Les Sincères is a comedic play by French playwright Pierre Marivaux.

Played in one act and in prose, it was performed for the first time by the Comédiens italiens on January 13, 1739 at the Hotel de Bourgogne in Paris.

In this play, Marivaux focuses on what happens to love when the main virtue in which the characters pride themselves is absolute sincerity.

They believe straightforwardness is a quality, but only when it is a one-way action: they enjoy being sincere - in other words, saying what they think - when speaking of other people, but do not appreciate it when it is directed at them.

[1] A once highly applauded performance, Les Sincères involves two couples, a master and his mistress, and a valet and a maid.

The Marquise wants to love sincerely, but she does this through negative comments towards others and wishes to receive only positive ones.

[2] The conversation continues in this constant sullen tone, especially when the comparison takes on proper names.

Dorante obeys, but the faults that he criticizes her for are true qualities, such that these critiques become clever compliments.

This small act received much praise from French literary critic Sainte-Beuve, for which he made a detailed analysis.