Les Fausses Confidences

Les Fausses Confidences is a three-act comedy in prose by the French playwright Pierre de Carlet de Chamberlain de Marivaux. It was first performed on the 16 March 1737 by the actors of the Comédie Italienne at the Hotel de Bourgogne, Paris.

This play explores the idea of deceiving someone in order to make them fall in love, a theme which has always been popular with playwrights and which had figured in several of Marivaux’s earlier plays. Despite its well-devised plot, likeable characters and interesting comic situations, this play did not at first receive the success it merited. However, when it was taken up again, this time by the Théâtre-Français in 1793, it received a much more favourable reception.

Araminte, a rich widow and daughter of Madame Argante

Dorante, nephew of Monsieur Rémy

Monsieur Rémy, lawyer and uncle of Dorante

Madame Argante, mother of Araminte

Arlequin, Araminte’s valet (a comic character, who during the play is given the task of serving Dorante)

Dubois, Dorante’s former valet, now in the service of Araminte

Marton, Araminte’s servant and companion

Count Dorimont, Araminte’s suitor

Dorante, a young man of good family, finds himself financially ruined. His former valet, Dubois, is now in the service of an attractive young widow and, seeing that his former master is in love with her, plans a scheme to make her marry him. He tells Dorante to use his connection to Monsieur Rémy, (Dorante’s uncle who is also Araminte’s lawyer) to introduce himself into the house and take on the role of steward (intendant).

All the action is driven by Dubois, who sets in motion a foolproof strategy for making Araminte fall in love with Dorante.

From the start, Araminte is attracted by his distinguished air and agreeable manners, and so she hires him. She is involved in legal proceedings with Count Dorimont, who is keen to marry her in order to end the case, which he is worried about losing. She herself has no desire to marry the Count and asks Dorante to examine the documents to see if she has any chance of winning.

Monsieur Rémy decides that Dorante would do well to marry Marton, Araminte’s companion and protégée. She would thereby receive 1000 livres, which the Count has promised her as a gift if he marries Araminte. Marton tries to show Dorante that this sum would be beneficial to both of them. Although this is not part of Dubois’ plot, it can only help his plan along since Marton’s interest in Dorante is likely to make Araminte jealous.

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Wikipedia