Introduction
Plays often rely on tropes to create easily recognizable dynamics. One of the stock characters is a smart servant who helps the story’s heroes reach a specific goal. In Tartuffe, this role belongs to Dorine, the maid of Orgon’s daughter, Mariane. Stephen Sondheim uses a similar stock character in the musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. In it, an enslaved person named Pseudolus helps his master’s son, Hero, to unite with his love, Filia. Both characters are unafraid to be honest with their masters, and they use their cleverness to help other characters reach their goals.
Comparison of Literary Servants
Dorine is witty and straightforward – she is unafraid to tell her masters the truth. For instance, in a scene with Orgon’s son, she stops him from interfering with her plans by exclaiming, “Not you. I know your temper. You’d start a brawl” (Molière 216, 3.1.28-29). In the musical, Pseudolus cunningly excuses his stealing money from a passing stranger by stating, “I thought if I could raise enough you’d let me buy my freedom from you” (Sondheim et al. 31). Both characters are not afraid to speak honestly because they know they can escape punishment. Although they have little influence in society, they are clearly well-regarded within their households.
The trope also implies that these servants are kind, using their wit to assist the family. Dorine aims to expose Tartuffe and prevent his marriage to Mariane. One can see how intelligent Dorine is as she quickly develops a plan. She advises, “We’ll use all manner of means, and all at once … You’ll thus gain time, and time will turn the trick” (Molière 215, 2.4.168-174). In Sondheim’s musical, Pseudolus also decides to guide Hero – he instantly devises how to help the young man, “suppose someone, someone with tremendous cunning and guile, could arrange for her to be yours” (Sondheim, 31). In both works, the servants devise a way to resolve the problem that burdens the individuals they serve.
Conclusion
In conclusion, some critical characteristics of smart servants are that they are clever and straightforward, but also caring and reliable. While some details may be different, the uniting qualities of these characters make them a recognizable trope that often serves as a source of comedy. The servants’ honesty and brashness become a foundation for jokes, while their cunning minds move the plot toward its resolution.
Works Cited
Molière. Tartuffe. Translated by Richard Wilbur, Mariner Books, 1968.
Sondheim, Stephen, et al. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Applause Theatre Book Publishers, 1991. Archive.org.