The Rivals (With Notes)
THERE are few prominent plays in the literature of the world which contain so many traces of the condition and of the adventures of their author as does The Rivals. Without being directly autobiographical, it is colored from prologue to epilogue by the personal history of the brilliant young fellow who wrote it, and without reminding ourselves what were the events through which he had lately passed, we fail to appreciate half the touches in it. He had lately been a part of the sham chivalry and the sham romance of which he made such immortal fun, and the impressions of the absurdities of life were fresh upon his memory when he wrote The Rivals. He had been twenty years of age when he eloped with Elizabeth Linley, exactly as Lydia Languish hoped to fly with her Beverley. He had been twenty-one when he fought two ridiculous duels, which were evidently in his mind when he invented the inimitable scenes in the fifth act of the play. He had suffered "inexpressible torments," and had indulged in "sheets of unintelligible rhapsody." At the house of Mrs. Miller in Bath he had met with pretension and incongruity and fashionable flutter enough to rig out a dozen Mrs. Malaprops. He had poured verses into the celebrated vase, dressed with pink ribbons and myrtles, which crowned the fair of Parnassus at Bath Easton.
Throughout his tumultuous, absurd, romantic youth, Sheridan had seemed to be rather acting than observing, but his keen eyes were open to the world of folly, and he was still but twenty-three when he sat down to write this immortal picture of it all.
The Rivals, a play by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, is a comedy of manners in five acts. It was first performed on 17 January 1775.
The Rivals was Sheridan's first play. At the time, he was a young newlywed living in Bath. At Sheridan’s insistence, upon marriage his wife Eliza (born Elizabeth Linley) had given up her career as a singer. This was proper for the wife of a “gentleman,” but it was difficult because Eliza had earned a substantial income as a performer. Instead, the Sheridans lived beyond their means as they entertained the gentry and nobility with Eliza’s singing (in private parties) and Richard’s wit. Finally, in need of funds, Richard turned to the only craft that could gain him the remuneration he desired in a short time: he began writing a play. He had over the years written and published essays and poems, and among his papers were numerous unfinished plays, essays and political tracts, but never had he undertaken such an ambitious project as this. In a short time, however, he completed The Rivals. He was 23 years old.
The Rivals was first performed at Covent Garden, London, on 17 January 1775. 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. The actor, Lee, after being hit with an apple during the performance, stopped and addressed the audience, asking “By the pow'rs, is it personal? — is it me, or the matter?” Apparently, it was both. Sheridan immediately withdrew the play and in the next 11 days, rewrote the original (the Larpent manuscript) extensively, including a new preface in which he allowed:For my own part, I see no reason why the author of a play should not regard a first night’s audience as a candid and judicious friend attending, in behalf of the public, at his last rehearsal. If he can dispense with flattery, he is sure at least of sincerity, and even though the annotation be rude, he may rely upon the justness of the comment.
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 to significant acclaim. Indeed, it became a favorite of the royal family, receiving five command performances in ten years, and also in the Colonies (it was George Washington’s favorite play).
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Throughout his tumultuous, absurd, romantic youth, Sheridan had seemed to be rather acting than observing, but his keen eyes were open to the world of folly, and he was still but twenty-three when he sat down to write this immortal picture of it all.
The Rivals, a play by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, is a comedy of manners in five acts. It was first performed on 17 January 1775.
The Rivals was Sheridan's first play. At the time, he was a young newlywed living in Bath. At Sheridan’s insistence, upon marriage his wife Eliza (born Elizabeth Linley) had given up her career as a singer. This was proper for the wife of a “gentleman,” but it was difficult because Eliza had earned a substantial income as a performer. Instead, the Sheridans lived beyond their means as they entertained the gentry and nobility with Eliza’s singing (in private parties) and Richard’s wit. Finally, in need of funds, Richard turned to the only craft that could gain him the remuneration he desired in a short time: he began writing a play. He had over the years written and published essays and poems, and among his papers were numerous unfinished plays, essays and political tracts, but never had he undertaken such an ambitious project as this. In a short time, however, he completed The Rivals. He was 23 years old.
The Rivals was first performed at Covent Garden, London, on 17 January 1775. 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. The actor, Lee, after being hit with an apple during the performance, stopped and addressed the audience, asking “By the pow'rs, is it personal? — is it me, or the matter?” Apparently, it was both. Sheridan immediately withdrew the play and in the next 11 days, rewrote the original (the Larpent manuscript) extensively, including a new preface in which he allowed:For my own part, I see no reason why the author of a play should not regard a first night’s audience as a candid and judicious friend attending, in behalf of the public, at his last rehearsal. If he can dispense with flattery, he is sure at least of sincerity, and even though the annotation be rude, he may rely upon the justness of the comment.
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 to significant acclaim. Indeed, it became a favorite of the royal family, receiving five command performances in ten years, and also in the Colonies (it was George Washington’s favorite play).
