What is the theme of gossip in School for Scandal?
School for Scandal is a play by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. It first opened to great success in London, May 1777. The play follows a group of rich Londoners who like to spread rumors and scandal.
As such, gossip and its consequences is perhaps the most significant theme within the play. The gossips can be split into two groups: those who gossip simply for their own enjoyment and those who gossip for their own gain.
The most prolific and also the most malicious gossip is Lady Sneerwell. She says that a scandal that ruined her reputation when she was only a young girl is the reason that she is now a gossip herself.
Yes, my dear Snake; and I am no hypocrite to deny the satisfaction I reap from the success of my efforts. Wounded myself in the early part of my life by the envenomed tongue of slander, I...
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confess I have since known no pleasure equal to the reducing others to the level of my own injured reputation.
Mrs. Clackitt, who we never actually see in the play, is also responsible for the ruination of many lives. Joseph Surface and Snake also fit into the category of cruel, self-interested gossips.
The characters who enjoy gossiping for fun are Mrs. Candour, Sir Benjamin Backbite, and his uncle Mr. Crabtree. They believe that gossiping and coming up with clever stories shows off their intelligence, their humor, and their sophistication.
None of the gossips in School for Scandal worry about the consequences of their rumors. And none of them are above adding lies and exaggerations to their stories to make them more interesting.
What is the main theme in "School for Scandal?"
I would say that the main theme centers around morality. There are distinct groups of characters - those who are members of the "school for scandal" and those who are not. In the first group, we see characters who maintain a facade of morality (or "sentiment"), but who spend their days gossiping and manipulating to destroy others. These are the members of the "school for scandal" - Lady Sneerwell, Joseph Surface, Snake, Sir Benjamin Backbite, etc. In the moral group, we see Peter Teazle and his friends, who try to live morally and uprightly. Then there is a group that doesn't fit either category. Charles Surface and his friends; this group behaves badly (drinking and womanizing, etc.), but makes no excuses for it.
Sheridan paints the first group as the most corrupt and the ones who rightly deserve the punishment they receive (banishment from society) when their duplicitous ways are discovered by the end of the play. Lady Teazle is forgiven for consorting with them, as she is genuinely apologetic and contrite. Charles, who is nothing but honest, is rewarded for that, in spite of his immoral behavior.
I believe Sheridan's main message is about being truthful and upfront, not playing games with others' feelings. The play, which is a Sentimental Comedy, can very much be seen as reaction to the excess of the English Restoration.
While I have not read School for Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, I do know that e-notes has some resources that would probably be quite helpful to you. Try checking out the following e-note link for more information.
http://www.enotes.com/jax/index.php/enotes/gsearch?m=co&q=school+for+scandal
How is gossip and slander portrayed as a social disease in School for Scandal?
The gossips in the play symbolize the lack of honor and morality that exists in their society. None of the gossips considers what effect their spreading of rumors will have, and it doesn't take much for them to embellish any rumor that will make it more interesting. They slander others to entertain themselves, and this indicates the lesson Sheridan teaches to the audience. The gossips aren't interested in the truth, for the truth is boring; they only want the excitement of making things up or exaggerating them.
Sheridan's play can certainly be applied to today's society. Consider the sensationalist newspapers like "The National Enquirer" which makes its living on spreading rumors about anyone or anything that will sell their newspapers. Some celebrities have sued such papers and usually win because the reporters for them stalk the stars to get pictures and then make up stories to go with the pictures. Does our society have the same social disease? I think so, or these newspapers would not be in business if people in our society didn't buy them. The truth is boring, but seeing a famous person fall is entertaining.