The Servant of Two Masters

by Carlo Goldoni

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Characters

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The characters in The Servant of Two Masters are drawn from the commedia dell’arte, an improvised form of theatre that was popular in Italy during the Renaissance. Commedia performances were highly structured improvisations with stock plot devices and stock characters. Goldoni added dimensions to the characters, but still retained their dominant traits. Clarice and Silvio are based on the innamorati, or lovers, who are defined largely by their romantic desires. The lovers are in love with being in love, yet their passions can turn to anger at the smallest slight. In the play, Silvio goes from loving Clarice to utterly rejecting her. Conversely, once Beatrice reveals her disguise, Clarice goes to great lengths to make Silvio beg for her to return his affections. Both characters are portrayed as innocently petulant; they do not deliberately hurt anyone except each other. Their all-consuming love is reflected in the play’s structure as well. Clarice appears in less than half of the play’s scenes and all of her stage time is devoted to her relationship with Silvio. Though Silvio’s role is marginally larger, his character’s focus is still restricted to his love of Clarice.

Beatrice and Florindo represent an interesting counterpoint to Silvio and Clarice. They are likewise focused on their relationship, yet they display more depth of character. Goldoni gives both characters larger roles as well as numerous monologues. In these scenes and speeches, both are able to express their depth of feeling for each other, which extends far beyond the love-you/hate-you game playing of Silvio and Clarice. As commedia evolved, new characters developed to meet the changing needs of the form. For female actors who achieved a certain level of respect, it was particularly important to develop characters befitting their reputations. Furthermore, the commedia performances heroic lovers to help anchor the insanity. Beatrice and Florindo’s characters represent more mature love and the stakes are much higher for their relationship. Despite their largely serious nature, they reveal their connection to lovers like Silvio and Clarice in their over-the-top suicide attempts. Goldoni uses this comic scene to make sure that the characters fit into the play.

Dr. Lombardi and Pantalone also parallel each other in The Servant of Two Masters. The Doctor is father to the impassioned Silvio, while Pantalone is the father to the spoiled Clarice. In commedia, both characters wore masks to emphasize their ridiculous natures. In Italian improvisatory theatre, doctor characters fell into two large categories: medical quacks or lawyers. In either case, the character was always pompous and long-winded, with a sizeable belly. In the play, Dr. Lombardi is legally minded, and frequently quotes Latin to support his ideas and display his knowledge. To soften the character, Goldoni makes him more thoughtful than his rash son. Dr. Lombardi repeatedly tries to prevent Silvio’s outbursts and quell his anger. Pantalone is an even milder version of the improvised character from which he derives his name. In commedia, Pantalone was very miserly and often lecherous, despite numerous physical maladies. In the play, Pantalone is far more generous of spirit, not to mention understanding of his daughter’s tantrums. He also gladly welcomes back Silvio and Dr. Lombardi at the end of the play when Beatrice reveals herself.

Truffaldino is based on Arlecchino, who is perhaps one of the farthest-reaching characters of the commedia dell’arte (his name is often translated as Harlequin). He comes from a long tradition of wily servant characters that were the foundations of improvised Italian farce. What makes the character unique, both in improvisations and in the play, is his duality. Truffaldino is able to be...

(This entire section contains 821 words.)

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both clever and stupid when the plot calls for it. Throughout the play, he is able to come up with lies on the spot to cover up his misdeeds; yet, he is illiterate and cannot separate his two masters when questioned by other characters in the play. The play also retains another key character trait: insatiable hunger. Servants incommedia were frequently ruled by the unquenched appetites and, in the play, Truffaldino is no different. He spends the entire first half of the play complaining that his masters will not order lunch and let him eat. When he has to serve the both at the same time, he cannot resist tasting all of the food himself. In one of the play’s most famous sequences, he keeps swallowing bread that he intends to use for resealing a letter. Truffaldino often functions as a kind of id, unable to control his desires. In the opening scene, he flirts with Smeraldina repeatedly while ignoring Pantalone. Florindo likens him to a child, and thus his beating scene is framed as a spanking for a child who has misbehaved. Goldoni develops the character over the course of the play, and the final monologue displays a bit of maturity and allows him to artfully sidestep the repercussions of his confession.

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