Sganarelle, or The Imaginary Cuckold [4] - Eric

From The Big Book of Molière Monologues by actor/author Timothy Mooney. A collection of over 160 of Molière's funniest monologues in new rhymed iambic pentameter versions. “Sganarelle” was one of Molière’s favorite character names. The practice of repeating the same character name was common in Commedia dell’ arte, the Italian style of slapstick improvisation. The troupes specializing in this style would feature actors specializing in specific characters, playing out endless scenarios. These actors might spend their entire career developing and playing nothing but “Pantalone,” or “Harlequino,” or “Columbina”… and then train their son or daughter to take on these characters when they could no longer keep up the zesty acrobatics the role demanded. And yet, Molière’s Sganarelle from Sganarelle or The Imaginary Cuckold (a cowardly, seemingly cuckolded husband), was far different from his Sganarelle of The School for Husbands (an autocratic father-figure engaged to marry his ward), which was, in turn, very different from his Sganarelle of Don Juan, (a cowering servant living in fear of his Master’s disapproval). Sganarelle or the Imaginary Cuckold, extremely popular in its time, was revived frequently, often as a brief (45-minute) entertainment that would often follow some play of greater length.see less