In both Le Barbier de Seville and Le Mariage de Figaro, Beaumarchais uses a variety of comic techniques, such as parodying existing forms , comedy of intrigue, satire and farce. However, Beaumarchais' comedy is intertwined with more serious and often tragic undertones, which often emerge in the characters' revealing monologues. In both works, through characters, plot and form, Beaumarchais demonstrates that human life is characterized by its unpredictable nature. Even with the strongest willpower, we are often not in control of our destiny as chance, accidents, interference from others, and even the rigidity of society all act as obstacles that interrupt life's path. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Figaro, as the protagonist who tends to put together the narratives of the three games more than any other, and who is really the eponymous hero 'of the second and most famous comedy, is characterized more than anything else by his strength of will. It is he who devises the cunning plan of having the Count dress as a soldier and drunkenly asks Bartolo for lodgings to enter his house, and shows more urgency than the Count himself to carry out the plan; «Monseigneur, the difficulty of reussir ne fait qu'aujouter à la necessity d'entreprendre». This marks the first of a series of complicated conspiracies and stratagems that dominate the plot of all three plays, introducing us to the Comedy of Intrigue that Beaumarchais often seems to prefer over other comic variations. Indeed, this first ridiculous performance of the Count fits the genre's definition that "the complex plots and subplots of such comedies are often based on ridiculous and contrived situations." Beaumarchais tells us a lot about Figaro's stubborn character before we even get halfway through the first act. In a 19-line sentence in Act I, scene 2, he reveals to the Count the extent of the misfortunes he has experienced since they last saw each other in a semi-tragic monologue, speaking of "tous les Bugs , les moustiques, les cousins, les critiques... les deuillistes, les libaires, les censeurs, et tout ce qui s'attache à la peau des malheureux gens de lettres' However, it shows a resilient optimism in the face of so many misfortunes and he is shown to be able to adapt quickly to the changes taking place around him, moving from city to city and almost characterized by perpetual change. Although Figaro implicitly admits from the beginning the unpredictability of human life, saying "Je me presse de rire de tout, de d'être oblige d'en pleurer", remains stubbornly optimistic and continues to strive to assert the dominion of chance on every occasion. single occasion, such as seizing the opportunity to help the Count. In a certain sense, the first time we see Figaro, when he is alone composing a song on the guitar, prefigures the plot of the Trilogy. Here Figaro is in full control of what he is composing; he is uninterrupted and is able to make undisturbed decisions about the direction in which the song is going, until a fortuitous event comes along that stops him; that is, the unlikelihood of seeing an old employee, the Count, in Seville. From the beginning of the first work of the Beaumarchais Trilogy he therefore reminds us that life does not always follow the course we would like it to, and also introduces the complexities of the Comedy of Intrigue, which will continue to characterize his works. The plot of Le Mariage de Figaro is essentially a battle of wits between Figaro, Suzanne and the Countess on the one hand, and the Count and his band of allies on the other. However, the main plot is generally not driven by these charactersmain characters themselves, but by a series of accidents and incidents, as well as the actions of other characters such as Cherubino. For example, the armchair scene in the first act shows that the Cherubino actually represents the unexpected, as we have never heard of him before and he is not involved in either the Count or Suzanne's plans. The Cherubino was driven out of the castle by the Count because he was found hiding in the kitchen, so presumably the Count was surprised or disconcerted by it and wanted to chase away that 'unpredictability' that seems to accompany the presence of the page. The farcical scene that follows, however, makes the Count ridiculous in front of the Cherubino, who once again unexpectedly leaps out of his hiding place. Scherer highlights how Beaumarchais uses here "le troisième lieu", a third "place" on the scene linked to hiding places, surprise and disguise. The result of the two unlikely hiding places on the almost bare stage is the instability of the scene; the audience knows that the Cherub cannot remain hidden for long, so the maximum comic effect is achieved when he jumps out due to the explosiveness of the situation. This use of the 'troisième lieu' is frequent in Beaumarchais's works and has the effect of showing the unstable nature of human life in a hyperbolic way, while at the same time making the audience laugh. What these surprises often lead to are plays characterized by extreme plot volatility; characters will pursue a plan of action, only to completely return to their plan or change their opinion based on an event. These are often presented through farce tricks; techniques such as misunderstandings sometimes based on mistaken identity. The slapstick comedy of Act V, in which the Countess and Suzanne deceive their respective partners by disguising each other, is not only hilarious to the audience, but is used to emphasize the unpredictability of life. Figaro's painful monologue in Act V, scene 3 in which he believes that Suzanne, "créature faible et décevante" has betrayed him, is in stark contrast to Figaro who says: "Cela est juste; à genoux, bien courbé, prosterné, ventre à terre'. Beaumarchais cleverly demonstrates how the course of life can change so quickly simply because of the misinformation of others; it seems to be a lesson in how we piece together information and draw conclusions often too quickly, as Marceline sarcastically warns her son: 'Bien conclu!'