Sir Anthony Absolute

fictional character
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Sir Anthony Absolute, fictional character, the father of Captain Jack Absolute and with him a protagonist of Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s comic play The Rivals (1775). Sir Anthony is a wealthy aristocrat, and so his son masquerades as the penniless Ensign Beverley in order to court Lydia Languish, who has romantic notions of marrying a poor man. When Sir Anthony attempts on his own to arrange a marriage between Jack and Lydia, Jack’s true identity is revealed to Lydia. She initially rejects him because of his deceit, but she eventually accepts him.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.