The School for Scandal

The School for Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan

In a part of English high society where gossip is rife, a tangle of love has formed. Lady Sneerwell is in love with a rebellious young man named Charles Surface. However, Charles is in love with Maria, as is his brother Joseph. Maria is in love with Charles, but Lady Sneerwell and Joseph plot to ruin this relationship with rumors of infidelity from Charles. At the same time, an older man named Sir Peter Teazle took on a young local woman, now called Lady Teazle; After just a few months of marriage, they constantly bicker over money, prompting Lady Teazle to consider an affair with Joseph Surface.

The plot thickens when Sir Oliver Surface, the wealthy uncle of Joseph and Charles, returns to town from abroad. He plans to test the rumors he has heard that Joseph is the well-behaved and deserving brother and Charles has fallen into disrepair; to do this, he walks towards each of them in disguise. He disguises himself as a money lender named Mr. Premium to investigate Charles' spending habits, and is furious when he sees Charles living lavishly while driving the family into debt. Charles offers to sell him all he has left, the collection of family portraits, angering his uncle even more; however he forgives her when Charles refuses to sell his uncle's painting.

The tangle of love and rumors becomes clear when, while Lady Teazle is visiting Joseph Surface, her husband comes to call her. Lady Teazle hides behind a screen and listens to their conversation. Then, Charles Surface also comes to appeal to his brother; Sir Teazle, hoping to see if Charles is having an affair with his wife as has been said, also tries to hide behind the screen. He sees what he thinks is just a young woman Joseph tried to hide. Sir Teazle is hiding in the closet instead, but when Charles begins to talk about Joseph's relationship with Lady Teazle, Joseph reveals that Sir Teazle is hiding in the closet and Charles takes him out. When Joseph momentarily comes out of the room, Sir Teazle tells Charles about the young woman he thinks is hiding behind the screen, and they pull him down to reveal his wife.

Sir Oliver visits Joseph dressed as one of their poor relatives in search of money. Sir Oliver is disappointed to find that Joseph is only kind on the surface, but will not do anything material to help his parent.

The play ends with Sir Oliver revealing his intrigue and discoveries to Charles and Joseph. Everyone realizes that Lady Sneerwell and her servant Snake orchestrated the Charles and Lady Teazle rumor.