Les Fausses Confidences

Despite its well-devised plot, likeable characters and interesting comic situations, this play did not at first receive the success it merited.

His former valet, Dubois, is now in the service of an attractive young widow and, seeing that his former master is in love with her, plans a scheme to make her marry him.

All the action is driven by Dubois, who sets in motion a foolproof strategy for making Araminte fall in love with Dorante.

She is involved in legal proceedings with Count Dorimont, who is keen to marry her in order to end the case, which he is worried about losing.

This letter, which Dorante has written at Dubois’ own instigation, tells an imaginary recipient of his passion for Araminte and his desire to flee out of shame for having offended her.

Madame Argante tries one last time to persuade her daughter to send Dorante away and argues with Monsieur Rémy, who is furious that she is treating his amiable nephew as an impertinent upstart.

(en) Alfred Cismaru, « The ‘Molieresque’ Origins of Les Fausses confidences », Kentucky Romance Quarterly, 1968, n° 15, p. 223-29.

Monique Claisse, « Approches du discours : formes et variations dans Les Fausses Confidences », Revue Marivaux, 1990, n° 1, p. 17-25.

Sjef Houppermans, « La Pensée du corps chez Marivaux : de L’Ile des esclaves aux Fausses confidences », Franck Salaün, Éd.

Maryse Laffitte, « Mensonge, amour et séduction dans Les Fausses Confidences de Marivaux », Revue Romane, 2005, n° 40 (2), p. 257-73.

Gilles Revaz, « L’Illusion dans l’énonciation comique (Corneille et Marivaux) », Littératures Classiques, hiver 2002, n° 44, p. 97-114.

Jacques Scherer, « Analyse et mécanisme des Fausses confidences », Cahiers de la Compagnie Madeleine Renaud-Jean Louis Barrault, 1960, n° 28, p. 11-19.

Antoine Spacagna, « Structure dramatique et jeux linguistiques dans Les Fausses Confidences de Marivaux », RLA, 1989, n° 1, p. 306-15.

Éric Turcat, « L’Espace triangulaire de la duplicité : les Fausses Confidences et leurs antichambres », Neophilologus, July 2000, no 84 (3), p. 359-70.