In order to help his mater Octavio marry Isabelle (Cintio’s daughter), Mezetin becomes Cintio’s servant. Cintio and the Doctor are looking for the Philosopher’s Stone. Arlequin and Mezetin dress as chimney sweeps and make the story of La Belle Maguelone into a puppet show, during which they give Octavio’s letter to Isabelle. Arlequin cross-dresses as a viscountess and fails to convince a marquis and the Doctor to share their secrets. Octavio proposes to Isabelle, but Cintio forbids their union. Quacks show up to an assembly called by the Doctor, and they are driven out by Polichinel. The quacks boast about their inventions, but they run away when they see Mezetin and Pierrot, who are respectively dressed as a Commissaire (commissioner) and a Clerc (clerk). The Commissaire tells Cintio that Isabelle has been abducted. Octavio comes forward to save her. When Isabelle comes back, Cintio still forbids their marriage. But Octavio threatens to report him for having invited counterfeiters. Everyone goes watch Mars and Apollon’s fight on the Place des Victoires (Victory square). Cintio finally accepts Octavio as his son-in-law.

Curiosité

Not specified

France

Paris

Printed

Alchemy

Philosopher's stone

False Scientist

Science

Invention

Fake kidnapping

Forger

Rivalry of theatres

Comical

Satirical

Arlequin holding the curiosité. Frontispiece of Les Souffleurs, 1694.

French

ou la Pierre philosophale d'Arlequin

Il Dottore (Commedia dell'arte)

Cintio

Isabelle

Marinette

Arlecchino

Octavio

Mezetin

Pierrot

Chimney sweeper

Vicomtess

Marquis

Seneschal

Colombine

Pasquariello

Polichinelle

Knight

Police Superintendant

Clerk

Goldsmith

Mars

Victoria

Warrior

Apollo

Themis

Minerva

Arts

Disguise

Letter

Cross-dressing

Jack of all trades

Allegory

Pantomime

Puppet theatre within the theatre

Storyteller

Les Souffleurs

The Alchemists

Faust leads a destitute life as a scholar, until he lay hands on a book of black magic. He then sells his soul to the devil Mefistofeles, in exchange for services. Demons also appear to Kasper, whom Faust’s famulus – Wagner – has recently hired. But Kasper adamantly refuses to sell himself to the devil. Mefistofeles takes Faust and Kasper to Parma to lead a loose life. After living in luxury for twelve years, Faust is abandoned by Wagner, who disapproves of his way of life. Faust repents, but eventually gives in to carnal temptation when Mefistofeles presents him the fair Helen, whom he knew in Ancient Greece. Everyone rejects Faust. Kasper, now a night watchman, finds him out in the street within curfew hours and wants to throw him behind bars. But Faust’s final hour has come, and he is taken away by demons.

String marionette

Geisselbrecht Johann Georg

Germany

University

Scholar

Wittenberg

Foreign languages

Laziness

Sorcery

Necromancy

Perlicke

Middle Ages

Crow

Pluto

Coffee

Penitence

Eroticism

Future punishment

Tragic

Burlesque

German

Comödie vom D. Faust ; Schauspiel von dem Doctor Faust

Oder : Der große Negromantist

Faust

Christoph Wagner

Kasperl

Mephistopheles

Devil

Auerhahn

Vizibuzli

Helen of Troy

Night watchman

Monologue

Metadiscourse on puppet theatre

Tragic irony

Song

Macaronism

Misunderstanding

Lazzi

Word for another

Thunderbolt

Apparition of the Devil

Word reiteration

Pact with the devil

Dream

Versified passages

Bawdy equivocation

Doctor Faust