escalating taxes imposed without any representation in the British Parliament. France, a historic adversary of Britain, welcomed the onset of the Revolution. In 1778, France allied with the patriots by signing a treaty, and emissaries like Beaumarchais provided the American forces with weapons. Individual French citizens also supported the patriot cause. The Marquis de Lafayette arrived in America in 1777 to join the fight and generously donated substantial funds to aid the American forces. The conflict continued until 1781, culminating in the British surrender and the birth of a new democracy. The triumph of the American Revolution served as an inspiration for the leaders of the French Revolution.

The French Theatre

French drama experienced significant growth in the 1600s and 1700s. The seventeenth century marked France's neoclassical era. Pierre Corneille authored over thirty plays, many adhering to Aristotle's principles of unity of time, place, and action. Jean Racine introduced a more straightforward style with realistic characters and plot structures. Molière, a comic genius, delved into social, psychological, and metaphysical themes. The works of these playwrights remain staples of French theatre. Other contributors to French drama during this period included Scarron, known for his absurd comedies, and Marivaux, who centered his works on love rather than social realism. The 1700s saw fewer groundbreaking developments in theatre. While French comedy reached its zenith with Molière, Beaumarchais brought numerous innovative changes to the stage. He infused French comedy with social commentary, rapid action, lively dialogue, and intricate plots, using humor to subtly critique social injustices.

Monologue

In Act V, Figaro's extensive monologue disrupts the brisk tempo of the comedy. Initially, Figaro contemplates Suzanne's infidelity and the capricious power of the aristocracy. He then recounts his numerous past jobs as a way of contemplating his future. Finally, in the third part, Figaro reflects on the trajectory of his life.

Although Figaro's monologue slows the play's pace at a pivotal moment, it reveals his deeper complexity beyond his previous comedic antics and irrational jealousy. Thematically, the monologue critiques French society's tradition of valuing wealth and rank over merit. Some critics see Figaro's remarks on aristocratic social abuses as a prelude to the French Revolution and the collapse of the class system.

Satire

A satirical play uses humor and wit to critique human nature, society, and institutions. Beaumarchais's play, though comedic, does not shy away from addressing significant social issues. He employs indirect satire, using his characters' absurd behavior to convey his points. An example is when the Count must hide behind a chair in Suzanne's room.

Beaumarchais primarily targets the aristocracy in his satire. Represented by Count Almaviva, the aristocracy is depicted as vain, foolish, self-absorbed, dissolute, and dishonest. The character of Judge Bridlegoose serves as another example of Beaumarchais's satirical approach, criticizing the judicial system. Bridlegoose, who stutters, is portrayed as inept and foolish, struggling to understand the facts of Figaro's case. The only clear point for him is that Marceline, Figaro's mother, will not marry her son. Despite his role as a judge—a position he bought—he consistently avoids making decisions. Ultimately, the Count delivers the final verdict, undermining Bridlegoose's authority by stripping him of his primary function.

Trilogy

Beaumarchais's trilogy about Count Almaviva includes The Barber of Seville, The Marriage of Figaro, and A Mother's Guilt. The first play, The Barber of Seville, centers on Figaro's successful scheme to help the Count win Rosine (the Countess Almaviva). In A Mother's Guilt, the Count, Countess, and their loyal servants Figaro and Suzanne are living in France.

Beaumarchais reuses elements from his first play in his second. For example, he did not create new descriptions for some characters in the script of The Marriage of Figaro; instead, he simply notes that they are "the same as in The Barber of Seville." Yet, Beaumarchais also makes significant departures from the earlier play. Most notably, he transforms the Count’s character from a charming romantic to a deceitful lecher. In the first play, the Count abolishes the "rights of the nobleman"—an ancient feudal privilege that allowed the lord to deflower a vassal's bride on her wedding night—upon marrying Rosine. However, in The Marriage of Figaro, he attempts to exploit this archaic right.

1780s: In the mid-1780s, France is a monarchy under the rule of King Louis XVI. The king wields absolute authority.

Today: France is a republic led by a president who is elected by popular vote for a seven-year term.

1780s: French women do not have the same rights as men. For example, the father holds absolute authority over the family, and males typically take precedence over females in inheritance matters.

Today: Although laws guarantee women political, economic, and social rights equal to those of men, French women still face discrimination. For instance, they earn on average twenty percent less than men and account for less than five percent of senior managers in France's two hundred largest companies. At home, an unequal division of labor persists, with women completing eighty percent of domestic tasks and working women spending two hours more each day on such tasks than their male counterparts.

1780s: The nobility, comprising less than two percent of the population, enjoy special privileges such as the right to collect feudal dues from peasants. They occupy the highest positions in the army and government. However, members of the Third Estate can purchase titles and ascend to the aristocratic class.

Today: A French aristocratic class still exists, but many of its members work for a living. Class distinctions are generally accepted in France, and many class divisions remain rigid. Children from all classes attend state schools together, but there is little sense of a classless meritocracy.

Mozart composed a four-act opera titled Le Nozze di Figaro, inspired by The Marriage of Figaro. The opera premiered in 1786. There are many recordings of this work available.

Sources

Brereton, Geoffrey. French Comic Drama from the Sixteenth to the Eighteenth Century. Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1977, pp. 237-55.

Campan, Mme. Mémoires, cited in Joseph Sungolowsky's Beaumarchais, Twayne Publishers, 1974.

Cox, Cynthia. The Real Figaro: The Extraordinary Career of Caron de Beaumarchais. Longmans, 1962, referenced in Joseph Sungolowsky's Beaumarchais, Twayne Publishers, 1974.

Sungolowsky, Joseph. Beaumarchais. Twayne Publishers, 1974.

Ubersfeld, Annie, ed. Le Mariage de Figaro. Editions Sociales, 1966, quoted in Joseph Sungolowsky's Beaumarchais, Twayne Publishers, 1974.

Further Reading

Hayes, Julie C. "Rewriting Bourgeois Drama: Beaumarchais's Double Plan," in The Age of Theatre in France, edited by David Trott and Nicole Boursier, Academic Printing & Publishing, 1988, pp. 41-51. This collection features essays on French theatre from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Howarth, William D. Beaumarchais and the Theatre. Routledge, 1995. Howarth examines Beaumarchais's plays and their critical reception within the political and theatrical context of the era.

Lally, Carolyn Gascoigne. "Beaumarchais's Le Mariage de Figaro," in The Explicator, Vol. 58, Winter 2000, p. 75. This brief article explores how Beaumarchais employs comedy to critique the civil justice system.

Le Maître, Georges. Beaumarchais. Knopf, 1949. Le Maître offers a straightforward account of Beaumarchais's life.

McDonald, Christie. "The Anxiety of Change: Reconfiguring Family Relations in Beaumarchais's Trilogy," in Modern Language Quarterly, Vol. 55, No. 1, March 1994, p. 47. McDonald discusses the portrayal of family relationships in The Barber of Seville, The Marriage of Figaro, and A Mother's Guilt.