Discussion Topic
Analysis of Mrs. Malaprop's character and her comedic misuse of words in The Rivals
Summary:
Mrs. Malaprop in The Rivals is a comedic character known for her frequent misuse of words, termed "malapropisms." Her incorrect use of sophisticated vocabulary creates humorous misunderstandings and highlights her pretentiousness and lack of true education. This misuse serves as a satirical device, criticizing social pretensions and the gap between appearance and reality.
Discuss the character of Mrs. Malaprop in The Rivals.
Mrs. Malaprop is a comic character in Sheridan's The Rivals. The most notable thing about her is the way she uses incorrect words to express herself, words that sound similar to the appropriate word but which have a completely different meaning. Mrs. Malaprop's struggles with the English language gave rise to a new literary term—malapropisms, of which there are numerous examples in The Rivals. To name but two:
The pineapple of politeness. [She really means the pinnacle of politeness].
She's as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile [She's thinking of an alligator].
Mrs. Malaprop's verbal gaffes undercut her status as an authority figure in the play. She's a rather pompous, self-important woman, forever dispensing matronly advice to her niece Lydia. Yet her ignorance of the very words she speaks means that she can't be taken seriously. She's also more than a tad hypocritical, as...
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the following line makes painfully clear:
I would have her instructed in geometry, that she might know something of the contagious countries;—but above all, Sir Anthony, she should be mistress of orthodoxy, that she might not mis-spell, and mis-pronounce words so shamefully as girls usually do; and likewise that she might reprehend the true meaning of what she is saying [emphasis added].
Here is Mrs. Malaprop using a malapropism to warn against the dangers of malapropisms. Self-awareness is evidently not one of her strong points.
Sheridan is making a rather subtle satirical point through the character of Mrs. Malaprop. It says something about so-called respectable society that someone as ignorant and as ludicrous as Mrs. Malaprop can presume to exert moral authority over others. Sheridan also seems to be suggesting the need for a broad, systematic education for those who would engage in polite society. Mrs. Malaprop, like the hapless Captain Le Brush, lacks the benefit of a decent education, and the consequences are painfully obvious each time they open their mouths.
How does Sheridan use Mrs. Malaprop's misuse of words for comic effect in The Rivals?
Mrs. Malaprop is certainly one of the most memorable characters in this play, and she has become so famous that she was used as the basis of a new word in the English language, a malapropism, which means to use a similar but incorrect word by mistake that creates a comic effect. This is certainly one of her roles throughout the entire play as she is doomed to try and adopt a formal register including more difficult vocabulary that, ironically, she wishes to show she can master, but only ends up mastering her. A classic example of this comes in Act I scene 2 when Mrs. Malaprop is talking about the education young women should receive and what they should and shouldn't be able to do:
I would have her instructed in geometry, that she might know something of the contagious countries; but above all, Sir Anthony, she should be mistress of orthodoxy, that she might not mis-spell, and mispronounce words so shamefully as girls usually do; and likewise that she might reprehend the true meaning for what she is saying.
The humour and irony is clear: Mrs. Malaprop, whilst saying that what is most important in the education of young women is that they are able to express themselves clearly without confusion, actually shows her complete inability to do that which she feels is so important. Sheridan therefore uses the character of Mrs. Malaprop in this play to mock social customs through presenting the hypocrisy of society and how appearances are so much more important than the reality to the people of his day.