The School for Scandal and Other Plays (Penguin Classics) [Paperback]

Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Author), Eric S. Rump (Editor, Contributor)

Book Description

Series: Penguin Classics | Publication Date: March 7, 1989

The three plays collected in this volume demonstrate Sheridan's unerring ability to create unrivalled comedy out of ingenious plots, witty repartee, farcical situations and flamboyant characters. And while he never overtly moralizes, Sheridan uses brilliant comedy to deflate hypocrisy and satirize the manners of his age. In "The Rivals", Captain Absolute becomes his own rival for the hand of Lydia Languish - wooing her under another name, while her aunt, the verbally inept Mrs Malaprop, wishes her to marry the real Captain. "School for Scandal" continues the theme of imposture when Sir Oliver tests his nephews by appearing to them in disguise, and learns that reputation and the approval of society are of little value. And "The Critic", featuring the pompous Puff and the arrogant Sneer, is a mocking depiction of the theatre, playwrights and, of course, critics.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751 - 1816) was the son of an actor-elocutionist and educated at Harrow. He escorted the singer Elizabeth Linley to France, fought two duels on her behalf and married her in 1773. In 1775 he made a spectacular debut as a dramatist with The Rivals, St Patrick's Day and The Duenna, a comic opera. In 1776 he acquired Garrick's share in the Drury Lane Theatre which he managed until it burnt down in 1809. The School for Scandal was produced in 1777. From 1780 till 1812, Sheridan was an MP and held several government offices. Eric Rump is an Associate Professor of English at Glendon Collge, York University, Toronto. He is the author of a number of articles on both Restoration and modern drama.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics (March 7, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014043240X
• ISBN-13: 978-0140432404
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #193,966 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious!, May 17, 2000

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"lucrezia_79" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The School for Scandal and Other Plays (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

This edition includes three of Sheridan's most famous works. "The Rivals" and "The Critic" are both fine plays, but the best by far is "The School for Scandal", a droll farce which lampoons gossip-mongers. The high point of the play is the famous "screen scene", in which one character after another takes refuge behind a screen to eavesdrop. The humor is sharp but never bitter, and the characters are wholly believable. It is easy to see why this play is still being performed after two hundred years.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sheridan, political wit and playwright, September 15, 2009

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Cleopatrai - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The School for Scandal and Other Plays (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

Richard Brinsley Sheridan is famous for "The School for Scandal" which in many ways epitomizes the wit and the morals of the 18th century. It looks back toward Restoration Comedy of the century before, but Sheridan's wit is less bitter and more good-humored than his predecessors. Of course Restoration comedy came from men who had survived a bitter Civil War whether or not they had actually been participants. Their cynicism and the deliberate artificiality of say "The Way of the World" along with deliberate cruelty exhibited toward persons whose only vice is to fail being being "witty" makes for uncomfortable reading, the sort of twinge which exists in a lot of 20th century drama, Joe Orton for example.
Sheridan on the other hand likes a joke, likes to ridicule worthy subjects and has a wonderfully light hand with dialogue. He came from a theatrical family and knew in his bones (his first play "The Rivals" was written when he was barely out of his teens!) what would work on the stage.
This is an excellent edition with an informative forward and good notes. The only caveat I have is the cover: why select an actress and a play from a totally different playwright and indeed period? Surely they could have found one of the actresses who actually starred in his plays?