Lady Sneerwell became a malicious gossip because her own reputation was ruined by a scandal in her youth.
In The School for Scandal, she reveals that she was once a victim of malicious gossip herself, which damaged her social standing and personal life.
As a result, she turned to spreading rumors and manipulating others as a form of revenge and self-preservation.
Instead of learning from her past and sympathizing with others, she embraces cruelty and deception, using gossip as a weapon to control and ruin the reputations of those around her.
Her character highlights the destructive power of rumors and how they can lead individuals to perpetuate the same harm they once suffered.
