The School for Scandal

by Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Assigned by 1 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only

Written
1777
Form
Comedy
Language
English
Length
Short · 120 ppunder 120 pages
Difficulty
Approachable1 of 5 for a first-year reader

We recommendThe School for Scandal and Other PlaysOxford University Press (Oxford World's Classics), 2008Michael Cordner's edition with The Rivals and The Critic and good notes on the staging.

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A comedy of manners set among the gossips of London society. Lady Sneerwell's circle manufactures scandal for sport. The brothers Surface are its subjects: Joseph, a hypocrite of fine sentiments, and Charles, an open-handed spendthrift who is the better man. Their rich uncle Sir Oliver returns from India in disguise to test them. In the screen scene, Joseph is found hiding Lady Teazle, the young wife of old Sir Peter, and his reputation collapses. Charles gets the girl and the fortune. First played at Drury Lane in 1777.

No reading guide yet

The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns The School for Scandal are verified against each program's published list.

What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.

Browse the 48 works that do have a guide →

School for Scandal, Lady Teazle, Sir Peter Teazle, Joseph Surface, Charles Surface, Sir Oliver Surface, Lady Sneerwell, the screen scene, Drury Lane, comedy of manners, R. B. Sheridan