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Unit 20: The School for Scandal: Criticism to the Text and Characterization




            Sir Oliver Surface                                                                       Notes
            Wealthy uncle of Charles and Joseph Surface. After returning to England from the East Indies, he
            disguises himself to find out the truth about his nephews. Sir Oliver, appearing in ten of the fourteen
            scenes of the play, is instrumental to the development of the characterization. Once he makes his
            entrance in the third scene of the second act, he is never again off the stage for more than part of a
            scene.
            The antiquity of the business of testing character would make a role such as Sir Oliver’s easily
            recognizable to the audience. In the role of tester, Sir Oliver will be the prime mover in the events to
            follow, but not necessarily the hero, that role devolving upon Charles. Sir Oliver well demonstrates
            an ability to see the unfortunate side of his friend’s marriage.


                          He began by laughing at the stock comic situation reminiscent of the Country
            Wife:
            “So my old friend is married, hey?—a young wife out of the country—ha! Ha! Ha!”
            But he shows compassion for the personal situation upon being appraised of it by Rowley. In all
            essentials, Sir Oliver represents the vigorous proponent of truth and good humor. Such a man could
            be Peter Teazle before he made the mistake of marrying a young wife.
            To make a comparison between Sir Peter and Sir Oliver, both are kindly. But Sir Oliver has more
            common sense and broader humanity. Sir Peter is slightly self-centered. It is likely that his love for
            humanity was tempered by his frequent maulings by the social backbiters. Yet he is fair and not too
            exacting in his dealings with his wife whose inclination to an expensive gaiety is all too human.

            20.2.2 General Criticism of all the Minor Characters

            Sheridan makes each character embody a single trait in order to show the follies of London’s
            fashionable life in the late eighteenth century. The significance of this type of characterization is
            evident in the very names which Sheridan gives his actors.
            Sir Benjamin Backbite is just that—a clawing, “catty kind of man.” Premium reminds us of the extra
            bonus or high interest which a money lender or a usurer would exact from a borrower. Careless is
            careless of his tongue. Snake, who is called Spatter in an earlier draft of the play, is a snake in the
            grass, darting his poisonous tongue at anybody for a price. The supposedly virtuous Mrs Candour
            with her assumed sweetness of disposition is ironically named. Lady Sneerwell, the attractive widow,
            is an unpleasant, vindictive scandalmonger, retaliating on the world. She knows no pleasure equal
            to the reducing others to the level of [her] own injured reputation. Trip plays the fop and is a burlesque
            exaggeration of his master’s vices. Moses is set as a Jewish moneylender with canting speech.


            Maria
            Desirable and wealthy young ward of Sir Peter Teazle. She is a woman of principle who refuses to
            gossip.

            Lady Sneerwell

            Young widow of a knight. She is attracted to Charles Surface and plots with Joseph Surface to break
            up Charles and Maria.


            Snake
            Cat’s paw of Lady Sneerwell. He spreads false rumors designed to help Lady Sneerwell achieve her
            goals.



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