In The School for Scandal, every character’s name says something critical about their personality, motivations, and trustworthiness. Throughout the play the audience watches as each of the characters live up to their names, though not always in the way one might expect. Some of Sheridan’s naming choices are blatant: for example, Snake is thoroughly sneaky and duplicitous; Lady Sneerwell takes pleasure in the misfortune of others and actively schemes the downfall of her romantic rivals; and Mrs. Candour is so frank that she causes unintentional (and sometimes intentional) harm, never bothering to verify facts before spouting off the latest gossip about Miss Vermillion, Miss Sallow, and Mrs. Ogle (amongst many others).
The names of other characters in the play have less obvious correlations to their personalities, however. Maria’s name, for instance, is a variation of the name Mary, in an oblique reference to the Virgin Mary of the Christian Bible. Like her namesake, Maria is good and pure-hearted, detesting all forms of gossip and ridicule. Meanwhile, the Teazles, and especially Lady Teazle, are adept at the occasional quip and witty jab, but they are derided by characters like Benjamin Backbite for being “of a moral turn.” In other words, the couple perpetuates no more harm than a simple bit of good-natured gossip, teasing but never seeking to wound. Finally, each member of the Surface family lives up to the meaning of their surname in different ways. Sir Oliver disguises himself multiple times, as Mr. Stanley and Mr. Premium, in order to test his nephews—thus, the truth of his arrival in England is quite literally hidden under the surface of his disguises. Joseph hides his moral failings under the persona of a man of sentiment, using his surface-level good reputation as a cover to commit misdeeds. On the other hand, Charles acts like a lazy profligate, but his negative reputation masks his good heart. In this manner, Sheridan’s naming patterns serve as signals to the audience, influencing their opinions of the characters in implicit and explicit ways.
