The Miser: Difference between revisions
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'''''The Miser''''' ({{lang-fr|L'Avare}}; {{IPA-fr|lavaʁ|pron}}) is a |
'''''The Miser''''' ({{lang-fr|L'Avare}}; {{IPA-fr|lavaʁ|pron}}) is a five-act [[comedy]] in prose by the [[French people|French]] playwright [[Molière]]. |
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==The play== |
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The play was first performed in 1668 at the Palais Royal in a period when Molière's company was, on the one hand, under considerable establishment pressure to modify its output, but on the other hand, under the protection of [[Louis XIV of France|Louis XIV]] himself. Little is known about the original performance, although it is said that Molière himself played Harpagon, utilising his, by this point, chronic cough and gait to humorous effect.<ref>[http://www.theatrehistory.com/french/miser001.html The Miser]</ref> |
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The play was first performed on September 9, 1668, at the French Court at a period when Molière's company was under the protection of [[Louis XIV of France|Louis XIV]] himself.<ref>[http://www.theatrehistory.com/french/miser001.html Theatre history site]</ref> It was loosely based on the Latin comedy ''Aulularia'' by [[Plautus]], from which many incidents and scraps of dialogue are borrowed, as well as from contemporary Italian farces.<ref>''The Drama: Its History, Literature and Influence on Civilization'', vol. 7. London: Historical Publishing Company 1906, [http://www.theatrehistory.com/french/miser001.html pp.215-217]</ref> |
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The miser of the title is called Harpagon, a name adapted from the Latin ''harpago'', meaning a hook or grappling iron. He is obsessed with the wealth he has amassed and always ready to save expenses. Now a widower, he has a son, Cléante, and a daughter, Élise. Although he is over seventy, he is attempting to arrange a marriage between himself and an attractive young woman, Mariane. She and Cléante are already devoted to each other, however, and the son attempts to procure a loan to help her and her sick mother, who are impoverished. Élise, Harpagon's daughter, is the beloved of Valère, but her father hopes to marry her to a wealthy man of his choosing, Seigneur Anselme. Meanwhile Valère has taken a job as steward in Harpagon's household so as to be close to Élise. The complications are only resolved at the end by the rather conventional discovery that some of the principal characters are long lost relatives. |
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==Adaptations== |
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| ⚫ | In England [[Thomas Shadwell]] adapted Molière's work under the title "The Miser" in 1672.<ref>Albert S. Borgman, ''Thomas Shadwell, his life and comedies'', New York 1969, [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Gf_Vazee2vgC&lpg=PA141&dq=%22The%20miser%22%20%20Shadwell&pg=PA141#v=onepage&q=%22The%20miser%22%20%20Shadwell&f=false pp.141-7]</ref> A version based on both Plautus and Molière was produced by [[Henry Fielding]] in 1732.<ref>[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=OF1MAAAAcAAJ&dq=%22The%20miser%22%20%20Fielding&pg=PR4#v=onepage&q=%22The%20miser%22%20%20Fielding&f=false |
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Satire and farce blend in the fast-moving plot, as when the miser's hoard is stolen. Asked by the police magistrate whom he suspects, Harpagon replies, “Everybody! I wish you to take into custody the whole town and suburbs” (5.1) and indicates the theatre audience while doing so. The play also makes fun of certain theatrical conventions, such as the spoken aside addressed to the audience, hitherto ignored by the characters onstage. The characters of ''L'Avare'', however, generally demand to know who exactly is being spoken to.<ref>[http://cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides2/Miser.html#Top Cummings study guides]</ref> |
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==Theatrical adaptations== |
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| ⚫ | In England [[Thomas Shadwell]] adapted Molière's work under the title "The Miser" in 1672 and added eight new characters.<ref>Albert S. Borgman, ''Thomas Shadwell, his life and comedies'', New York 1969, [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Gf_Vazee2vgC&lpg=PA141&dq=%22The%20miser%22%20%20Shadwell&pg=PA141#v=onepage&q=%22The%20miser%22%20%20Shadwell&f=false pp.141-7]</ref> A version based on both Plautus and Molière was produced by [[Henry Fielding]] in 1732.<ref>[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=OF1MAAAAcAAJ&dq=%22The%20miser%22%20%20Fielding&pg=PR4#v=onepage&q=%22The%20miser%22%20%20Fielding&f=false Available on Google Books]</ref> |
