# Rowley — The School for Scandal character guide

> Rowley in The School for Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** old Rowley, honest Rowley, Rowley Below, Rowley Oh, Rowley Here, Rowley Mr. Surface, Rowley Certainly, Rowley Sir Oliver, Rowley Nay, Rowley Ay, Master Rowley

**First appearance:** 0005-act-i

## Snapshot

The Surface family's plainspoken old steward, whose loyalty to Sir Oliver and clear-eyed judgment of both nephews make him the play's quiet moral center.

## Who they are

Rowley serves as Sir Oliver's guide and confidant, arranging the disguises by which the old uncle will test his nephews and gently puncturing Sir Peter's faith in Joseph's benevolence—'Charity begins at home,' he observes, and suspects Joseph's never stirs abroad. He moves between households, carrying messages and managing the plots that will expose hypocrisy and reward sincerity. Without his steady hand and honest tongue, Sir Oliver's scheme to judge his heirs would have no shape at all.

## Links

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