Arlequin Mahomet
Encyclopedia
Arlequin Mahomet is a one act farce
by Alain-René Lesage
. It was first performed at the Foire de Saint Laurent in 1714
. Arlequin Mahomet was performed as the second play in a series consisting of La Foire de Guibray
and Le Tombeau de Nostradamus
. Between the three works, Lesage created a comedy in three acts.
, is to be married to the Kam
of the Tartars (played by Pierrot
from La Foire de Guibray
). Arlequin agrees to help.
He flies to the princess who does not want to marry the Kam and is praying to Mohammed. When she sees Arlequin in his flying machine, she believes that he is Mohammed. Arlequin tells her that she does not have to marry the Kam and presents her with a portrait of her future husband, the Prince of Persia. The Princess tells her father about this revelation, and the King and the Kam go in search of the "false Arlequin." Meanwhile, Arlequin enters the scene and flies over their heads. Arlequin beats them with his stick until the King and the Kam agree that the princess should marry the Prince. Arlequin brings the Prince to the court in his flying machine so he can marry the princess. Arlequin, in turn, marries the princess' servant.
Farce
In theatre, a farce is a comedy which aims at entertaining the audience by means of unlikely, extravagant, and improbable situations, disguise and mistaken identity, verbal humour of varying degrees of sophistication, which may include word play, and a fast-paced plot whose speed usually increases,...
by Alain-René Lesage
Alain-René Lesage
Alain-René Lesage was a French novelist and playwright. Lesage is best known for his comic novel The Devil upon Two Sticks , his comedy Turcaret , and his picaresque novel Gil Blas .-Youth and education:Claude Lesage, the father of the novelist, held the united...
. It was first performed at the Foire de Saint Laurent in 1714
1714 in literature
The year 1714 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:* Sir Samuel Garth, poet and royal physician, is knighted by King George I of Great Britain...
. Arlequin Mahomet was performed as the second play in a series consisting of La Foire de Guibray
La Foire de Guibray
La Foire de Guibray is a one act farce by Alain-René Lesage. It was first performed at the Foire de Saint Laurent in 1714. La Foire de Guibray is actually a prologue to two other one act farces, Arlequin Mahomet and Le Tombeau de Nostradamus...
and Le Tombeau de Nostradamus
Le Tombeau de Nostradamus
Le Tombeau de Nostradamus is a one act farce by Alain-René Lesage. It was first performed at the Foire de Saint Laurent in 1714. Le Tombeau de Nostradamus is actually the final play in a series that includes La Foire de Guibray and Arlequin Mahomet. Between the three works, Lesage created a...
. Between the three works, Lesage created a comedy in three acts.
Plot summary
Arlequin is being pursued by his debtors, so his friend Boubekir gives him a flying box so that he can flee the country. As he is flying over Persia, he sees a young man about to kill himself because his true love, the Princess of BasraBasra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
, is to be married to the Kam
Kam
Kam meaning deep desire, uncontrolled longing, concupiscence, sensuality or lasciviousness is counted among the five cardinal sins or sinful propensities in Sikhism. In common usage, the term stands for excessive passion for sexual pleasure and it is in this sense that it is considered an evil...
of the Tartars (played by Pierrot
Pierrot
Pierrot is a stock character of pantomime and Commedia dell'Arte whose origins are in the late 17th-century Italian troupe of players performing in Paris and known as the Comédie-Italienne; the name is a hypocorism of Pierre , via the suffix -ot. His character in postmodern popular culture—in...
from La Foire de Guibray
La Foire de Guibray
La Foire de Guibray is a one act farce by Alain-René Lesage. It was first performed at the Foire de Saint Laurent in 1714. La Foire de Guibray is actually a prologue to two other one act farces, Arlequin Mahomet and Le Tombeau de Nostradamus...
). Arlequin agrees to help.
He flies to the princess who does not want to marry the Kam and is praying to Mohammed. When she sees Arlequin in his flying machine, she believes that he is Mohammed. Arlequin tells her that she does not have to marry the Kam and presents her with a portrait of her future husband, the Prince of Persia. The Princess tells her father about this revelation, and the King and the Kam go in search of the "false Arlequin." Meanwhile, Arlequin enters the scene and flies over their heads. Arlequin beats them with his stick until the King and the Kam agree that the princess should marry the Prince. Arlequin brings the Prince to the court in his flying machine so he can marry the princess. Arlequin, in turn, marries the princess' servant.
Characters
- Arlequin, a false Mohammed
- Dahi, a merchant, the neighbor of Arlequin
- Boubekir, traveler and mathematician
- The King of Baraasa
- The Princess, his daughter
- The KamKamKam meaning deep desire, uncontrolled longing, concupiscence, sensuality or lasciviousness is counted among the five cardinal sins or sinful propensities in Sikhism. In common usage, the term stands for excessive passion for sexual pleasure and it is in this sense that it is considered an evil...
of the Tartars - The Prince of Persia
- A servant