Çédille: Revista de Estudios Franceses (Apr 2009)
La Fausse Suivante, ou la dynamique du triangle
Abstract
The dramaturgy of Marivaux’s comedy La Fausse Suivante weaves the relationships of its characters into a triangular shape. It isa changing inter-action due to the presence of masks hiding their truth. This system of unstable triangles’ axis is the triple identityof the comedy’s main character, allowing her to change her initial position of coveted victim, into leading the action of the rest ofthe characters, creating the evidence that unveils their artifices and teaches everyone a moral lesson. This comedy, with its path ofpsychological tests and theatre within theatre, fully represents the theatrical features of Marivaux, which combine humour with issuing an appeal for humanized interpersonal relations.