The Marriage of Figaro Literary Elements

Comedy of Errors

French, translated by Thomas Holcroft

Castle on the outskirts of Seville, in Andalucia, Spain

Funny, farcical, lighthearted, satirical, fast-paced

Figaro is the protagonist and the count is the antagonist

Figaro wants to marry Susan, but the count is trying to have an affair with her and prevent their marriage. Additionally, the countess wants to get revenge on the count for being unfaithful, and Figaro and Susan must face many additional obstacles to getting married.

The climax occurs when the count realizes that the countess has played an elaborate prank on him.

The response to Figaro's realization that Bartholo and Marcelina are his parents is rather understated. Marcelina goes from being someone who is pursuing Figaro romantically to being his mother in an instant.

An allusion is made to Don Quixote. Allusions are made to the class structure and the aristocracy.

Many instances of cross-dressing, disguises, hiding, sudden reveals.

The count sees nothing wrong at all with pursuing other women while he is married, but objects strongly to his wife doing the same thing.

The countess and Susan are parallels for one another, eventually dressing up as one another at the end of the play.

Disguises and dramatic irony in abundance. One of the most famous moments in the play is a long soliloquy that Figaro addresses to no one in particular in the garden.