''Turcaret'' (or ''Le Financier'') is a

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 ori ...

Alain-René Lesage Alain-René Lesage (; 6 May 166817 November 1747; older spelling Le Sage) was a French novelist and playwright. Lesage is best known for his comic novel '' The Devil upon Two Sticks'' (1707, ''Le Diable boiteux''), his comedy ''Turcaret'' (1709 ...

, first produced on 14 February

1709 In the Swedish calendar it was a common year starting on Friday, one day ahead of the Julian and ten days behind the Gregorian calendar. Events January–March * January 1 – Battle of St. John's: The French capture St. Joh ...

at the

Comédie-Française The Comédie-Française () or Théâtre-Français () is one of the few state theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real ...

in Paris. It is considered one of Lesage's most important works. The play shows clear signs of having been written by an admirer of

Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world ...

, and has much in common with his 1664 comedy ''

Tartuffe ''Tartuffe, or The Impostor, or The Hypocrite'' (; french: Tartuffe, ou l'Imposteur, ), first performed in 1664, is a theatrical comedy by Molière. The characters of Tartuffe, Elmire, and Orgon are considered among the greatest classical thea ...

''.

Plot

Turcaret is a ruthless, dishonest and dissolute financier. His vulgar wife is as dissolute as himself. A harebrained marquis, a knavish chevalier and a coquettish baroness, to whom Turcaret is attracted, are among the other highly comic characters.

Bibliography

*Richard Parish, ''"Marine Chassée": A Reconsideration of the Dramatic Structure of Lesage's Turcaret. '' "En marge du classicisme": Essays on the French Theatre from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment'', ed. Alan Howe & Richard Waller, Liverpool, Liverpool UP; 1987, p. 173-199 1709 plays Plays by Alain-René Lesage Comedy plays {{1700s-play-stub