Comedy in Opera Buffa and Its Socio-Political Critique - Essay Example

Comedy in Opera Buffa and its Socio-Political Critique of 18th Century Society In human history, comedy has been a culture that has surfaced through the ages while influencing each society in a different way. Arguably, many life situation today and in the past century interpreted comic work differently. Apparently, humor in any situation would vary according to the interpretation of the viewers. The opera buffa applies the same argument by introducing a plot, which might seem completely personal. For instance, in ‘The Marriage of Figaro” Mozart uses comic illustration while criticizing the socio-political situation in the 18th century. This paper explores the parody of social norms while analyzing the work of Mozart in 18th century. Opera buffa was a comic entertainment played in Italian language in 18th century. The genre of opera buffa projected a social world using dramatic techniques and music. Character presentation was recognizable by the viewers, thus giving a distinct picture from the reality. Largely, opera buffa addressed issues of great thematic concern in a merely comical form. The performance of opera buffa has music convection, which portray dramatic series of events. It is arguable that the language and mood of presentation conveyed multifaceted issues affecting various characters in the society. Opera buffa comedy in “The Marriage of Figaro”, explain the relationship between Figaro and Susanna. Figaro, an ordinary servant of Count Almaviva has to beat the odds in society to marry Susanna who is a helper to Countless. The two lovers fear for their future because the Count does not want Figaro to take Susanna as wife. However, Susanna and Figaro devised a ploy which would lead to their marriage by involving the Countless in their plan. On the other hand, Count used Marcellina and Dr. Bartolo to block the marriage between Figaro and Susanna. However, Figaro does not marry Marcellina after arguing that he cannot marry without the consent of his parents. Cherubino, Count’s page is in love with gardener’s daughter. In the play, Cherubino’s action deeply displays the love affairs among the workers in the court. It is apparent that love life does not only apply to elite, but also the fugitive. The comic displays by Don Basilo in the play helps the viewers to come into terms with realities in life. Gossip as used by Don Basilo provided an opportunity for the count to know secretive events taking place in the court. Don Basilo’s gossip led to the dismissal of Cherubino. Music played in the play gives the play varying moods. Countless regretted the loss of romantic feelings by her husband. She meditates upon the right action to take while the music tone changes the mood of the situation. She plots with Susanna and Cherubino to baffle the plots of the Count. This comic revelation account for the love the Countess had for the husband. Further, it displayed the fact that romantic collapse may influence the parties in question to use a means possible to rejuvenate the romantic feelings. Looking at the flow of events in the play, a simple plot develops into a controversial event, which involves the Count and his workers. In the play, humor covers the gravity of the fight for Susanna, a house help, of the Countess. Figaro developed a protracted approach that would make him marry a woman of his desire. In “Marriage A La Mode,” a similar picture of the poor in the society and the rich crops, with the son of the pauper proposing to marry a daughter of a tycoon. A similarity in the two comic events is that in both cases the poor in the society and the rich are brought together in a romantic affair. Arguing from the revelation of the play, Count an elite and Figaro a servant fight their way towards winning Susanna. Socio-economic status of characters in the play influenced the social lifestyle. However, romantic lifestyle of the characters did not depend on the amount of wealth they command. Susanna confers with Countess to disguise in different clothing in order to rejuvenate romantic life between the Count and his wife. In the garden, disguised Susanna teases the Count to go a head with his romantic plans. The move by the Count to pin the wife on the point of unfaithfulness does not work after the Count realized that it was his wife. This is satirical because it leaves the viewers asking who among the actors is unfaithful. In Marriage A La Mode, unfaithfulness a sign of a breaking marriage crops when the couples show their discontent in marriage. Another similar illustration in the play is a situation where a prostitute grabs the hand of main character in the play. In both situations, marriage problem becomes the center of interest. Analyzing the characteristics of the characters in play “Marriage A La Mode” indicates that romantic relationship has an influence on the character. For instance, Lawyer pierces Earl in the play because of the unfaithful romantic affair. It demonstrates how romantic life can influence the life of an individual. Further, the wife commits suicide because she cannot stand accusation amid a lonely life. A close similarity is evident in the play “The Marriage of Figaro” following constant prejudices by Count that his wife is unfaithful. These prejudices ironically display the Count as unfaithful character who is ready to leave royalty for the sake of romance. Mozart uses comedy to paint the lifestyle of the elite in the society. In the play, “The Marriage of Figaro’, Count, a character representing the elite in the society does not respect his standard. He makes a calculative attempt aimed at denying Figaro the opportunity to marry Susanna. Although Count used Mercillina and Dr. Bartolo, it is apparent that he is the factor behind problems of Figaro. In the Marriage A la Mode, the playwright observes that higher life does not give satisfaction to Romantic feelings. This argument probably could explain the romantic affair between the wife of the Earl and the lawyer. Characters in the play set their differences a side when it came to romantic life. In both plays, it is apparent that the characters sought to please their own ego by employing any possible tactic in order to achieve their interest. Largely, it does not appear to the royal class that their action was displeasing. Barbarina believe that they should set their differences a part since they are women. She does this by making an attempt, which aims at diffusing any tension that is like to appear between Figaro and her new bride Susanna. It is arguable that the plot of the plays uses an approach drum or criticizes social evils by using comedy. For instance, in play “Marriage A La Mode”, prostitution which is a social evil comes out comically while play addresses the effects of these evil. The death of Earl and suicide committed by the wife illustrated a bitter point to the society in a comical approach. Mozart does not only criticize the lifestyle of the elites in 18th century, but also involves the greater society in the social rot. The point is to incorporate the social evils in the play by involving a prostitute who suffers from syphilis embracing a baby who has acquired the deadly infection. This imagery illustrate that future generation is not safe from the incidences of 18th century. To illustrate this point playwright of Marriage of Figaro uses Count to illustrate the theme of unfaithfulness and deception in marriage. His constant bickering comically hides his character, yet the viewers are able to tell his ill intentions in the play. Comedy comes out as a tool used in the 18th century to criticize marriage and approaches that led to broken marriage. It is evident from the plays that marriage has numerous problems, which do not only apply to the poor in the society, but also the elites. Largely, many incidences in the comic play illustrate broken relationship of the elites in the society. This would probably, illustrate the argument that wealth does not answer all problems of humanity. Further, the playwrights used a comic illustration to figure the dull future of the marriage life. In conclusion, comedy as used in the play addresses a thematic social concern that was edging in 18th century society. In “Marriage of Figaro” and “The Marriage A La Mode” the play rights used characters representing the elites in the society, to illustrate the frequent discontent in marriage in 18th century. In addition, Figaro a servant was able to fight an elite Count in order to marry Susanna. Throughout the play, music tunes illustrated different moods. Moreover, one would argue that the plot in the play are simple, but they display have a powerful thematic concern. Opera buffa of Mozart used different approaches to paint social disgrace among the elites. Work cited Hogarth, William & Cowley, S. L. Robert. Marriage a-la-mode: a re-view of Hogarth's narrative art. Manchester: Manchester University Press ND, 1983. Print. Mozart, A. Wolfgang. et.al. The Marriage of Figaro. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publisher. 2005. Print. Read More