The Rivals (With Notes)
THERE are few prominent plays in the literature of the world which contain so many traces of the condition and of the adventures of their author as does The Rivals. Without being directly autobiographical, it is colored from prologue to epilogue by the personal history of the brilliant young fellow who wrote it, and without reminding ourselves what were the events through which he had lately passed, we fail to appreciate half the touches in it. He had lately been a part of the sham chivalry and the sham romance of which he made such immortal fun, and the impressions of the absurdities of life were fresh upon his memory when he wrote The Rivals. He had been twenty years of age when he eloped with Elizabeth Linley, exactly as Lydia Languish hoped to fly with her Beverley. He had been twenty-one when he fought two ridiculous duels, which were evidently in his mind when he invented the inimitable scenes in the fifth act of the play. He had suffered "inexpressible torments," and had indulged in "sheets of unintelligible rhapsody." At the house of Mrs. Miller in Bath he had met with pretension and incongruity and fashionable flutter enough to rig out a dozen Mrs. Malaprops. He had poured verses into the celebrated vase, dressed with pink ribbons and myrtles, which crowned the fair of Parnassus at Bath Easton.
Throughout his tumultuous, absurd, romantic youth, Sheridan had seemed to be rather acting than observing, but his keen eyes were open to the world of folly, and he was still but twenty-three when he sat down to write this immortal picture of it all.
The Rivals, a play by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, is a comedy of manners in five acts. It was first performed on 17 January 1775.
The Rivals was Sheridan's first play. At the time, he was a young newlywed living in Bath. At Sheridan’s insistence, upon marriage his wife Eliza (born Elizabeth Linley) had given up her career as a singer. This was proper for the wife of a “gentleman,” but it was difficult because Eliza had earned a substantial income as a performer. Instead, the Sheridans lived beyond their means as they entertained the gentry and nobility with Eliza’s singing (in private parties) and Richard’s wit. Finally, in need of funds, Richard turned to the only craft that could gain him the remuneration he desired in a short time: he began writing a play. He had over the years written and published essays and poems, and among his papers were numerous unfinished plays, essays and political tracts, but never had he undertaken such an ambitious project as this. In a short time, however, he completed The Rivals. He was 23 years old.
The Rivals was first performed at Covent Garden, London, on 17 January 1775. 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. The actor, Lee, after being hit with an apple during the performance, stopped and addressed the audience, asking “By the pow'rs, is it personal? — is it me, or the matter?” Apparently, it was both. Sheridan immediately withdrew the play and in the next 11 days, rewrote the original (the Larpent manuscript) extensively, including a new preface in which he allowed:For my own part, I see no reason why the author of a play should not regard a first night’s audience as a candid and judicious friend attending, in behalf of the public, at his last rehearsal. If he can dispense with flattery, he is sure at least of sincerity, and even though the annotation be rude, he may rely upon the justness of the comment.
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 to significant acclaim. Indeed, it became a favorite of the royal family, receiving five command performances in ten years, and also in the Colonies (it was George Washington’s favorite play).
Throughout his tumultuous, absurd, romantic youth, Sheridan had seemed to be rather acting than observing, but his keen eyes were open to the world of folly, and he was still but twenty-three when he sat down to write this immortal picture of it all.
The Rivals, a play by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, is a comedy of manners in five acts. It was first performed on 17 January 1775.
The Rivals was Sheridan's first play. At the time, he was a young newlywed living in Bath. At Sheridan’s insistence, upon marriage his wife Eliza (born Elizabeth Linley) had given up her career as a singer. This was proper for the wife of a “gentleman,” but it was difficult because Eliza had earned a substantial income as a performer. Instead, the Sheridans lived beyond their means as they entertained the gentry and nobility with Eliza’s singing (in private parties) and Richard’s wit. Finally, in need of funds, Richard turned to the only craft that could gain him the remuneration he desired in a short time: he began writing a play. He had over the years written and published essays and poems, and among his papers were numerous unfinished plays, essays and political tracts, but never had he undertaken such an ambitious project as this. In a short time, however, he completed The Rivals. He was 23 years old.
The Rivals was first performed at Covent Garden, London, on 17 January 1775. 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. The actor, Lee, after being hit with an apple during the performance, stopped and addressed the audience, asking “By the pow'rs, is it personal? — is it me, or the matter?” Apparently, it was both. Sheridan immediately withdrew the play and in the next 11 days, rewrote the original (the Larpent manuscript) extensively, including a new preface in which he allowed:For my own part, I see no reason why the author of a play should not regard a first night’s audience as a candid and judicious friend attending, in behalf of the public, at his last rehearsal. If he can dispense with flattery, he is sure at least of sincerity, and even though the annotation be rude, he may rely upon the justness of the comment.
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 to significant acclaim. Indeed, it became a favorite of the royal family, receiving five command performances in ten years, and also in the Colonies (it was George Washington’s favorite play).
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Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940015145717 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Balefire Publishing |
| Publication date: | 09/06/2012 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 110 |
| File size: | 6 MB |
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