter Teazle (the aristocrat) and Charles Surface (who represents a more genuine, if flawed, character). The play mocks the superficial nature of social status, as characters like Lady Sneerwell are shown to value gossip and scandal over truth and virtue.
• Marriage and Gender Roles: The play also reflects the 18th-century attitudes towards marriage, gender roles, and family dynamics. Women like Lady Teazle are expected to be virtuous and obedient to their husbands, while men like Sir Peter are expected to maintain control and be wise in their decisions. Yet, both characters, through their faults, challenge these expectations. The play also highlights the role of women’s sexuality and agency in society, with characters like Lady Teazle engaging in flirtations that destabilise traditional gender norms.
• Theatres in 18th-Century London: The play was first performed at Drury Lane Theatre, one of the major theatres in London at the time. The production would have been aimed at an audience familiar with the elite social circles of the day, who would have appreciated the play’s satirical commentary on their own lives. Theatre-going was an important social activity for the wealthy, and plays like The School for Scandal catered to this audience, using wit and satire to entertain and critique their behaviours.

Characters

The characters in The School for Scandal represent various types found in 18th-century British society, particularly those involved in gossip, deceit, and the pursuit of social advancement.

• Sir Peter Teazle: A wealthy and honourable man, Sir Peter is married to the much younger Lady Teazle. He represents the older generation of aristocracy, caught between his desire to maintain respectability and the reality of his wife’s flirtations. His jealousy and overreaction to Lady Teazle’s behaviour make him both a figure of ridicule and sympathy.
• Lady Teazle: A young woman married to Sir Peter, she is somewhat naïve and naïvely flirtatious. Initially, she is portrayed as a shallow, socially ambitious woman, but her character evolves to reveal her moral integrity, particularly in her eventual loyalty to her husband. Her character mocks the superficial nature of fashionable women in the 18th century.
• Joseph Surface: The central antagonist, Joseph is the epitome of hypocrisy. He is outwardly charming, virtuous, and respectable, but secretly manipulative and deceitful. He seeks to marry Maria for her fortune, and his true nature is exposed in the play’s denouement.
• Charles Surface: Joseph’s brother, Charles is presented as irresponsible, wild, and a little morally flawed, but he is ultimately honest and genuine. His character contrasts with Joseph’s, and he is more sympathetic, even though he is not always respectable. Charles represents the more authentic side of human nature, despite his flaws.
• Lady Sneerwell: A widow and the play’s main gossip-monger, Lady Sneerwell embodies the scandalous, venal side of society. She schemes to ruin the reputation of others, particularly Maria and Charles Surface, in order to achieve her own social goals.
• Maria: The virtuous young woman who is pursued by both Joseph Surface and Charles Surface. She is portrayed as innocent, virtuous, and ultimately chosen by Charles, whose integrity stands in stark contrast to Joseph’s deceitful nature.
• Snake: A confidant of Lady Sneerwell, Snake is one of the secondary characters who plays a minor role in forwarding the schemes and gossip that fuel the central plot.

Themes

• Hypocrisy and Reputation: A central theme of The School for Scandal is the idea that reputation is often a matter of appearance rather than truth. Many of the characters, especially Joseph Surface, are concerned with maintaining a false appearance of virtue, while secretly engaging in morally questionable behaviour.
• Gossip and Social Manipulation: The play critiques the role of gossip in society, particularly in the ways it is used to manipulate and control social relationships. Lady Sneerwell is the embodiment of malicious gossip, using it as a tool for social and personal gain.
• Appearance vs. Reality: Another key theme is the contrast between how people appear and what they truly are. Many characters, such as Joseph Surface and Lady Sneerwell, appear virtuous but are revealed to be deceitful, while Charles Surface and Lady Teazle are shown to have more integrity than initially assumed.
• Morality and Virtue: The play contrasts the characters who exhibit virtue (e.g., Charles Surface, Maria) with those who live by deceit and manipulation (e.g., Joseph Surface, Lady Sneerwell). The resolution of the play rewards those who are ultimately honest and genuine.