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[[Vasily Pashkevich]] based his 18th century comic opera ''The Miser'' on Molière's play. Another musical adaptation in Arabic was pioneered by the Lebanese Marun al-Naqqash (1817-55) as ''al-Bakhil''. This was performed in Beirut in 1847.<ref>M.M.Badawi, “Arabic drama: early developments” in ''Modern Arabic Literature'', Cambridge 1992, [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Pk5TA0sfERIC&lpg=PA331&dq=misers%20play&pg=PA331#v=onepage&q=misers%20play&f=false pp.331-2]</ref> |
[[Vasily Pashkevich]] based his 18th century comic opera ''The Miser'' on Molière's play. Another musical adaptation in Arabic was pioneered by the Lebanese Marun al-Naqqash (1817-55) as ''al-Bakhil''. This was performed in Beirut in 1847.<ref>M.M.Badawi, “Arabic drama: early developments” in ''Modern Arabic Literature'', Cambridge 1992, [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Pk5TA0sfERIC&lpg=PA331&dq=misers%20play&pg=PA331#v=onepage&q=misers%20play&f=false pp.331-2]</ref> |
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[[Jovan Sterija Popović]]'s comedy ''Tvrdica'' (The Miser, 1837) was also based on Moliere's play. In this work, the Harpagon figure is represented as a small town Greek merchant.<ref>[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=2SrVpFGioFUC&lpg=PA578&dq=misers%20play&pg=PA154#v=onepage&q=miser&f=false McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Drama], 1984</ref> |
[[Jovan Sterija Popović]]'s comedy ''Tvrdica'' (The Miser, 1837) was also based on Moliere's play. In this work, the Harpagon figure is represented as a small town Greek merchant.<ref>[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=2SrVpFGioFUC&lpg=PA578&dq=misers%20play&pg=PA154#v=onepage&q=miser&f=false McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Drama], 1984</ref> |
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In 2013 the play was adapted under the title ''Kanjoos The Miser'' by [[Hardeep Singh Kohli]] and [[Jatinder Verma]] - the premiere production by [[Tara Arts]] began at the [[Theatre Royal Windsor]] prior to a national tour.<ref>http://tara-arts.com/whats-on/kanjoos-the-miser--national-tour-2013</ref> John Coutts has also produced an English-[[Scots (language)|Scots]] adaptation, under the title "The Auld Skinflint".<ref>http://www.scotslanguage.com/articles/view/1279</ref> |
In 2013 the play was adapted under the title ''Kanjoos The Miser'' by [[Hardeep Singh Kohli]] and [[Jatinder Verma]] - the premiere production by [[Tara Arts]] began at the [[Theatre Royal Windsor]] prior to a national tour.<ref>[http://tara-arts.com/whats-on/kanjoos-the-miser--national-tour-2013] Tara arts site]</ref> John Coutts has also produced an English-[[Scots (language)|Scots]] adaptation, under the title "The Auld Skinflint".<ref>[http://www.scotslanguage.com/articles/view/1279 Scots language site]</ref> |
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==Film adaptations== |
==Film adaptations== |
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[[L'avare (film)]] is a [[French language|French]] movie from 1980 |
[[L'avare (film)|L'avare]] is a [[French language|French]] movie from 1980, directed by and starring [[Louis de Funès]].<ref>[http://filmsdefrance.com/FDF_L_Avare_rev.html L’Avare (1980) / The Miser / Louis de Funès /1980 / Film Review]</ref> |
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The play was also filmed by the [[Comédie-Française]] in 1973, with [[Isabelle Adjani]] in the role of Mariane.<ref>Mise-en scène by Andrei Serban, directed by Yves-André Hubert, DVD published by http://www.editionsmontparnasse.fr as part of collected works of Molière</ref> |
The play was also filmed by the [[Comédie-Française]] in 1973, with [[Isabelle Adjani]] in the role of Mariane.<ref>Mise-en scène by Andrei Serban, directed by Yves-André Hubert, DVD published by http://www.editionsmontparnasse.fr as part of collected works of Molière</ref> |
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The Italian film L'Avaro (L'avaro) was made in 1990 by [[Tonino Cervi]], with [[Alberto Sordi]] in the lead role. |
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There were also television adaptations in Italy (1957) and France (2006) |
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== References == |
== References == |
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Revision as of 13:21, 9 May 2013
The Miser (French: L'Avare; pronounced [lavaʁ]) is a five-act comedy in prose by the French playwright Molière.
