[A BIT ABOUT THE PLAY]
'The Miser' is set in Paris. It is a romantic comedy. [The version I read was Molière's play and not the adaption, but most likely follows the same course.]
Basically we have:
Harpagon, the father to Cléante and Élise, who wants to be the suitor to Mariane. Harpagon is 'The Miser', of the title. Money is what he thinks about, worries about and balances all considerations on. He trusts no one with his money and finds it better to bury it in the backyard, than put it in a bank. La Flechè describes him thus:
'Of all human beings, our Mr Harpagon is the least human being of the lot. Of all mortal men he's the hardest, the tightest-fisted mortal man there is. There's no service you can do that would make him grateful enough to put his hand in his pocket. Praise, compliments, kindly cordial words, yes: plenty of those. But money? Forget it! You can gain his approval, to be in his good books, but you'll get nothing out of that dry old stick. He hates the the word "giving" so much he won't even give you a "good morning".Cléante, who is in love with Mariane. Mariane is mutually in love with Cléante.
Élise, who is in love with Valère [Stephen's part]. Valère is mutually in love with Élise.
Anselme, who Harpagon wants to marry Élise off to, and who is Valère and Mariane's father.
The plot goes like this. When the play opens, we haveValère, living in Élise's house and posing as a servant, to be near her and hopefully win his way into Harpagon's affections. Harpagon is of course not aware that Valère is anything but a servant. Valère and Élise are very much in love and wish to marry, but they are in a quandry as to how to approach Harpagon in such a way that it would be acceptable to him. Élise urges Valère to get her brother's support. He says that father and son would be too much to handle at the same time, and maybe it would be better if she tried to gain her brother's support herself. He leaves her for the moment.
As luck would have it, Cléante (her brother) then appears, but he has other things on his mind, because he too, is secretly in love. He tells Élise this and then tells her not to try and talk him out of it. He then tells her about Mariane. She responds with this line: 'I can see her very clearly from your description. Anyway, the fact that you love her is enough to tell me what sort of person she is.' He asks her to sound out their father for him. They discontinue the discussion at the sound of Harpagon's voice.
When Cléante approaches their father about marriage, Harpagon is very willing to talk about it. And much to Cléante's surprise, it is Cléante's beloved Mariane that he brings up. So to each complimentary remark, he eagerly agrees, until Harpagon gets to the punchline. Harpagon had made up his mind that HE would marry her! Cléante, when it sinks in, says: 'I feel faint all of a sudden. I must get out of here.'
But that's not all, Élise is next. Harpagon springs it on her that he has chosen Seigneur Anselme for her! Élise argues with him and getting no where, then says: 'I'll kill myself rather than marry a man like that!' Harpagon says anyone would see it his way, so how about if they let Valère decide. Élise, certain that Valère will side with her, agrees to let Valère decide the matter for them. Valère, when he hears, is dumbfounded. He stutters around and then wavers back and forth, not wanting to side with Harpagon, but not wanting to offend him either. For Harpagon, the main argument that he feels cannot be opposed is Anselme being willing to take her without a dowry. He says it over, and over, and over again. Valère agrees with him, and then sneaks in the reasons why Harpagon might be in opposition to the marriage. Of course, Harpagon is not really listening to him and when he hears dogs barking in the garden, off he goes to check on his precious money.
When he is gone, Élise asks Valère what he is up to. Valère says the surest way to ruin everything is to argue with Harpagon. And that pretending to go along with what he wants, is the best way to get what they want. Élise asks him how they can stop the marriage planned for that night. Valère says she should pretend to be ill.
Cléante decides to raise some money and run away with Mariane. He enlists the help of La Flechè to help him find a money lender. La Flechè finds him a broker, who finds one for him. He would not give the name, but arranges a meeting between the two. As luck would have it, when Cléante is shown into the meeting, it is none other than Harpagon! Both Cléante and Harpagon are very unpleasantly surprised. A nasty exchange occurs between the two.
Frosine is Harpagon's marriage broker. To say he is a liar, is a gross understatement. The man has turned lying into an art form! He fills Harpagon full of lies about how attractive Mariane finds him. Harpagon is very pleased and arranges for Mariane to call on Élise.
When Frosine meets with Mariane, she makes it plain in no uncertain terms that Harpagon is a horrid fate that she does not wish to contemplate. Her heart belongs to the nameless young man that had called at her house.
