Nothing could be more graceful or more natural. This, then, is that marivaudage, against which so much has been said!
Madame Argante has discovered the secret, and, fearful for her daughter's welfare, she allows the mother nature to assume the upper hand, and points out the danger of her course to Angélique, who, at last, comprehends, and agrees to renounce her lover. This she attempts to do, but love will have its way, and will not be put down. An elopement is arranged, which is interrupted by the arrival of Madame Argante, who takes Dorante to task for his indifference to the real happiness of Angélique. He is covered with confusion, confesses his mistake, and by his manly attitude gains the mother's heart and the daughter's hand. Ergaste, the rejected suitor, proves to be an uncle of Dorante, and in a spirit of self-abnegation, well nigh superhuman, devotes himself to celibacy and his fortune to the lovers. Lisette plays the rôle of the intrigante and temptress of her mistress. The comic of the piece is in the hands of Lubin, a peasant in the service of the family, who is bribed by each party to spy upon the other.
Lack of space forbids more than a mere mention of the remaining plays, many of which are worthy of being compared favourably with those which have been outlined. We have seen enough to convince us that, although his drama may be classified in general as psychological and féminin there is great diversity in the individual plays, and never monotony.
It has been said by certain of his contemporaries that in all the characters of his comedies he has but embodied himself, that they all have "the imprint of the style précieux, for which he has been reproached with so much reason in his novels and in his comedies,"[124] and that all,—"masters, valets, courtiers, peasants, lovers, mistresses, old men, and young men have the esprit of Marivaux."[125] To this accusation he makes reply in these words, quoted by d'Alembert: "On croit voir partout le même genre de style dans mes comédies, parce que le dialogue y est partout l'expression simple des mouvements du coeur: la vérité de cette expression fait croire que je n'ai qu'un même ton et qu'une même langue; mais ce n'est pas moi que j'ai voulu copier, c'est la nature et c'est peut-être parce que ce ton est naturel, qu'il a paru singulier."[126]
Both the accusation and the reply are somewhat justifiable. With all the diversity that may be found in his different characters, there is yet a similarity of sentiments and of expression, which is due, not to a desire of representing himself in his plays, but to looking for models to a society the very natural of which was artificial, and to looking always from one point of view. To the careful student of the human heart the infinite variety that Marivaux has known how to introduce into his characters, which are always clearly distinct from one another, even if by mere delicate shades of difference, is a greater cause for wonder than the general family resemblance that unites them all.[127]
The roles of women are the important ones in the works of this author. In this particular the comedies of Marivaux recall the tragedies of Racine. Brunetière[128] goes so far as to claim that "the rôles of women in Marivaux's drama are almost the only women's rôles" in the whole repertory of French comedies. Of Molière's drama he recognizes only three such rôles as clearly individualized, those of Agnès, Elmire and Célimène. "The others, whatever their name—Marianne, Élise, Henriette —are about the same ingénue, or—Dorine, Nicole, Toinon— about the same soubrette." Marivaux excels in his portrayal of the ingénue and of the coquette, but perhaps no rôle is more sympathetically developed than that of the young widow, now tender and yielding like Araminte of the Fausses Confidences, now vivacious and positive, but no less kindly, like the countess of the Legs.
His soubrettes resemble closely their mistresses, to such a degree that by exchanging rôles they may readily be mistaken for them, as we have seen in le Jeu de l'Amour et du Hasard. Unlike those of Molière, they are always refined and graceful, and are none the less witty. Contrary to their more cautious mistresses, they all, or nearly all, believe in love, and seek to further the marriage of the former. Lisette of le Legs is an exception. In short, all of the younger women of Marivaux are the perfection of grace, beauty, delicacy, wit or artlessness, and are simply irresistible.
It is only the mothers that merit our aversion. With few exceptions, notably Mme. Argante in la Mère confidente, he paints them "laides, vaines, impérieuses, avares, entichées de préjugés." "Il ne pare pas du moindre rayon de coquetterie leurs maussades et acariâtres personnes. Il a de la peine à ne pas céder, quand il s'agit d'elles, à la tentation de la caricature. On dirait qu'il se venge."[129] The rôles of fathers, on the other hand, are treated with great affection. They are always kind and indulgent, and exercise their authority as little as possible. Their motto is that of the good Monsieur Orgon of le Jeu de l'Amour et du Hasard: "Il faut être un peu trop bon pour l'être assez."
His amoureux are less varied and less attractive than his amoureuses, and, while no less refined and exquisite, are less sincere, more calculating and self-interested.
His valets, like his soubrettes, are more refined than those of Molière, that is to say, are higher in the social scale, and are treated by their masters with more consideration. The changes, soon to be wrought in the old régime, are already germinating. While almost rivalling their masters in wit, they yet occupy a secondary place upon the stage, and rarely dwarf by their own cleverness, as do often those of Molière, their master's rôles.[130] "Three of these valets are real creations. Dubois of les Fausses Confidences, Trivelin, of la Fausse Suivante, Lépine of le Legs."[131] Trivelin is the ancestor of Beaumarchais' Figaro.[132]