Scarron’s “comic novel” in brief


The action takes place in the modern author of France, mainly in Mansa, a city that is located two hundred kilometers from Paris.

“Comic novel” is conceived as a parody of fashionable novels of “high style” – instead of wandering knights, its heroes are wandering comedians, countless fights replace fights, and the scenes of kidnapping that are mandatory in adventure novels are extraordinarily amusing. Each chapter is a separate comic episode, strung on the core of an uncomplicated story. The novel is distinguished by a whimsical composition, it abounds with plug-in episodes – as a rule, it is novels told by one of the characters, or memories of heroes. Plots of short stories are taken mainly from the life of noble Moors and Spaniards. Especially I want to say about the novel “My own judge” – the history of the Spanish cavalry-girl: the young Sofia is forced to hide in a man’s dress. Once in the military camp of Emperor

Charles V,

Scarron managed to complete two parts of the novel. The third after his death wrote Offray, hastily finished the plot.

In the market of Mans appear three quaintly dressed people – an elderly woman, an old man and a handsome youth. This is a wandering troupe. The comedians provoked the wrath of the Governor of Tours and, during the flight, lost their comrades. But they and the three of them are ready to give a performance in the upper room of the inn. A local judge, Mr. Rappinier, orders the innkeeper to lend the actors left for the preservation of the clothes of young people playing ball during the performance. The handsome comedian Destin strikes everyone with his skill, but are the players in the ball, see the actors on their dress and are taken to beat the judge, who ordered them without the knowledge of the hosts. The fight becomes universal, and Destin is destined to once again delight the inhabitants of Mans: he mercilessly strikes people who prevented the performance. When leaving the tavern on Rappinier with swords attack friends beaten. Life Judge saves again Desten, he and the sword

is very skillful, slashing her attackers on the ears. Grateful Rappinier calls comedians into his house. At night, he raises a terrible commotion, deciding that Mrs. Rappinier went to the room of a young comedian. In fact, it’s a goat wandering around the house feeding their orphaned puppies with their milk. The next morning the judge asks about Destine second actor, stinging Rankyun. According to him, Desten is in the troupe only recently, and he owes Rankyun skill, and life, too. After Rankuen saved him in Paris, when a young man was attacked by robbers who robbed him of a certain jewel. After learning when the attack occurred, the judge and his servant Dogen are terribly embarrassed. On the same day, Dohena mortally wounded one of the boys beaten up in the tavern. Before he dies, he calls Destin. Rappiniere actor says that the dying just raved. The rest of the actors are gathering: the daughter of the old actress, sixteen-year-old Angelica, Destan’s student Leander, a few more people. There is only Etoile, Destina’s sister: she dislocated her leg, and a horse stretcher is sent for her. Some armed riders forcibly examine all the stretchers on the road. They are looking for a girl with a damaged leg, but they steal a priest going to the doctor. Etoile arrives safely in Mans. Angelica and her mother, Cavern, ask young people to tell their story as a sign of friendship. Destin agrees. He is the son of a rustic rich man, a man of anecdotal stinginess. His parents did not like him, all their attention was absorbed by the offspring of a Scottish count who was given to them for education. Destiny is taken to his generous godson. The boy is a fine student, the company is made up of the children of Baron d’Arc – the rude Saint-Far and the noble Verville. After graduating from education, young people go to Italy for military service. In Rome, Desthen gets acquainted with the French lady and her secretly born daughter Leonora. He saves them from the impudence of some traveling Frenchman and, of course, falls in love with his daughter. Leonora is also not indifferent to him, but Saint-Far tells her mother that Desten is only a servant, and the poor girl is taken away without telling her feelings. Destina lures in an ambush and seriously injures the fellow who was taught to them when they met Leonora. Recovering, Destin looks for death on the battlefields, but instead finds the glory of a desperate shirt. At the end of the tour, young people return to France. Verville falls in love with her neighbor, Mademoiselle Saldan. Her parents have died, and the tyrant the brother wants to send her and the second sister to the monastery, so as not to be wasted on the dowry. Desten accompanies a friend to a secret meeting. Suddenly, Saldan appears – it turns out to be the Roman foe of our hero. A fight begins, Saldan is slightly injured. Recovered, he summons Verveville to a duel. According to the custom of that time, a second of Verville Desten is forced to fight with Saldan’s second. alas, this is the eldest son of his benefactor Saint-Far. The young man at first spares the opponent, but that meanly abuses it. In order not to perish, Desten injures him. Verwil disarms Saldan. The matter is settled by a double wedding – Verwil marries her lover, Saint-Far – at her sister. Insulted Destin, despite the persuasion of a friend, leaves the house of Baron d’Arc. He again goes to Italy and on the road meets his beloved and her mother. They are looking for Leonora’s father, but their search is unsuccessful, and they have all the money stolen. Desten decides to accompany them.

