Marriage of Figaro

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"One of the most important innovations of the seventeenth century was opera" (Cunningham 391)

After reading and watching Pierre Augustin de Beaumarchais' Marriage of Figaro, I chose to analyze the character Susanna. I found Susanna to be filled with superior intellect and whit through her actions and traits presented in the Opera. Susanna role is the countess' maid, who is very fond of her and she must resist his seductions. She is engaged to Fargo, the protagonist in the play, who is apart of the count's help. Susanna is considered to be in lower class being that she is a maid, but she knows how to strategize this to her advantage. 

Susanna is a strong love interest for many in the plot. She is engaged to Fargo, but knows that Count has a strong attraction to her. She uses this to her advantage, which gives her more power in her ultimately powerless position as a maid. She moves the plot forward, by exposing Count's desires through staying true to her beliefs. This play analyzes fidelity and exposes the many cross desires these characters have for each other. Susanna class status affects the plot because these people in power believe they can do whatever they want with her. However she uses this to power, by tricking the other characters in the play. 

Pierre Augustin de Beaumarchais'
 Marriage of Figaro

In act 5 of the play, the Countess is disguised as Susanna, who is attempting to trick the Count. The count seduces "Susanna", not knowing its the Countess, which angers Figaro and the Countless. To get back at Susanna, Figaro lets her believe that he thinks she is the Countless, he makes a sexual advance at her. While everyone is angry and jealous, Count proceeds to beg "Countless" for his forgiveness in his acts of infidelity. Then, the real Countless and Susanna appear, the Count realizes he has been tricked.

 This act ends with Figaro and Suzanne successfully becoming married. The final line of the play is said by Susanna, who states that everyone is now resolved and the characters hope to "joyously" meet the audience again. 

The idea of satire plays a role in the Opera. By definition, satire is the use of humor or irony to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices. This is presented in the play though the exposing of infidelity through humor and irony. The play revealed that deception and humor can ironically reveal some deep truths. 

My computer does not allow me to embed a video, but here is another article about this play: Marriage of Figaro

Works Cited 

Cunningham, Lawrence, et al. Culture & Values: A Survey of the Western Humanities, Cengage Learning,                    Boston, MA, 2015.

Comments

  1. Andrew JacksonMay 17, 2022 at 4:00 PM

    Hi blogger, and fellow student, I really liked the choice you made for the character you chose. I chose the same character and also believed Susanna to be the most intelligent of them all. Do you believe that Figaro could of pulled this off without Susanna? My suggestion for you would be to add the Photo using the correct way and to add more of them. Also, to put more quotes from the play would of been nice as well.

    ReplyDelete

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