Significance of The Title of The Play

Significance of the title of the play “The
Rivals”
The Rivals is a comedy of manners by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in five acts which
was first performed at Convent Garden Theater on January 1775, with comedian
Mary Bukley as Julia Melville . The story has been updated in numerous adaptions
, including a 1935 musical in London and a 1958 episode of the television series
Maverick, with attribution.
Significance:
This comedy of intrigues has a very befitting title because almost all intrigues in it
refer to the rivalry of different characters for winning their prize. The title refers
to the central theme of the play. It might seem a comical title but in essence it is
deeply satirical.
Production:
The Rivals was Sheridan's first play. At the time, he was a young newlywed
living in Bath. He had over the years written and published essays and
poems. Most of his papers were consists of unfinished plays, essays and
political tracts. In a short time, however, he completed The Rivals.
Reception:
It was roundly vilified by both the public and the critics for its length, for its
bawdiness and for the character of Sir Lucius O'Trigger being a meanly
written role played very badly.
Sheridan also apologized for any impression that O'Trigger was intended
as an insult to Ireland. Rewritten and with a new actor, Clinch, in the role of
O'Trigger, the play reopened on 28 January. It became a standard show in
the repertoires of 19th-century companies in England and the US.
The play is now considered to be one of Sheridan's masterpieces, and the
term malapropism was coined in reference to one of the characters in the
play. She was first played by Jane Green.
Plot:
Bath society was much less exclusive than London, and hence it
provides an ideal setting for the characters.
The plot centres on the two young lovers, Lydia and Jack. Lydia, who reads
a lot of popular novels of the time, wants a purely romantic love affair. To
court her, Jack pretends to be "Ensign Beverley", a poor army officer. Lydia
is enthralled with the idea of eloping with a poor soldier in spite of the
objections of her guardian, Mrs. Malaprop, a moralistic widow. Mrs.
Malaprop is the chief comic figure of the play, thanks to her continual
misuse of words that sound like the words she intends to use,
but mean something completely different (the term malapropism was
coined in reference to the character).
Lydia has two other suitors: Bob Acres (a somewhat buffoonish country
gentleman), and Sir Lucius O'Trigger, an impoverished and combative Irish
gentleman. Sir Lucius pays Lucy to carry love notes between him and Lydia
(who uses the name "Delia"), but Lucy is swindling him: "Delia" is actually
Mrs. Malaprop.
As the play opens, Sir Anthony arrives suddenly in Bath. He has arranged
a marriage for Jack, but Jack demurs, saying he is in love already. They
quarrel violently. But Jack soon learns through the gossip of Lucy and Fag
that the marriage arranged by Sir Anthony is, in fact, with Lydia. He makes
a great show of submission to his father, and is presented to Lydia with
Mrs. Malaprop's blessing. Jack confides to Lydia that he is only posing as
Sir Anthony's son. She annoys Mrs. Malaprop by loudly professing her
eternal devotion to "Beverley" while rejecting "Jack Absolute".
Jack's friend Faulkland is in love with Julia, but he suffers from jealous
suspicion. He is constantly fretting himself about her fidelity. Faulkland and
Julia quarrel foolishly, making elaborate and high-flown speeches about
true love that satirise the romantic dramas of the period.
Bob Acres tells Sir Lucius that another man ("Beverley") is courting the lady
of Acres' choice (Lydia, though Sir Lucius does not know this). Sir Lucius
immediately declares that Acres must challenge "Beverley" to a duel and
kill him. Acres goes along, and writes out a challenge note – despite his
own rather more pacifist feelings, and the profound misgivings of his
servant David. Sir Lucius leaves, Jack arrives, and Acres tells him of his
intent. Jack agrees to deliver the note to "Beverley", but declines to be
Acres' second.
Mrs. Malaprop again presents Jack to Lydia, but this time with Sir Anthony
present, exposing Jack's pose as "Beverley". Lydia is enraged by the
puncturing of her romantic dreams, and spurns Jack contemptuously.
Sir Lucius has also learned of the proposed marriage of Jack and Lydia,
and determines to challenge Jack. He meets Jack, who, smarting from
Lydia's rejection, agrees to fight him without even knowing the reason.
They will meet at the same time as Acres is scheduled to fight "Beverley".
At the duelling ground, Acres is very reluctant to fight, but Sir Lucius will
have no shirking. Jack and Faulkland arrive. Acres learns that "Beverley" is
actually his friend Jack, and begs off from their duel. However, Jack is quite
willing to fight Sir Lucius, and they cross swords.
David informs Mrs. Malaprop, Lydia, Julia, and Sir Anthony of the
duel, and they all rush off to stop it. Sir Lucius explains the cause of
his challenge, but Lydia denies any connection to him, and admits her
love for Jack. Mrs. Malaprop announces that she is Delia, but Sir
Lucius recoils in horror, realizing that he has been hoaxed.
Radio production
It was repeated on 23 December 1963 on the Home Service as part of the
"National Theatre of the Air" series.
Television productions
The play was adapted for Australian television in 1961.
The BBC produced a version which was broadcast in 1970 as part of
their Play of the Month series, starring Jeremy Brett as Captain Jack
Absolute.
Jack Absolute novels (2003–2006)
The leading character of the play was taken to be the identity of the hero of
a series of historic fictional adventure books by actor/novelist Chris
Humphreys.

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