INTRODUCTION

Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux is celebrated both as a writer of comédies and as a novelist, but we shall consider him principally as the author of one of the most charming French comédies, le' Jeu de V Amour et du Hasard. Born in Paris,", February 4, 1688, he is essentially a man of the eighteenth cent- j ury, and we find in his comédies the wit and the grâc e which characterized aïT âge that began with the gayety of the Regency of the Duke of Orléans, continued during the shameful reign of Louis XV, and ended with the terrible drama of the French Rev-/ olution.

The eighteenth century is an interesting period in the history of French literature, and especially that of comedy. There are no great writers like Molière, who portrays human nature so wonderfully, but there is Le Sage } who depicts mercilessly the enriched financier; Regnard who, in splendid verse, gives us amusing characters; Destouches, Piron, Gresset, Sedaine, who produce interesting plays; Beaumarchais, who satirizes wittily and forcefully the society of his day; and finàïïy Marivaux^ who crëaleTâT style, the m at ivuudage, "and, as a creator, deserves to J ,occupy an important place in the history of French literature. His thème is principally love, as that of many other comic ^writers, but it is a love which is peculiarly of his own création, not so deep as to cause a catastrophe if not requited, but sincère, ^nevertheless, and always gracefuï and charming. We become înterested in the witty, if affected conversation of the lovers; and their analysis of their passions, although somewhat superficial, is so subtle that we take great pleasure in unraveling it.