Malapropism in the play

The Rivals
IN MALAYALAM
 Introduction

 In Richard Brinsley Sheridan's play "The Rivals," Mrs. Malaprop is notorious for
her frequent misuse of words, a comedic device that has since led to the
coining of the term "malapropism." Her consistent errors in vocabulary are
a source of much of the play's humor. Here are some of the famous
malapropisms from the character of Mrs.

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 Malaprop in the play

 "Illiterate him quite from your memory" (instead of "obliterate").

 "She's as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile." (instead of "alligator").

 "He is the very pineapple of politeness." (instead of "pinnacle").

 "Our retrospection will be all to the future." (instead of "prospection").

 "Sure, if I reprehend anything in this world, it is the use of my oracular tongue, and a
nice derangement of epitaphs!" (instead of "apprehend," "vernacular," and
"arrangement of epithets").
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 Malaprop in the play

 "You will promise to forget this fellow – to illiterate him, I say, quite from your
memory." (instead of "obliterate").

 "Men are all Bavarians" (instead of "barbarians").

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 Conclusion

 These malapropisms not only offer comedic value but also contribute to
the play's satirical commentary on pretensions to learning and social
status. Mrs. Malaprop's attempts to sound refined and educated, only to
misuse words comically, underscore the theme of appearances versus
reality, a key motif in many comedies of manners.

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