PRESENTATION

Unlike, She Stoops to Conquer, the relationship between the various characters of the
play are very complicated as well as confusing. Now, I am going to discuss this
complicated relationship presented by Richard Sheridan in the play ‘The Rivals’.

• CAPTAIN JACK ABSOLUTE: Captain Jack Absolute is an entitled aristocrat

who disguised himself as a poor and lowly paid ensign for the purpose of
winning the love of romantic Lydia Languish. He is determined to win Lydia’s
hand, and he has a playful approach to their courtship. Towards the end of
the play, when the truth comes out that Ensign Beverly is actually Captain
Absolute, then Lydia is angry with Jack, but he continues to fight for her
affections nonetheless.
• LYDIA LANGUISH: Lydia is a 17 year old noble-woman inclined to fantasy,
whose views on love are shaped mainly by dramatic sentimental novels. As a
result, she believes that the pinnacle of romance is wrapped up in a life of
poverty and wants to even lose her inheritance in order to be with a poor
man. She falls in love with a poor man, Ensign Beverly. But she doesn’t
know that he is actually Captain Absolute.
• SIR ANTHONY ABSOLUTE: He is Jack’s conservative father, who is firm in
his belief that he has the right to choose whom his son will marry. He is
strict and authoritarian. He has gout.
• MRS. MALAPROP: She is Lydia’s aunt, who has a funny relationship to the
English language, often misusing words. She is very protective of Lydia and
like Anthony, wants Lydia to do exactly as she desires. She is smitten with
Sir Lucius who has no idea that it is Malaprop that he is corresponding with.
• BOB ACRES: He is a country squire who is also in love with Lydia. He is a
bumpkin trying to become more sophisticated city person. When he learns
that his rival, Ensign Beverly is actually just an alter ego for Jack Absolute,
he no longer wishes to duel, as Jack is his friend.
• SIR LUCIUS O’ TRIGGER: Lucius is an Irishman who believes that he is
corresponding with Lydia via letter and is shocked to find that he is actually
in touch with Lydia’s aunt, Mrs. Malaprop. Before he learns this, he
challenges Jack Absolute to a duel, and is determined to win out no matter
what.
• FAULKLAND: A friend of Jack’s, who is in love with Julia. While Julia
returns his affection, Faulkland is exceedingly insecure and believes that she
doesn’t actually love him. He is constantly worrying and testing her love.
However, by the end of the play, they are reunited, and he is more confident
in Julia’s love for him.
• JULIA: She is a beautiful young woman who is in love with Faulkland but
she must contend with his overwhelming insecurities.
• LUCY: The last and one of the most important characters of the play is Lucy.
She is the one who creates confusion in the play. She creates a great deal of
misunderstanding among the characters. For instance, it is she who brings
Lucius’ letters to Malaprop instead of to Lydia.