THE RIVALS

“Love shall be our idol and support! We will worship him

with a monastic strictness abjuring all worldly toys, to
center every thought and action there.”
This love-filled saying of the admirer Mr. Jack Absolute to his beloved Lydia Languish is
from one of the most prominent romantic-comedies ever written –„The Rivals‟. This 18th
century play celebrates the unification of two young couples after numerous confusions and
clashes. The name “the rivals „itself speaks about its unpredictable plot of the rivalries between
young men for the protagonist of the play and also the most celebrated beauty of the town –
Lydia Languish.
BACKGROUND
Sheridan won applause in his life time, and he wins the admiration of all the lovers of literature
through his first ever written play „The Rivals‟. The 1751 born Irish playwright Richard
Brinsely Sheridan wrote his first play-„The Rivals with the genre of comedy of manners as
he went against the trend of „sentimentalism‟ which became a prominent literary genre in the
age of transition after the downfall of the monarchy and aristocracy of the restoration period.
In this literary background and as a reaction many great satirists like Goldsmith and
Sheridan wrote their comedies among which „The Rivals achieved no mean fame. In it he
depicted a society which was primarily of the bourgeoisie who had come to power after a lot of
social changes had set in due to the decay of the restoration aristocracy. Sheridan, being a
prominent member of the parliament tried to reflect the political pandemonium of the political
corruption and the American Revolution. It became an exemplary play which satirizes the
ludicrousness of the ruling class.
„The rivals‟ was first produced on 17th January 1775 at the Convent Garden theatre.
The play did not get its taste of success at its first go as the audience hissed its disapproval and
critics damned the play. The main reason for such a reception was the amateurish acting of
some of the actors and the play‟s inordinate length. The revised version of the play appeared
eleven days after its first performance on the evening of Saturday, January 28, 1775 and
proved a great success. The play has since then enjoyed huge popularity. Certainly, critics have
pointed out his adaptations and borrowings that he has taken from many other plays and from
his own life. He rather admitted this by saying,” Faded ideas float in the fancy like half –
forgotten dreams; and the imaginations in its fullest enjoyments become suspicious of its offspring
and doubt s whether it is created or adopted.‟
COMEDY OF MANNERS
Comedy of manners was one of the striking literary genres of the restoration period. The
comedy of manners is so-called because it presents the habits, activities and follies of the particular
section of the society – the carefree, gay and elegant aristocracy. It deals with the young,
handsome and rich nobles who are mean and irascible along with the young beautiful ladies
who are well versed in the art of coquetry. The plots mainly centre on mixed identities, love
intrigues, gambling and scandal mongering. The comedy of manners is satiric in spirit as it
satirizes the emerging class at its best but due to its main focus on the aristocrats and their
superficial habits and lack of depth and seriousness, it is regarded artificial.
The comedy is the glory of the Restoration period. It was founded mainly upon the native
dramatic tradition which flourished before the closing of the theatres in 1642. It was founded
by Ben Jonson. Spanish writers like Moliere have inspired the comic characterisations in
plays and after that it combined with native traditions and got passed off to English stages with
the help of Jonson and many others.
„The Rivals‟ is one of the best written comedies of manners. It never misses a chance to satire
the social, political and cultural aspects of the upper-class society. Though it reflects a bit of
sentimentalism with the Julia-Faulkland plot, but it emerges to be successful in providing wit,
satire and superficiality to the plot.
THEME OF THE PLAY
The Rivals, by Sheridan is a comedy of manners and as the name suggests it deals with the
rivalries between young men for the affection of Lydia Languish. There are two prominent
themes in this play. The first and the foremost themes of this play are the mistaken identities and
artifice. Several of the characters invent entirely new people in order to delude others and gain
their goals. The plot here itself starts with the male protagonist Mr Jack Absolute pretending
to be a poor sub-lieutenant Ensign Beverly in order to woo Lydia. Being a romantic
comedy it‟s another theme is romance and courtship as it parallels three romances between
Lydia-Jack, Julia-Faulkland and Mrs Malaprop-Lucius. Usage of witty and
farcical language has improvised the quality of the play. „
BRIEF PLOT
The Rivals is a five act play set in the 18th century Bath, where wealthy, fashionable
people went there to "take the waters", which were believed to have healing properties.