. However, these variations on the Commedia dell'intrigue are not without tragic overtones; in Figaro's monologue we see the mask of cheerfulness lifted as he tells a rather tragic life story, albeit interspersed with satire ("The ne me restait plus qu'à vol; je me fais banquier du pharaon"), about media censorship and the injustice of the class system. This probably detracts from Beaumarchais's apparent mission to represent life as unpredictable, because this comment on the rigid class system in France shows that there is little mobility and that the opportunities available are largely based on birth, as Figaro sarcastically says 'vous vous êtes donné la peine de naître, et rien de plus'. However, perhaps this is precisely why the character of Figaro is so extraordinary; he constantly tries to assert his dominance over both the case and the social restrictions that have hindered him in the past. Beaumarchais therefore presents us with a character who has managed to take revenge on the adversities of life, and seems to suggest that optimism and the use of action are what is needed in a life that does not try to satisfy our desires. Beaumarchais' style for regarding the use of language and the rhythm of his works is also fundamental in creating the image of lives that fluctuate and change direction unexpectedly, often in a comical way. As Robert Niklaus argues, thisthat characterizes his works is an 'endiablé rhythm', which adapts particularly well to the 'folle journée' of Le Mariage de Figaro. The term 'folie', in addition to meaning madness, can also mean extravagance or exaggeration. Therefore, the title foreshadows a play about accumulation and excess; there's too much going on and things get out of control, and that's when things get hilarious for the audience. This fast-paced speech and action is often reinforced through captions; cues alerting the actor to a change in tempo or mood are numerous, such as the development of Bazile's character from "étonne", to "regardant tout le monde" to "stupéfait" in scene 11 of Act III of Le Barbier de Seville. What highlights the rapidity of the pace in these works is also the number of scenes; in Act II of Le Barbier there are 12 scenes, while in Act II of Le Mariage there are 26. The effect of this is that the forward movement of the action is emphasised; for example, in Le Mariage de Figaro at the end of Act II, scene 5, the Countess says "ils se sont tant presses, qu'ils ont oublié d'y mettre son cachet". Immediately at the beginning of the next scene the action of the previous one is resumed; Suzanne enters asking "Le cachet, à quoi?". This frequent repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of scenes keeps the show focused on the action relevant to the plot, while ensuring that it is constantly morphed into the next action. This insanely fast pace combined with the complexity of the plot leads to confusing moments that on the one hand make the viewer laugh, but on the other hand also demonstrate the uncertain and unstable nature of life. In his monologue in Act V, scene 3, Figaro says 'on se débat: c'est vous, c'est lui, c'est moi, c'est toi; non, ce n'est pas nous: eh mais qui donc?', which also lays out all the possibilities that might be in front of the protagonist, and all he has the power to do is question them. The use of pregnant question marks is extensive in Beaumarchais' works, and this in itself is probably an implicit way of representing the lack of control we have over our lives. Although we are free to control our lives to the extent that we can strive to assert our freedom, as Figaro does, chance and the decisions of others will always place obstacles in our path, causing confusion and unpredictability in human life. Beaumarchais seems to assert this in his style too, with constantly fluctuating rhythms and an almost frenetic pace that demonstrate the characters' inability to keep up with the twists and turns that life brings. Beaumarchais uses different variations of comedy in these two comedies, using innovative techniques such as the 'troisième lieu' but also reworkings of already existing techniques such as farce and the Comedy of intrigue, although these are often combined with more serious ideas and nature emotion of drama and tragedy. These comic variations are in fact based on the theme of the unpredictability of life, and this theme is represented in the frenetic action of the plays, in the plots driven by accidents and misunderstandings, but probably above all through the eponymous protagonist of Figaro. Even this character, stubborn enough to transgress social boundaries, admits to being hindered by chance; «Le risk a mieux fait que nous tous, ma petite: ainsi va le monde; on the travaille, on the project, on the arrangement of a côté; the other's accomplished fortune. However, in the character of Figaro, Beaumarchais seems to suggest that, even if there will never be a definitive victory over the unpredictability of life, man must continue to be optimistic because the struggle to overcome life's obstacles is what defines the man. In fact, this appeal to, 1954