When Mariane comes to call on Élise, Mariane is amazed to find that the young man she fancied is also there [Cléante]. Since Harpagon is also present, Cléante and Mariane try and tell each other things without Harpagon catching on that they talking about each other.
When Élise, Cléante and Mariane are without Harpagon, Élise makes it clear to Mariane that she is on her side. Frosine too.
When Harpagon and Cléante are alone, he asks him what he thinks of Mariane. Harpagon tricks him into revealing his true feelings. Rather than backing down at that point, he tells Cléante to forget Mariane, as he has every intention of marrying her himself. Both are angry at this point.
Mâitre Jacques attempts to smooth things over between the two, but actually makes matters worse, by telling each what they wish to hear. When the two attempt to reconcile, and each thinks the other has conceded, and then find that neither has changed position, they are both even more angry.
About this time, Harpagon find his money missing, and just about has a fit. An officer is called in and Harpagon wants everybody in the whole city arrested.
Harpagon accuses Maître Jacques of stealing it. Maître Jacques sees an opportunity to put in a bad word for Valère, of whom he is jealous. He fumbles when questioned, but Harpagon, eager to name a thief, doesn't notice.
Harpagon tells Valère to confess. Valère, whose conscience has been bothering him anyway, wants to confess, but to loving Élise, not stealing. Harpagon things money, Valère thinks love.This is a passage from that part:
VALÈRE: You will act as you choose and I am ready to bear whatever cruelty you think fit. But at least please believe that if any wrong has been done it should be laid at my door and no one else's. Your daughter is in no way to blame.HARPAGON: I should think not indeed! It would be very odd if my daughter were to have had a hand in a crime like this. But I demand restitution! I insist that you tell me the place where you found what you spirited away!
VALÈRE: Spirited away? I haven't spirited anything away. Neither of us has set foot outside your house.
HARPAGON: (aside) Oh my lovely money-box! (To Valère) Not left the house?
VALÈRE: No sir.
HARPAGON: But tell me. You haven't been tampering---
VALÈRE: Me? Tamper? No there you wrong both of us. What I feel is pure and honourable, and though I am so deeply in love--
HARPAGON(aside): Deeply in love with my money-box?
VALÈRE: I would rather die than give any hint that I harboured a single thought unworthy of one so modest and unassuming as--
HARPAGON: Modest? My money-box?
VALÈRE: All I ever asked for was the pleasure of seeing her. Nothing base or unworthy has profaned the love such beauty inspires in me.
When Harpagon tells Seigneur Anselme what has happened, Valère feels it necessary to say he is really Don Thomas d'Alburcy's son. And that he was rescued from the wreck of a Spanish vessel. Raised by the ship's captain as his own son. Only recently had he learned that his father was not dead, and it was in searching for him, that he happened upon Élise. When Anselme asks him what proof he can offer, Valère says he could produce the captain, a signet ring from his father, a braclet from his mother, and the one surviving servant. It is then that Mariane says: 'From what you have said, it is clear that you are my brother.' She fills him in on what had befallen her mother and herself, since the shipwreck. Anselme then says: 'O Lord! How wonderful are the ways in which Thy power is made manifest! How true it is that Heaven alone can accomplish miracles! Embrace me my children, and join with me in rejoicing for I am your father.'
Ever conscious of money in any situation, Harpagon says if Anselme is Valère's father, he is going to sue him for the 10,000 crowns. Valère asks who it was accused him. Mâitre Jacques is pinpointed. He lies and says he never said anything of the kind. Of course, there is the officer to point out different.
Cléante says he has news of Harpagon's money but he will only tell if he relinquishes any right to Mariane. Anselme urges him to consent to the double marriage of his children. Harpagon reluctently agrees provided Anselme pay the costs of both weddings and buy him a new suit of clothes for the wedding. Anselme agrees.
The play ends in reunions: Anselme and the children going off to share the good news of their reunion with Valère/Mariane's Mother, and Harpagon to be reunited with his money-box.
***** The play is a good read. I recommend it highly. Wish I had seen Stephen do it! [I am sure he was superb.] If you had the good fortune to see his perfomance and could share some comments for this page, please email me at webmaster@sbillington.com.
Last updated: 13 September 2001 Return to The Miser I Theatre I TV & Movies I Biography
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