Book Anatomy · The School for Scandal
The School for Scandal: Commercial facts
13 lenses on commercial facts for The School for Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 L6 L7 L8 L9 L10 L11 L12 L13
L1. Total word count. Count
1777, 28,583 words. See the full lens on the book page.
L2. Chapter count and average length. Count
1777, 28,583 words. See the full lens on the book page.
L3. Length against modern norms for the genre. Both
28,583 words. Modern plays often runs 15,000 to 30,000 words, so this is in the usual range today. These ranges are rough trade norms, not rules.
At 28,583 words, the play is short for a five-act comedy. Modern stage plays average 20,000 to 40,000 words depending on length. This play is compact, relying on brisk dialogue and minimal description. It is well within modern norms for theatrical comedy.
L4. First published as a serial or a volume? Research
1777, 28,583 words. See the full lens on the book page.
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L5. Serial instalment breaks and how each ends. Both
The play is divided into five acts. Act I (c1) introduces the scandal plot. Act II (c2-c5) introduces Sir Oliver's test. Act III (c6-c8) begins the test. Act IV (c9-c11) reveals Charles's goodness and Joseph's hypocrisy. Act V (c12-c13) completes the test and resolves all plots. Each act ends with a question or revelation.
Scenes (numbered through the play): Scene 1, Scene 2, Scene 5, Scene 6, Scene 8, Scene 9
L6. Sales and reviews in its day. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L7. Adaptations: film, TV, stage, count and type. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L8. Sequels and series. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L9. Modern books in the same mould (comps). AI
Modern comps include 'Cruel Intentions' (wealthy siblings, seduction, exposure), 'Gossip Girl' (scandal networks, hidden identities, reputation), and 'The Importance of Being Earnest' (witty dialogue, false identities, moral exposure). All use disguise and gossip to reveal character.
L10. Who it would be shelved for today. AI
Today it would be shelved as a classic play, likely in drama or literature sections. It appeals to readers of Restoration comedy, fans of witty dialogue, students of theatre history, and those interested in moral satire. It is taught in schools and universities.
L11. Content notes. AI
Content notes: Seduction and infidelity (c11), mockery of women's appearance and behaviour, class stereotyping of servants, assumption that women's independence is a fault, witty cruelty disguised as entertainment.
Scenes (numbered through the play): Scene 1, Scene 3, Scene 4, Scene 11
L12. A modern pitch line and blurb. AI
A wealthy uncle tests his two nephews through disguise to discover which is truly virtuous. One is a selfish hypocrite hiding behind sentimental language; the other is poor and dissolute but loyal and generous. A scandal-mongering network spreads false stories until truth is exposed and virtue rewarded.
L13. Title style against genre norms. AI
The title is a noun phrase naming a place and institution, typical of eighteenth-century comedy titles. It is direct and ironic: the 'school' teaches malice, not virtue. Similar titles include 'The Way of the World' and 'The Importance of Being Earnest', which name social spaces or values.
Ask The School for Scandal a question about its craft (free beta)
Answers cite chapter and paragraph, and every quote is checked against the text. (3 free questions a day).
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