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Unit 21: The School for Scandal: All Major and Minor Themes




            21.7 Keywords                                                                            Notes

            Hypocrisy  : Hypocrisy is the state of pretending to have beliefs, opinions, virtues, ideals, thoughts,
                        feelings, qualities, or standards that one does not actually have. Or A pretense of
                        having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one
                        does not really possess.
            Gambling  : To play at any game of chance for money or other stakes. Or to stake or risk money,
                        or anything of value, on the outcome of something involving chance.
            Idling    : Idle (idling) is a term which generally refers to a lack of motion and/or energy.
            Defamation : Defamation is also called calumny, vilification, traducement, slander, and libel is the
                        communication of a statement that makes a claim, expressly stated or implied to be
                        factual, that may give an individual, business, product, group, government, or nation
                        a negative image.
            Scandal   : A person whose conduct causes reproach or disgrace.

            21.8 Review Questions

             1.   Explore the deceptive appearance in the play The School for Scandal.
             2.   An implied theme in the play is that idleness breeds mischief. Explain.
             3.   Amid all the wrongdoing in the play, it is easy to overlook the moral resolve of Maria. In the
                  context of The School for Scandal, explain the theme used in this statement.
             4.   Give a critical view of the following themes in The School for Scandal:
                  (a)  Hypocrisy           (b) Steadfast Integrity     (c) Pitfalls of idleness

            Answers: Self Assessment

             1.  (a)                      2.  (b)                   3.  (c)
             4. rectitude                 5. mischief               6.  True
             7.  True                     8.  False


            21.9 Further Readings




                          Rump, Eric. 1995. Sheridan, Congreve and School for Scandal. In: James Morwood
                          and David Crane (eds.), Sheridan Studies. Cambridge University Press.
                          Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Eric S. Rump (ed.). 1989. The School for Scandal and
                          other Plays. Penguin Classics, UK.




              Online links  http://www.enotes.com/school-scandal/critical-overview
                          http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides3/School.html
                          http://www.artsclub.com/youth/pdfs/0607guides/








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