It’s Theme
In The Rivals, a comedy of manners, he is satirizing the traditional practice of the parents to arrange marriages for their children without considering the latter's opinion.
Samuel Johnson
His introduction Early life and education Early career His contribution His Works His Politics His Quotes
His introduction
Born September 18, 1709 (1709-09-18) (O.S. 7 September) Litchfield, Staffordshire, Great Britain Died December 13, 1784 (1784-12-14) (Aged 75) in London, Great Britain Occupation Essayist, lexicographer, biographer, poet Language English Nationality British Ethnicity English
Байду номын сангаас
In 1780, he was elected M.P. for Stafford. Then he held various government offices under secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, secretary of the Treasury, Treasurer of the navy, etc. In 1809 his Drury Lane Theatre was burned down in a fire. In 1812 his political career came to a halt for lack of money. In the same year he was arrested for debt. Sheridan died in 1816 in poverty and neglect. He was buried in Westminster Abbey.
It's Theme
The school for Scandal is a sharp satire on the moral degeneracy of the aristocratic-bourgeois society in the 18th century England, on the vicious scandal-mongering among the idle rich, on the reckless life of extravagance & love intrigues in the high society, and above all, on the immorality & hypocrisy behind the mask of honorable living & high-sounding moral principles
His writing techniques
Sheridan‘s greatness also lies in his theatrical art. He seems to have inherited from his parents a natural ability &inborn knowledge about the theatre. His plays are the product of a dramatic genius as well as of a well-versed theatrical man. Though his dramatic techniques are largely conventional， They are exploited to the best advantage. His plots are well organized,
His characters, either major or minor are all sharply drawn. His manipulation of such devices as disguise, mistaken identity & dramatic irony is masterly. Witty dialogues & neat &decent language also make a characteristic of his plays.
His major works
The Rivals 《情敌》 The school for Scandal 《造谣学校》
The Rivals Plot The comedy evolves around the love affair of Lydia and Captain Absolute. Lydia is a girl full of romantic fantasies. She prefers a poor lover to a rich one. So Captain absolute disguises as a poor ensign (captain in the navy), and his courtship is accepted. Captain Absolute has a rival named Acres. Acres is a coward, but he was forced to have a duel (it is the ritual for the rivals to have a duel at that time).
On his way to the duel, Acres found that his courage was “oozing out at the palm of his hands”. To his great joy, he found that his rival was none other than his close friend Captain absolute. He gave up his pursuit for Lydia. When Lydia learned that Captain Absolute had deceived her in the disguise as a poor suitor, she had a quarrel with the captain. But they got reconciled to each other at last.
The school for Scandal
Plot
The play evolves around the story of two brothers: the hypocritical Joseph Surface and the good natured Charles Surface. Charles is in love with Maria, Sir Peter Teazle’s ward. Lady Sneerwell takes to Charles but Charles does not love her. As a revenge, Lady Sneerwell instigates Joseph to pursue Maria for her money. Joseph, while courting Maria, secretly tries to seduce Lady Teazle, the young and innocent girl who has just married to Sir Peter Teazle. Sir Peter Teazle, misled by Lady Sneerwell and Joseph, assumes that Charles is the person flirting with his young wife. One day, while Lady Teazle and Joseph are on the verge of committing adultery, Sir Peter returns home. Lady Teazle is forced to hide behind the screen. Then quite by accident, Charles shows up. Sir Peter hides himself with a view to catching the adulterer on the spot. Charles rushes in and he knocks down the screen. Everything comes to light.
Early life and education
戏中有两条情节线索。一条线索写约瑟夫和查尔斯兄弟俩，他们 就像是菲尔丁《汤姆·琼斯》中汤姆与布立非一样构成对比关系。 约瑟夫是伪善者，极端利己却道貌岸然，查尔斯行为不检但心地 善良，他们都追求彼得·提泽尔爵士的保护人玛丽亚。他们的叔父 从国外归来，化装成高利贷者和穷亲戚，分别去试控兄弟俩，揭 露了约瑟夫，查尔斯以他的慷慨和善良得到了叔父的财产、赢得 心上人。另一条线索则是出身寒微、嫁给年老的爵土的提泽尔夫 人，在道德败坏的“文明”风气影响下，染上贵族女子的一些恶 习，险些失身给约瑟夫；在丈夫的感化下，她悔悟自己的行为， 夫妇和好。作者对上流社会造谣中伤、伪善和淫逸放荡风气进行 了揭露。以斯尼威尔夫人为首的社交界男女，搬弄是非，“一句 话就能毁了一个人的名誉”。关于某小姐养的羊生了双胞胎的闲 谈，次日就传成了某小姐生了一对私生婴儿，并被大肆渲染。提 泽尔夫人差点让这些闲极无聊、无事生非的人们给毁掉。在上流 社会高尚、雅致的表面背后是普遍的伪善和道德坠落。剧中没有 令人生厌的道德说教和粗秽语言，对话讽刺尖刻又诙谐机智，妙 趣横生。谢立丹还精心结构，两条线索协调统一，剧中充满出色 的喜剧场面，查尔斯拍卖家庭肖像的场面和约瑟夫暴露真相的屏 风场景最为有名。