TheSchoolforScandalhasmanycentralcharactersthatallplaykeyrolesinthecomplicatedplotsandsubplots.LadyTeazleandherhusbandSirPeterTeazle,whoisinchargeofawardnamedMaria,aremajorplayers.RawleyandSirOliverSurfacearefriendsofSirPeter.CharlesandJosephSurfaceareSirOliver'snephews.SirOliverhasbeenawayinIndia.LadySneerwellandSnakearetheschemers.Mrs.Candour,Mr.Crabtree,andhisnephewSirBenjaminBackbiteareminorplayerswhofeedongossip.AtthestartoftheplayCharlesisinlovewithMaria,JosephisinlovewithMaria,SirBenjaminisinlovewithMaria,andLadySneerwellisinlovewithCharles.Charleshasahorriblereputationforbeingagamblerandaladies'man.SirPeterhatesCharlesandloveshisbrotherJoseph.RawleylovesCharlesandhateshisbrotherJoseph.SirOliveriscomingtotownsecretlywiththehelpofRawleyinordertoseewhichofhisnephewsisworthyofhismoney.