The French playwright Jean-Baptiste Pauquelin, creator of the classic comedy, gained popularity under the pseudonym Moliere in the 17th century. He created the genre of everyday comedy, in which plebeian humor and buffoonery were combined with artistry and grace. Moliere is the founder of a special genre - comedy-ballet. Wit, brightness of the image, fantasy make Moliereâs plays eternal. One of them is the comedy âGeorges Danden, or The Fooled Husband,â a summary of which is presented in this article.
Writing history
1668 year. Louis XIV at the zenith of fame, he is lucky, the âKing of the Sunâ is honored as a pharaoh. Lully and Moliere are instructed to combine their efforts for the âGreat Royal Amusementâ and provide freedom in choosing themes. Moliere composes the play in three acts, âGeorges Danden,â and Lully writes music to her.
The plot of the playwright takes from one of his first farces âJealousy of Barboulierâ. The author âennoblesâ the heroes, and the jester turns into an unhappy person, and the farce turns into an ageless comedy by Moliere âGeorges Dandenâ, which tells about a man who married an aristocrat whose life turned into torture and a lesson to all the peasants who would like, like Danden, rise above his class and intermarry with the nobles.
The plot and the characters
The main character - Georges Danden - a conceited and wealthy peasant, stupid and not too attractive, wooed the daughter of a bankrupt family. For Danden, this marriage is an opportunity to receive a noble title, for Baron de Sotanville and his wife - salvation from financial collapse. But the wedding of Georges and Angelica does not bring happiness to anyone. The noblewoman and the beautiful Angelica is ashamed of her simpleton husband, her parents constantly accuse him of ignorance. Moreover, his wife is looked after by a young and beautiful Viscount Cleitander. Danden, a man prone to self-reflection, blames himself for everything: âYou wanted it, Georges Danden.â
In addition to them, the play involves:
- Kolen is Danden's servant.
- Claudine is the maid of the beautiful wife of Danden.
- Luben is a peasant who serves Viscount Clythander.
Action one
The protagonist of the play stands in front of his house and explains what position he is in. His marriage to a noblewoman is a lesson to all peasants who want a title. How much trouble this marriage brings! Nobility is a good thing, but you wonât get into trouble. Better not to mess with them. And he, Danden, experienced on himself how they behave when they allow a person like him to enter their family. Gentlemen cling only to his money, but not to him. No, take a peasant wife, an honest girl, so he married the one who looks down, ashamed of him, as if he, for all his wealth, could not recoup the right to be her husband.
His ranting is interrupted by the appearance of the peasant Luben, who leaves his house. He does not recognize the owner of the property in Danden and frankly says that he handed over to the young mistress a note from the dandy, who settled in the house opposite. Mrs. Claudineâs servant came to him and said that the mistress Angelica had ordered her to be handed over to the owner, that she was grateful to the viscount Clitander for love. But her husband is a fool, and one must beware that he does not recognize anything. Danden, hearing this, becomes furious and dares to complain to the gentlemen de Sotanville.
Father-in-law and mother-in-law are seedy nobles, people are small, but arrogant. They have not a penny for their souls, but they are very proud of the antiquity of their kind, ties and privileges. And although arrogant words do not leave their language, they did not disdain to pass off their daughter as a "commoner" who paid their debts and began to be called "Mr. de Dandinier." On this their thanks came to an end, and they tirelessly reminded the son-in-peasant that he did not match them.
Unequal marriage
Madame de Sotanville was indignant that he did not know how to behave in a decent society. Tells Georges Danden to call her "madame," not mother-in-law. Baron's temper is a bit softer than his wife, but this âvixenâ twirls them as he wants. He, having heard the arrogant speeches of his missus, is also swaggering, and henceforth Georges should call him âyouâ. âMy wifeâ should not talk about Angelica, because she is taller than him by birth. Father-in-law and mother-in-law sing about the ancestors, virtues and strict upbringing of Angelica.
The provincialism of the spouses de Sotanviley betrays their exorbitant swagger and boasting of the past merits of their ancestors. Mockery and contempt are hidden behind the courtesy of the viscount Clythander, who entered the room, when the baron sincerely wonders that the court aristocrat did not hear the famous name of de Sotanvile, does not know either the titles or the glory of their glorious kind. Danden is also not comforted by the thought that his children would be given the noble rank. Although he is an âuncouth dorkâ, he is not going to wear horns. He directly speaks about this to Clythander.
Angelica's father pales from resentment and demands an explanation from him. Viscount denies everything. Mrs. Sotanville, who had just assured everyone of the piety of women of their family, demands Angelica here and asks to explain everything. Angelica throws accusations at Clythander, who picks up her cunning. Then de Sotanvili turn their indignation at his son-in-law and make him apologize to the Viscount. But the peasant cannot be fooled, he continues to scold Angelica, but she plays the offended innocence.
Second action
The conversation continues with the conversation of the handmaid Claudine and Lubin. She sincerely wonders how Danden knew everything, and wonders at Luben if he had spoken to anyone. He says that he met a man who saw him leaving their house, but promised not to tell anyone.
Danden is trying to convince his wife that the bonds of marriage are sacred, and inequality of origin is erased. Angelica cynically replies that she is not obliged to obey him only because he chose to marry her. She is still young and will enjoy the joy of freedom, to which her age entitles. She will be in a pleasant society. And let Danden thank the sky that she does not want to do anything worse.
Danden watches his wife and Clythander through the keyhole and thinks that now he will not miss the opportunity to take revenge. He hopes to receive evidence of his betrayal from Luben. But in vain he hopes for his help. The plan of revenge occupies him more and more, even the prospect of a deceived husband recedes into the background.
He longs to convince Angelica's parents of the duplicity of their daughter. But Angelica herself calls them into witnesses, and this time deftly gets out. Indignantly reprimands Clythandra that he is pursuing her, although he knows how virtuous she is, grabs a stick and drives her admirer away, so much so that the blows are strewed onto the back of the unfortunate Georges Danden. He is furious, silently calls his wife a traitor, but does not dare to utter this out loud and cherishes the hope of teaching Angelica a lesson.
Third action
Angelica comes on a night date with Clythander. She says her husband is snoring. Claudine is there. He is looking for her and calling her by name, which is why Danden wakes up and discovers that there is no wife. Clythander sighs at the thought that she must return to her simpleton "pretty rose." Georges Danden, according to him, is not worthy of her love. Angelica reassures Clytander and says that she cannot love such a husband. Its price is low, and itâs ridiculous to pay attention to it.
Georges managed to catch his wife on the street at such a late hour, and he immediately wants to call his parents. Angelica begs to forgive her, pleads guilty and promises to be the best wife in the world. But Danden âcomes offâ for the arrogance of de Sotanville and does not go to the world. Mocking their daughter, he marks in their pride. Such animal stubbornness can only be born in a dull heart, and at that moment all the sympathies are on the side of Angelique, who wants to just live, but was sacrificed by her parents.
Angelica is furious that she was humiliated by her husband at all, and wants to take revenge. She leaves the house, locks the door and makes a noise that her husband is drunk and also did not sleep at home. De Sotanvili comes running, Danden wants to explain everything, but they donât want to listen, moreover, they force them to beg forgiveness from their daughter on their knees. Danden laments that if he âmarried a nasty womanâ, then only one thing remains - âupside down in the waterâ.