Cassandre is supposed to fight a duel with a sergeant, but he decides to pay Guignol to go in his place. The sergeant, meanwhile, has lost the card Cassandre gave him, so he cannot remember the location of the duel or the name of his opponent. Guignol then goes to see him and challenges him to a duel. During the confrontation, Guignol pretends to be killed. But when the sergeant returns to the room, Guignol jumps out and stabs him in the back. A fight breaks out, interrupted by two 'gendarmes' (policemen). Guignol then accuses the sergeant of trying to kill him and the latter is arrested.

Glove-puppet

Not specified

Josserand père Louis

France

Lyon

Manuscript

Duel

Neighbourhood

Money

Father-daughter relationship

Theatre

Gallantries

Lesson

Cunning

Deception

Fighting

Police (French gendarmerie)

Jail

Comical

French

Le Duel

Guignol

Sergeant

Father

Constable

Monologue

Comedy of language

Brawl

Duel scene

Situation comedy

Fake death

Final song

Music

Le Duel du soldat

he Soldier's Duel

The wealthy Cassandre is so distressed by his son Pierrot’s foolishness and insolence that he is willing to spend a fortune on a private tutor. Polichinelle is hired, but his poor lessons in obedience, geography, arithmetics, moral and fencing turn Pierrot into a brawler, drinker, liar and thief who ends up hanged after having cheated the tavern keeper Arlequin and beating up the Gendarme (Constable). When Cassandre asks Polichinelle for explanations about his son’s death, Polichinelle beats him to death with a stick. When Arlequin denounces Polichinelle as Pierrot’s accomplice, Polichinelle kills the Gendarme who has come to arrest him. He is carried off by the Diable (Devil).

All audiences

Paris

Printed

Relationship between father and son

Silliness

Cheekiness

Education

Swindling

Farcical

Satirical

Polichinelle

Pierrot

Arlecchino

Devil

Slaps

Blow-with-a-stick

Headbutt

Final intervention of the devil

Hanging scene

Characterisation through onomatopoeia

Polichinelle précepteur

Polichinelle private tutor

Petit-Paul complains about adults and his teacher to his Pantin (Jumping Jack). He would rather play and not learn. However, the Pantin refuses to play with him as long as he has not done his homework; he explains that, without any learning, he will end up as the jumping jack amongst the adults. Petit-Paul is affected by these words and starts working diligently.

Young audiences

des Essarts Emmanuel

Child

Jumping Jack

Game

Edifying

Emmanuel des Essarts, illustration for Petit-Paul et son pantin, 1863