''L’Île des esclaves'' ( en, Slave Island) is a one-act

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

Pierre de Marivaux Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux (4 February 1688 – 12 February 1763), commonly referred to as Marivaux, was a French playwright and novelist. He is considered one of the most important French playwrights of the 18th century, writing nume ...

; it was the first of three plays in the series. It was presented for the first time on March 5, 1725 at the Hôtel de Bourgogne by the Comédie Italienne; an actress named Silvia played Cléanthis and Thomassin played the role of Arlequin. The play is characterized by a mixing of genres:

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

characters, a shipwreck leaning towards

tragedy Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy ...

, and social commentary. However, the play is essentially a comedy with its confusion of sentiments, exchange of power between masters and valets, and finally the appearance of

Arlequin Arlequin may refer to: * Harlequin, also spelled Arlequin, a comic servant character * Arlequin (band), a Japanese rock band * Arlequin (software), population genetics software * L'Arlequin, a cinema in Paris * Los Arlequíns, Mexican pro-wrestl ...

Plot summary

Iphicrate and his slave Arlequin find themselves shipwrecked on Slave Island, a place where masters become slaves and slaves become masters. Trivelin, the governor of the island, makes Arlequin and Iphicrate, as well as Euphrosine and her slave Cléanthis, change roles, clothes, and names. Both Arlequin and Cléanthis take advantage of the situation to expose the frivolities and fickleness of their masters. However, Arlequin is ultimately touched by the tears of Euphrosine, who is suffering from humiliation at the hands of Cléanthis. Arlequin and Iphicrate make amends and return to their original roles; Euphrosine and Cléanthis do the same. Trivelin reveals that had Arlequin and Cléanthis not pardoned their masters, that they would have been punished.

Characters

* Iphicrate, an Athenian general. *

, his slave. * Euphrosine, an Athenian noblewoman. * Cléanthis, her slave. *

Trivelin Trivelino (or Trivelin) is a zanni character of the ''commedia dell'arte''. Trivelino is similar to Arlecchino, like him, he represents a stupid servant or valet. Trivelino is also similar to Scapin, Brighella, or Mezzetin. This character was ...

, the master of the island. * Inhabitants of the island

References

External links

The play
on the websit
CÉSAR
Plays by Pierre de Marivaux 1725 plays {{18thC-play-stub