Marivaux and the “Comédie à l’espagnole” Mujeres Tramoyeras, Disguises, Stratagems

The Spanish theatre of the Siglo de Oro has an imprint on some comedies of Marivaux. It was through the theatre of Luigi Riccoboni that he became acquainted with Spanish comedia, but some structures of his plays seem to find their source in the “comédies à l’espagnole”, the French adaptations of the 17th century of the Siglo de Oro theatre. This article compares some Marivaux’s comedies with Spanish comedies with “mujeres tramoyeras” which give heroin a central role in the theatrical play.