Approaches to literature I: writing modernity Modern
subjects I
LECTURE 3: SHERIDAN’S
‘SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL’
The school for scandal is a comedy play, published in 1777 by Richard B. Sheridan
Key topics:
Modern manners- politeness and sympathy
Genre: ‘sentimental’ and ‘Laughing’ comedy
Character and performance
Value and credit
Fashion and social imitation
Wit and satire
MODERN MANNERS
Walpole summarizes the increasing importance of manners and politeness within
17th century society in his essay ‘Thoughts on comedy’ (1775), stating that:
‘good-breeding… seems the current coin of humanity… and increases the national fund
of politeness.’
He suggests how the old-fashioned notion of heroism was replaced with an emphasis on
the importance of, not only manners, but also a prioritization of wealth and hierarchy.
As Adam Smith suggests in ‘Of sympathy’, a chapter in his essay ‘From theory of moral
sentiments’ (1759) (see pre-reading) he suggests the importance of the ‘fellow-
feeling’ we as humans have towards one another. Through this, it is implied that
those who show the greatest feeling of sympathy and sentiment towards other people is
therefore more ‘virtuous and humane’.
This notion of ‘sentiment’ is prominent within ‘A school for scandal’, for example the way
in which Joseph is continually regarded as a ‘man of sentiment’, suggesting a
good reputation for manners. And yet his reputation as sentimental is ironic given his
displays of insincere sentiment, such as towards his brother:
‘One can’t help but feeling for him. Ay, poor Charles! I’m sure I wish it was in my power
to be of essential service for him, for the man who does not share in the distresses of a
brother, even though merited by his own conduct deserves-’
This emphasizes the way in which Joseph is a character of surfaces, he shows no true
sentiment but rather a display of sentiment.
This comes in contrast to Maria’s more genuine sentiment towards those that the
‘School for scandal’ viciously attack, for example when she states that:
‘If to raise malicious smiles at the infirmities and misfortunes of those who have never
injured us be the province of wit and humor, heaven grant me a double portion of
dullness’
GENRE: COMEDY
, Approaches to literature I: writing modernity Modern
subjects I
The clash between ‘Laughing’ and ‘Sentimental’ comedy; two prevailing types of
comedy within the 18th century. It can be argued that many plays of this period, such as
‘A school for scandal’ do not fit directly into either category.
‘Laughing’- Characterizes a more traditional form of comedy in which emphasis
is put primarily on the creation of humor through notions that could be considered
both playful and wanton and with characters who are often not morally apt.
‘Sentimental’- A form of humor which developed within the late 18th century,
this focused more on the virtues of private life, displaying notions of good
manner, good sense and common honesty. The characters within these plays
were often also considered to be morally ‘good’.
Oliver Goldsmith argued in ‘An essay on theatre; or, A comparison between laughing
and sentimental comedy’(1773) that through sentimental comedy ‘the virtues of private
life are exhibited, rather than the vices exposed’ , that through this ‘banishment of
humor’ the audience are ‘deprived the art of laughing’.
On the other hand, Richard Steele concluded in ‘Spectator 65’ (1711)that laughing
comedy was, in it’s nature ‘a contradiction to good manners, good sense and common
honesty’ that comedy should be a ‘foundation of happiness’ and therefore moral
pleasure.
Meanwhile, Joshua Reynolds argues that ‘true comedy’ should be both playful and
wanton; a complete opposite to tragedy in this sense. His suggestion is that
sentimentalism gets in the way of true comedy.
This leads us to question, therefore, to what extent Sheridan’s play is ‘sentimental’ or
‘laughing’? Certainly, we can argue that it contains elements of both. For example,
Joseph’s ironic position as a ‘man of sentiment’ makes the audience distrust notions of
genuine sympathy within the play; hence the notion of ‘sentiment’ is certainly
challenged within ‘A school for scandal’. And yet, the play also implies a genuine
interest in morality as, those who act the most moral are rewarded for their behavior.
CHARACTER AND PERFORMANCE
We have already discussed notions of surface performance in relation to Joseph Surface
in which the play’s phrasing of him as ‘a good character’ suggests an ingrained
cultural confusion between surface and substance.
However, in terms of on-stage performance, we can also examine the production’s use of
asides and freeze-framed scenes which foregrounds artificiality.
Returning to Walpole, we can examine his suggestion that such an obsession with
politeness and manner has ‘rendered man a fictitious animal’, hence it is the role of the
comic playwright to examine and explore this societal condition of sympathy and
sentiment.
In terms of theatricality, we can consider notions of what makes character or identity.