During the search, Leonora’s mother dies. The robbers steal from Destin’s diamond-studded portrait of his beloved father – proof of her origin. In addition, Saldan attacks them. The need to hide and the need to compel young people to impersonate their brother and sister and under false names to join the troupe of comedians. In Tours, Saldan again meets them, he tries to kidnap Leonora-Etoile. The story takes several evenings. In the meantime, the acquaintance of a visiting doctor, his Spaniard wife, who knows a myriad of fascinating stories, and a widow’s lawyer, Ragoten, brings together comedians. This little man is impudent, stupid and poorly educated, but has a unique talent to always fall into the ridiculous alterations, described in detail in the novel. He decides that he is in love with Etoile. Rankuun agrees to help the lawyer achieve her favor, but while she eats and drinks at his expense. The troupe is invited to the city – they celebrate the wedding. Comedians come, but the show is not destined to take place – Anzhelika is kidnapped. Cavern is sure that the kidnapper is Leander, this is clear from her love letters. Destin rushes in pursuit. In the hotel of one of the villages he finds the wounded Leandra and listens to his story. Leander entered the troupe only out of love for Angelica. He is a nobleman, and a great inheritance awaits him, but his father does not agree to the marriage of his son with the comedian. He chased the kidnappers, joined them in a fight – the villains beat him and threw him half dead on the road. Cavern is sure that the kidnapper is Leander, this is clear from her love letters. Destin rushes in pursuit. In the hotel of one of the villages he finds the wounded Leandra and listens to his story. Leander entered the troupe only out of love for Angelica. He is a nobleman, and a great inheritance awaits him, but his father does not agree to the marriage of his son with the comedian. He chased the kidnappers, joined them in a fight – the villains beat him and threw him half dead on the road. Cavern is sure that the kidnapper is Leander, this is clear from her love letters. Destin rushes in pursuit. In the hotel of one of the villages he finds the wounded Leandra and listens to his story. Leander entered the troupe only out of love for Angelica. He is a nobleman, and a great inheritance awaits him, but his father does not agree to the marriage of his son with the comedian. He chased the kidnappers, joined them in a fight – the villains beat him and threw him half dead on the road.

After some time, Angelica herself appears in the hotel – she was taken away by mistake. It turned out when the kidnappers met Etoile on the way. She tried to lure Rappinier into her networks with the help of a bribed servant. The servant was beaten, Angelica was thrown in the forest, and Etoile was taken away to no one where. There is no doubt that these are the tricks of Saldan. However, with the help of the time appeared Verville Destin helps her beloved, it is all the more easy that under Saldan fell a horse and he was terribly hurt. It is given to bring to the clear water of Rappinier, the judge is forced to return the portrait of Leonora’s father: it’s because he and his late servant robbed Destin in Paris. The comedians are moving from Mans to Alençon. Ragoten, in order not to part with the object of his love and to show off his talents, joins the troupe. But Leander leaves his comrades-the news has come, that his father is dying and wants to say goodbye to his son. The first performance in the new place could end badly – restless Saldan recovered from injury and again tried to kidnap Etoile. But theater fans from among local nobles take sides with comedians. Saldan dies in a shootout, which he himself provoked. Leander inherits from the father of the baron’s title and status, but is not going to part with the theater and remains in the troupe. Two weddings decided to play simultaneously. On the eve of a joyful day, Cavern meets his brother, also a comedian, with whom they were separated by children. So, everyone is happy, except for Ragotten. He tries to play suicide, and then sinks in the river, trying to get the horse to drink. An evil joker Rankyun also leaves the troupe – his place will be occupied by Brother Cavern. The first performance in the new place could end badly – restless Saldan recovered from injury and again tried to kidnap Etoile. But theater fans from among local nobles take sides with comedians. Saldan dies in a shootout, which he himself provoked. Leander inherits from the father of the baron’s title and status, but is not going to part with the theater and remains in the troupe. Two weddings decided to play simultaneously. On the eve of a joyful day, Cavern meets his brother, also a comedian, with whom they were separated by children. So, everyone is happy, except for Ragotten. He tries to play suicide, and then sinks in the river, trying to get the horse to drink. An evil joker Rankyun also leaves the troupe – his place will be occupied by Brother Cavern. The first performance in the new place could end badly – restless Saldan recovered from injury and again tried to kidnap Etoile. But theater fans from among local nobles take sides with comedians. Saldan dies in a shootout, which he himself provoked. Leander inherits from the father of the baron’s title and status, but is not going to part with the theater and remains in the troupe. Two weddings decided to play simultaneously. On the eve of a joyful day, Cavern meets his brother, also a comedian, with whom they were separated by children. So, everyone is happy, except for Ragotten. He tries to play suicide, and then sinks in the river, trying to get the horse to drink. An evil joker Rankyun also leaves the troupe – his place will be occupied by Brother Cavern. But theater fans from among local nobles take sides with comedians. Saldan dies in a shootout, which he himself provoked. Leander inherits from the father of the baron’s title and status, but is not going to part with the theater and remains in the troupe. Two weddings decided to play simultaneously. On the eve of a joyful day, Cavern meets his brother, also a comedian, with whom they were separated by children. So, everyone is happy, except for Ragotten. He tries to play suicide, and then sinks in the river, trying to get the horse to drink. An evil joker Rankyun also leaves the troupe – his place will be occupied by Brother Cavern. But theater fans from among local nobles take sides with comedians. Saldan dies in a shootout, which he himself provoked. Leander inherits from the father of the baron’s title and status, but is not going to part with the theater and remains in the troupe. Two weddings decided to play simultaneously. On the eve of a joyful day, Cavern meets his brother, also a comedian, with whom they were separated by children. So, everyone is happy, except for Ragotten. He tries to play suicide, and then sinks in the river, trying to get the horse to drink. An evil joker Rankyun also leaves the troupe – his place will be occupied by Brother Cavern. Two weddings decided to play simultaneously. On the eve of a joyful day, Cavern meets his brother, also a comedian, with whom they were separated by children. So, everyone is happy, except for Ragotten. He tries to play suicide, and then sinks in the river, trying to get the horse to drink. An evil joker Rankyun also leaves the troupe – his place will be occupied by Brother Cavern. Two weddings decided to play simultaneously. On the eve of a joyful day, Cavern meets his brother, also a comedian, with whom they were separated by children. So, everyone is happy, except for Ragotten. He tries to play suicide, and then sinks in the river, trying to get the horse to drink. An evil joker Rankyun also leaves the troupe – his place will be occupied by Brother Cavern.


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Scarron’s “comic novel” in brief