Richard Sheridan Playwright Date of Birth: 30.10.1751 Country: Great Britain

1. Biography of Richard Brinsley Sheridan
2. The Fate of English Theatres
3. A Career Cut Short

Biography of Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Richard Brinsley Sheridan was a British poet and public figure, of Irish ethnicity. He was known for his eloquent speeches as a Member of Parliament, although he wrote much less than he spoke. Despite being recognized as one of the most brilliant orators of his time, his reputation was dampened by the great satirist and critic Samuel Johnson, who famously said, "Sheridan's speeches are as silly and pretentious as his plays are intelligent and wicked."

The Fate of English Theatres

English theatres and playwrights faced a difficult period after Shakespeare. In 1642, due to the demands of the Puritans, all theatres were closed. In 1737, the ruling circles became weary of theatrical criticism and tired of seeing themselves portrayed unfavorably on stage, leading to the introduction of theatre censorship. The authorities of the freest country in the world were particularly irritated by what was known as "bourgeois drama." The melodramatic pathos of classical theatre did not last long on British soil. George Lillo and Henry Fielding crushed the "theatre of agonized cries" in the 1730s, and in 1777, the 26-year-old Richard Brinsley Sheridan published the comedy of manners, "The School for Scandal." This instantly popular comedy declared to the theatrical world that a lively character, Sir Peter Teazle, had stepped onto the stage. Sheridan, having learned the lessons of bourgeois drama, did not reduce the intensity of his plays to the level of farce. "The School for Scandal" approached the realism of modern drama in terms of character development, dynamic action, and linguistic style, although it still retained elements of conventionality. Despite the English audience becoming unaccustomed to the chronological shifts in Shakespearean plays over the past century, they were still attached to the traditions of street theatre.

A Career Cut Short

Sheridan wrote much less than he delivered speeches as a Member of Parliament, where he was a prominent figure. However, his reputation as one of the most brilliant orators of his time was overshadowed by the great satirist and wordsmith, Samuel Johnson, who famously said, "Sheridan's speeches are as silly and pretentious as his plays are intelligent and wicked." Despite his success in politics, Sheridan's career took a tragic turn. As a co-owner and shareholder of the Drury Lane Theatre, he was left bankrupt when the theatre burned down in a fire. This led to his imprisonment for debt, from which he never emerged. In a final tribute, his friends gave Sheridan an exceptionally lavish funeral.