In this blog post, I will summarize Beaumarchais’s life and major plays, focusing in particular on the plots and meanings of ‘The Barber of Seville’ and ‘The Marriage of Figaro’.
Beaumarchais’s Life
Beaumarchais (1732–1799) was born in Paris as the son of a watchmaker; his real name was Pierre Caron. In his youth, he frequented the royal court, working as a harp instructor for the princesses. Through an introduction by Duverney, an influential financier of the time, he became involved in speculative ventures and made a sudden fortune.
Having become an overnight millionaire, he spent a large sum to purchase the noble title of de Beaumarchais and secured a position as the king’s secretary. He continued to be involved in speculation and business, eventually becoming embroiled in a dispute over an inheritance with the Parisian businessman Count La Planche, who accused Beaumarchais of forgery and fraud.
Ultimately, after losing the lawsuit, Beaumarchais sued the prosecutor, Guesman; it is said that the reason was that the prosecutor’s wife had promised to influence the trial in his favor, accepted a bribe, and then failed to return it. This anecdote illustrates that his life extended far beyond that of a mere man of letters and was instead entangled in a constant struggle for power and money.
He later served as a spy for Louis XVI, acted as a shipowner and arms dealer for the American Revolutionary Army, and served as president of the Society of Writers, all while continuing to devote himself to speculative business ventures. When the French Revolution broke out, he was, on the one hand, pleased, but paradoxically, he was also imprisoned during the revolution.
His literary career continued steadily. He made his debut in the literary world between 1767 and 1770 with two comedies, ‘Eugénie’ and ‘Deux amis’, and subsequently published ‘The Barber of Seville (Le Barbier de Séville)’ and ‘The Marriage of Figaro (Le Mariage de Figaro)’ (1775–1784), and ‘La Mère coupable’ (1789–1792).
Major Works and Synopses
“The Barber of Seville”
“The Barber of Seville” was panned by critics and considered a failure at its premiere, but it was revised in 1775 and went on to become a huge success. At the heart of the story are the jealous guardian Bartolo, the innocent Rosina, the servant Figaro who tries to help her, and the daring Count Almaviva.
The plot begins with Bartolo scheming to marry Rosina by exploiting his position as her guardian. However, thanks to a ruse devised by his servant Figaro, the Count of Almaviva outwits Bartolo, and the lovers ultimately succeed in uniting through a clever scheme. Devices such as mistaken identities, disguises, and misidentifications blend with a Spanish exoticism to create the play’s picturesque atmosphere.
At the time, tragic and moving plays that stirred the audience to tears were in vogue, but the premiere of this work was hailed for returning theater to its original place as pure comedy. Figaro is a character who feels no pangs of conscience and is not foolish; rather, he is a figure who appears to substitute moral virtue with wit and mischief.
Beaumarchais portrays Figaro as a dissolute man without family or wealth, yet his philosophy and schemes mock fate and power. This character can be interpreted as a symbol representing the grievances of the common people who had been deprived of their property rights at the time. By comically exposing the upheaval of class and power throughout the play, the work transcends mere entertainment to create a social resonance.
“The Marriage of Figaro”
Following the success of “The Barber of Seville,” Beaumarchais published “The Marriage of Figaro.” Although it sparked heated debate immediately after its premiere, it was performed three years later in 1784 with the king’s permission. The production drew such immense interest that an accident occurred during the performance: three people suffocated to death in the crowd.
The plot begins with Figaro, who is engaged to Susanna, a maid in the service of the Countess of Almaviva. Two obstacles arise: first, the Count himself—who had helped arrange the marriage—is now infatuated with Susanna; and second, Figaro must fulfill a marriage promise made to Marcelline due to a past debt.
The play resolves these conflicts through the use of masks, disguises, and confusion over social status. Ultimately, it is revealed that Marcelline is Figaro’s mother, and the Countess, disguised as Susanna, arranges a secret tryst with her husband. Through this ruse, the Count is cornered, and all problems are resolved.
This work had a profound impact on the public. Beaumarchais’s social satire was regarded as harsher and more scathing than Molière’s, and it deeply moved the audiences of the time. In particular, ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ contrasts the idleness and folly of the privileged class with the survival instincts of the common people.
This contrast goes beyond mere personal satire to raise questions about the social structure itself. Therefore, the interpretation that ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ foreshadowed the French Revolution is a natural conclusion when considering the circumstances of the time and the play’s message.