The play
The play was first performed on September 9, 1668, at the French Court at a period when Molière's company was under the protection of Louis XIV himself.[1] It was loosely based on the Latin comedy Aulularia by Plautus, from which many incidents and scraps of dialogue are borrowed, as well as from contemporary Italian farces.[2]
The miser of the title is called Harpagon, a name adapted from the Latin harpago, meaning a hook or grappling iron. He is obsessed with the wealth he has amassed and always ready to save expenses. Now a widower, he has a son, Cléante, and a daughter, Élise. Although he is over seventy, he is attempting to arrange a marriage between himself and an attractive young woman, Mariane. She and Cléante are already devoted to each other, however, and the son attempts to procure a loan to help her and her sick mother, who are impoverished. Élise, Harpagon's daughter, is the beloved of Valère, but her father hopes to marry her to a wealthy man of his choosing, Seigneur Anselme. Meanwhile Valère has taken a job as steward in Harpagon's household so as to be close to Élise. The complications are only resolved at the end by the rather conventional discovery that some of the principal characters are long lost relatives.
Satire and farce blend in the fast-moving plot, as when the miser's hoard is stolen. Asked by the police magistrate whom he suspects, Harpagon replies, “Everybody! I wish you to take into custody the whole town and suburbs” (5.1) and indicates the theatre audience while doing so. The play also makes fun of certain theatrical conventions, such as the spoken aside addressed to the audience, hitherto ignored by the characters onstage. The characters of L'Avare, however, generally demand to know who exactly is being spoken to.[3]
Roles
- Harpagon, miser, tyrannical father of Cléante and Élise, suitor of Mariane.
- Cléante, Harpagon's son, in love with Mariane.
- Élise, daughter to Harpagon. In love with Valère.
- Valère, later discovered to be the son to Anselme and brother to Mariane. In love with Élise.
- La Flèche, valet to Cléante.
- Master Jacques, cook and coachman to Harpagon.
- Seigneur Anselme, eventually revealed as the father of Valère and Mariane.
- Mariane, daughter to Anselme and sister to Valère. In love with Cléante.
- Master Simon, broker.
- Frosine, an intriguing woman, the matchmaker.
- Brindavoine and La Merluche, lackeys to Harpagon.
- An Officer and his clerk.
- Mistress Claude, servant to Harpagon.
Theatrical adaptations
In England Thomas Shadwell adapted Molière's work under the title "The Miser" in 1672 and added eight new characters.[4] A version based on both Plautus and Molière was produced by Henry Fielding in 1732.[5]
Vasily Pashkevich based his 18th century comic opera The Miser on Molière's play. Another musical adaptation in Arabic was pioneered by the Lebanese Marun al-Naqqash (1817-55) as al-Bakhil. This was performed in Beirut in 1847.[6]
Jovan Sterija Popović's comedy Tvrdica (The Miser, 1837) was also based on Moliere's play. In this work, the Harpagon figure is represented as a small town Greek merchant.[7]
In 2013 the play was adapted under the title Kanjoos The Miser by Hardeep Singh Kohli and Jatinder Verma - the premiere production by Tara Arts began at the Theatre Royal Windsor prior to a national tour.[8] John Coutts has also produced an English-Scots adaptation, under the title "The Auld Skinflint".[9]
Film adaptations
L'avare is a French movie from 1980, directed by and starring Louis de Funès.[10]
The play was also filmed by the Comédie-Française in 1973, with Isabelle Adjani in the role of Mariane.[11]
The Italian film L'Avaro (L'avaro) was made in 1990 by Tonino Cervi, with Alberto Sordi in the lead role.
There were also television adaptations in Italy (1957) and France (2006)
References
- ^ Theatre history site
- ^ The Drama: Its History, Literature and Influence on Civilization, vol. 7. London: Historical Publishing Company 1906, pp.215-217
- ^ Cummings study guides
- ^ Albert S. Borgman, Thomas Shadwell, his life and comedies, New York 1969, pp.141-7
- ^ Available on Google Books
- ^ M.M.Badawi, “Arabic drama: early developments” in Modern Arabic Literature, Cambridge 1992, pp.331-2
- ^ McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Drama, 1984
- ^ [1] Tara arts site]
- ^ Scots language site
- ^ L’Avare (1980) / The Miser / Louis de Funès /1980 / Film Review
- ^ Mise-en scène by Andrei Serban, directed by Yves-André Hubert, DVD published by http://www.editionsmontparnasse.fr as part of collected works of Molière
Further reading
- Molière, trans. Martin Sorrell. The Miser, Nick Hern Books, London, 2004.
External links
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