Bath society was less likely to be exclusive than London, and hence it provides an
ideal setting for the characters. Central to the plot of The Rivals is the marital
prospects of Lydia Languish, a seventeen-year-old heiress who fantasizes to marry a
poor lover. But she needs to marry somebody who is approved by her aunt Mrs
Malaprop in order to keep all of her inheritance. Captain Jack Absolute, a rich
aristocrat pursues Lydia romantically by pretending to be the poor Ensign
Beverley. There are multiple rivals for the affection of Lydia Languish. Besides
Captain Jack Absolute, two other men (Squire Bob Acres and Sir Lucius
O'Trigger) are interested in Lydia. Parallel to this, the plot also consists of the
romantic subplot of Julia-Falkland and Mrs Malaprop –Lucius.
Why this play is a comedy of manners?
A comedy of manners is a play that uses wit and satire to comment on manners found within
the upper-class society and often focuses on one or more love affairs. The Rivals is a witty play
satirizing the time in which it is written and is centred on the three parallel love affairs between
Lydia-Jack, Julia-Faulkland and Mrs Malaprop-Lucius. „The rivals‟ is remarkable
for its vivid presentation of the eighteenth century life. Sheridan has shown his class of writing
by presenting the wonderful contrast between the characters and their love intrigues. Starting
with Lydia, a headstrong girl who loves fantasizing romances based on the novels read by her.
She falls in love with a poor sub-lieutenant Ensign Beverly who is in real Jack Absolute a
rich aristocrat who has taken this false identity to lure Lydia. Mrs Malaprop is the core
attraction as she is famous for her “nice derangements of epitaphs” which coined the term
malapropism. She tries to live up the smartness of the aristocratic society. Other characters like
the conservative Mr Anthony, the frightened yet fearless in front of all Mr Bob Acres,
the deceptive maid Lucy and the servants Fag and David bring the soul of satire to this play.
Even though it reflects a bit of sentimentalism with the romantic subplot of the pragmatic Julia
and the over possessive Falkland, yet it emerges to be successful in providing wit, satire and
superficiality to the plot.
Social relevance
„The Rivals „by Sheridan has intervened into the various aspects of the 18th century society he
belonged from. Its various themes have introduced us with the panorama the society and its
rules and regulations.
The play examines the ways that people, and especially the upper classes, interact and conduct
themselves in polite society. The characters are pushed beyond the limits of propriety into more
absurd relations. The younger characters must bend to the whims of their parents, and seek to
rebel against these strictures in whatever way they can. The servants meddle in their masters'
affairs. The play presents the ways that emotion, desire, and the more unruly aspects of the
human condition cannot always fit into the strictures of polite society. Another major theme in
the play is the role of women in society. The female characters in the play are not afforded very
much control over their own fates. Lydia must forfeit her fortune if she wants to marry for love,
Julia must contend with the jealous and insecure suspicions of Faulkland, and Mrs
Malaprop is regularly disparaged by the other characters for her age. Even Anthony
disapproved to Mrs Malaprop for women education by saying “Had I a thousand
daughters, by Heaven! I'd as soon have them taught the black art as their alphabet!”
The men in the play are all preoccupied with preserving their sense of honour. Lucius
O'Trigger is the character who preaches the importance of honour most vehemently, as when
he encourages Acres to duel with Beverley, saying, "What the devil signifies right when
your honour is concerned? Do you think Achilles, or my little Alexander the Great, ever
inquired where the right lay? No, by my soul! They drew their broadswords..."
Generational conflicts and Authoritarianism are one of the most important theme that is
shown in this play through the conversations between Mr absolute and his son jack and also it is
shown between Mrs Malaprop and her niece Lydia. Mr Absolute in this play forces his
son to marry according to his wishes even after knowing that jack already selected someone as
his life partner. Similarly Mrs Malaprop absconds Lydia to stop her affairs with Beverly
and get married to the person she has decided for her. Both the guardians enforce their wishes
upon their wards and warn their disobedience may cost them loss of inheritance.