The School for Scandal: Act 1, Scene 2 Summary & Analysis

The scene begins in Sir Peter’s house. Sir Peter sits alone, lamenting the troubles in his marriage to himself. He married late in life after living for many years as a bachelor, and says he should have predicted trouble. He had thought that by marrying a woman who grew up without luxury, he would avoid having to spend huge amounts of money on his wife’s fashionable purchases. But although Lady Teazle grew up in the countryside, she now acts the part of a sophisticated lady of fashion. Their marriage is discussed by society and written about in the gossip columns. Not only does she spend all his money, but she also contradicts him in everything. He would never put up with all this, he says, except that he really does love her. He says he will not let her know this, however.

Rowley arrives and asks Sir Peter how he is. Sir Peter says he is not well and never will be, as long as he is married to Lady Teazle. Rowley says that he knows Sir Peter loves his wife, although they do not get along. Sir Peter says that it is all his wife’s fault—he is perfectly sweet to her and hates any form of teasing. Further, Lady Teazle is encouraged to be perverse and fight with him by the social set who spend their time at Lady Sneerwell’s house.

Sir Peter says he is also upset because his ward Maria will not agree to marry the man he chooses, but is determined to wed his extravagant brother. Rowley says that he has a different opinion than Sir Peter on Charles and Joseph. Rowley says that his late master, the Surface brother’s father, was also badly behaved as a young man, but grew into someone beloved for his goodness. Rowley thinks that Charles will redeem himself in the same way. Sir Peter says he has had a perfect opportunity to judge the two men, since he served as their guardian until they were given fortunes by their uncle Sir Oliver. He continues by saying that Joseph is “a man of sentiment” who speaks and acts morally. Charles, meanwhile, has wasted all his money and probably any virtue he was born with. Sir Peter feels that Sir Oliver will be unhappy to see how the money he sent Charles was wasted.

Rowley says he is sorry to hear that Sir Peter has a low opinion of Charles, because the young man’s destiny will soon be determined—Sir Oliver has arrived back in England. Sir Peter is surprised and overjoyed, saying he has not seen his old friend in sixteen years. But Sir Oliver, Rowley says, has asked Rowley and Sir Peter to keep his arrival a secret. Since his nephews will not recognize him, Oliver hopes to test them and discover which one deserves to be his heir.

Sir Peter says to Rowley that Sir Oliver will tease him for having married, since they used to make fun of married men and Sir Oliver stuck to his pledge to never marry. Sir Peter says he must prepare for Sir Oliver’s arrival now, but asks Rowley not to tell Sir Oliver that he and Lady Teazle ever fight. Rowley says he will not breathe a word, but Lady Teazle and Sir Peter will need to keep from arguing in front of Sir Oliver to keep their disagreements a secret. Sir Peter says Rowley is right, but that this is clearly impossible.