David Hume, in ‘A treatise on human nature’ suggests that ‘The human mind is a kind
of theatre, where several perceptions successively make their appearance; pass, re-pass,
glide away, and mingle in an infinite variety of postures and situations’
These notions of identity and theatricality are a reflection of the themes of selfhood
and elements of the melodramatic that are explored within Defoe’s Roxana.
subjects I
LECTURE 3: SHERIDAN’S
‘SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL’
The school for scandal is a comedy play, published in 1777 by Richard B. Sheridan
Key topics:
Modern manners- politeness and sympathy
Genre: ‘sentimental’ and ‘Laughing’ comedy
Character and performance
Value and credit
Fashion and social imitation
Wit and satire
MODERN MANNERS
Walpole summarizes the increasing importance of manners and politeness within
17th century society in his essay ‘Thoughts on comedy’ (1775), stating that:
‘good-breeding… seems the current coin of humanity… and increases the national fund
of politeness.’
He suggests how the old-fashioned notion of heroism was replaced with an emphasis on
the importance of, not only manners, but also a prioritization of wealth and hierarchy.
As Adam Smith suggests in ‘Of sympathy’, a chapter in his essay ‘From theory of moral
sentiments’ (1759) (see pre-reading) he suggests the importance of the ‘fellow-
feeling’ we as humans have towards one another. Through this, it is implied that
those who show the greatest feeling of sympathy and sentiment towards other people is
therefore more ‘virtuous and humane’.
This notion of ‘sentiment’ is prominent within ‘A school for scandal’, for example the way
in which Joseph is continually regarded as a ‘man of sentiment’, suggesting a
good reputation for manners. And yet his reputation as sentimental is ironic given his
displays of insincere sentiment, such as towards his brother:
‘One can’t help but feeling for him. Ay, poor Charles! I’m sure I wish it was in my power
to be of essential service for him, for the man who does not share in the distresses of a
brother, even though merited by his own conduct deserves-’
This emphasizes the way in which Joseph is a character of surfaces, he shows no true
sentiment but rather a display of sentiment.
This comes in contrast to Maria’s more genuine sentiment towards those that the
‘School for scandal’ viciously attack, for example when she states that:
‘If to raise malicious smiles at the infirmities and misfortunes of those who have never
injured us be the province of wit and humor, heaven grant me a double portion of
dullness’
GENRE: COMEDY
, Approaches to literature I: writing modernity Modern
subjects I
The clash between ‘Laughing’ and ‘Sentimental’ comedy; two prevailing types of
comedy within the 18th century. It can be argued that many plays of this period, such as
‘A school for scandal’ do not fit directly into either category.
‘Laughing’- Characterizes a more traditional form of comedy in which emphasis
is put primarily on the creation of humor through notions that could be considered
both playful and wanton and with characters who are often not morally apt.
‘Sentimental’- A form of humor which developed within the late 18th century,
this focused more on the virtues of private life, displaying notions of good
manner, good sense and common honesty. The characters within these plays
were often also considered to be morally ‘good’.
Oliver Goldsmith argued in ‘An essay on theatre; or, A comparison between laughing
and sentimental comedy’(1773) that through sentimental comedy ‘the virtues of private
life are exhibited, rather than the vices exposed’ , that through this ‘banishment of
humor’ the audience are ‘deprived the art of laughing’.
On the other hand, Richard Steele concluded in ‘Spectator 65’ (1711)that laughing
comedy was, in it’s nature ‘a contradiction to good manners, good sense and common
honesty’ that comedy should be a ‘foundation of happiness’ and therefore moral
pleasure.
Meanwhile, Joshua Reynolds argues that ‘true comedy’ should be both playful and
wanton; a complete opposite to tragedy in this sense. His suggestion is that
sentimentalism gets in the way of true comedy.
This leads us to question, therefore, to what extent Sheridan’s play is ‘sentimental’ or
‘laughing’? Certainly, we can argue that it contains elements of both. For example,
Joseph’s ironic position as a ‘man of sentiment’ makes the audience distrust notions of
genuine sympathy within the play; hence the notion of ‘sentiment’ is certainly
challenged within ‘A school for scandal’. And yet, the play also implies a genuine
interest in morality as, those who act the most moral are rewarded for their behavior.
CHARACTER AND PERFORMANCE
We have already discussed notions of surface performance in relation to Joseph Surface
in which the play’s phrasing of him as ‘a good character’ suggests an ingrained
cultural confusion between surface and substance.
However, in terms of on-stage performance, we can also examine the production’s use of
asides and freeze-framed scenes which foregrounds artificiality.
Returning to Walpole, we can examine his suggestion that such an obsession with
politeness and manner has ‘rendered man a fictitious animal’, hence it is the role of the
comic playwright to examine and explore this societal condition of sympathy and
sentiment.
In terms of theatricality, we can consider notions of what makes character or identity.
David Hume, in ‘A treatise on human nature’ suggests that ‘The human mind is a kind
of theatre, where several perceptions successively make their appearance; pass, re-pass,
glide away, and mingle in an infinite variety of postures and situations’
These notions of identity and theatricality are a reflection of the themes of selfhood
and elements of the melodramatic that are explored within Defoe’s Roxana.
