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    Scaramouche
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    Scaramouche
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    Scaramouche
    Ebook524 pages8 hours

    Scaramouche

    By Rafael Sabatini

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Scaramouche is a stock clown character of the Italian commedia dell'arte. The role combined characteristics of the zanni (servant) and the Capitano (masked henchman). Usually attired in black Spanish dress and burlesquing a don, he was often beaten by Harlequin for his boasting and cowardice. Although Tiberio Fiorillo (1608–1694) was not the first to play the role, he greatly developed and popularized it. He removed the mask, used white powder on his face, and employed grimaces. He had a small beard, long mustache, and wore a predominantly black costume with a white ruff. In France he became known as Scaramouche. In the 19th century the English actor Joseph Grimaldi and his son J. S. Grimaldi made numerous appearances as Scaramouche. Scaramouche entertains the audience by his "grimaces and affected language". Salvator Rosa says that Coviello (like Scaramouche) is "sly, adroit, supple, and conceited". In Molière's The Bourgeois Gentleman, Coviello disguises his master as a Turk and pretends to speak Turkish. Both Scaramouche and Coviello can be clever or stupid—as the actor sees fit to portray him.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSheba Blake Publishing
    Release dateApr 28, 2017
    ISBN9783961895571

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    Reviews for Scaramouche

    4/5

    337 ratings15 reviews

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    • 5/5
      A reread. Ah...what can I say about this book? If you're trying to make up your mind whether or not to read this, you should probably read a different review. I reread this because I couldn't stop thinking about it after the Occupy Wall Street movement started up, and I felt that I have been moving through similar attitudes as Andre-Louis throughout the book. At first I was flat-out cynical about it--Pfft, like that's going to do any good--and I fear the potential for damage there.
    • 5/5
      This book is a classic example of Renaissance historical fiction. From swashbuckling swordsmanship to prudent politics, this story has it all.
    • 2/5
      Since uni I've been interested in the French Revolution, and have read a handful of proper histories, but almost never any fiction. I read A Place of Greater Safety and loved it. I watched the Scarlet Pimpernel episode of Blackadder 3 and loved it. I picked up this book, meant to be a swashbuckling tale of romance, and... not so good.It wasn't terrible. The plot was just so predictable and cliched, driving towards entirely contrived scenarios, the last one of which made me groan audibly. But worse than that, I did not understand Andre-Louis' character at all. He is described repeatedly as 'heartless' and 'insincere', but on a number of occasions he is described as being unsure of what to do, or being upset, of having sleepless nights. It didn't fit together, not for me.
    • 4/5
      I remember I was much excited by this book, and few years later when I was a sophomore in college iI signed up for a course "the french REvolution and Napolean" influenced to do so in part by my reading of this novel. It was an excellent course.
    • 4/5
      I didn't think I would like this at first, I've never been much interested in the French revolution and I thought the language would be challenging. But it wasn't too much of a problem and I got caught up in the drama of the story. The man character's best friend is killed--murdered, really--in an unfair duel and Scaramouche vows to avenge his death and continue to speak out for his cause. The rest of the book deals with his struggles to survive and carry out his pledge, which isn't easy since the guy who killed his friend is a rich and powerful man. Along the way he has many adventures, romances, and encounters interesting characters. Fans of historical fiction and rollicking adventure should highly enjoy it.
    • 2/5
      I bought this because Michael Chabon listed it among his ten favorite novels. That seems strong -- it's a diverting swashbuckler, but not terribly memorable.
    • 4/5
      Swashbuckling coming of age story of a young cynic who turns idealist and then realist, while inspiring revolution, acting with a troup of improvisational actors, learning swordsmanship from a master, and then joining the political ranks. He is apparently good at anything he tries, and we have a grand time watching each new stage in his life. Ah, Revolutionary France, what an exciting time.
    • 4/5
      A classic of its kind. Gives a useful description of some of the details of the early part of the French Revolution. Fun if ridiculous dialogue, an awesome protagonist, and the triumph of true love after many misunderstandings.
    • 4/5
      Silly, but entertaining as long as you have the right expectations. Though I tagged this as historical romance, the French Revolution is mostly the backdrop for the personal dramas endured by the main character, whose political opinions result in a good bit of turbulence both professionally and romantically. It's fun to read about his careers in the theater and the fencing academy, and interesting to see various historical characters in passing (though it's not clear how much resemblance they bear to the real people). All in all, a light palate-cleanser in between more heavyweight books.
    • 4/5
      Another good Sabatini story. The hero is not, perhaps, as likable as Peter Blood (Captain Blood) or Sir Oliver (The Sea Hawk), but the backdrop of the story is more interesting.
    • 5/5
      Clever dialog, albeit sometimes slower to read (sentence structure/word choice.) So glad to have found this gem. Published in 1921, André-Louis Moreau is a complicated character, even as a young man in his mid-twenties and already a lawyer, actor, fencing master, politician. It makes me wonder what he would have accomplished now?
    • 3/5
      The novel is broken into three parts; three "books." The setting is the 1790's, but the book was written in the 1920's. The first book was an easy read, much like action/adventure stories of today. The second book was a bit of a bummer for me. It reminded me of the old, silent movie clips I have seen: overacting, not-realistic moving around. The last book surprised me as it read like a biography, describing the lead character actions/thoughts in an odd way for me, as I don't read biographies. Overall an interesting "historical fiction" type book.
    • 5/5
      "He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad."Best. Opening. Line. Ever. 
    • 3/5
      Like bad Dumas. His sailing books offer a little more in that genre. However, this tale - a tale of revenge and love in the time of Revolutionary France - really leaves much to be desired. It is really ok - but not great. Good, but not wonderful. The disappointment is that it could have been really amazing - but it wasn't.
    • 3/5
      This book had intrigued me a while back, when I first saw it at Barnes & Noble. So I picked it up last week in Milwaukee. It's a (sort of) historical novel around the French revolution. The story itself, minus the history, is the prototypical romance, swashbuckling European-style novel. A young man is raised by his godfather; his parents are unknown and one suspected the godfather is actually his father. He has the de rigueur beautiful cousin that he'll end up marrying (in a sequel perhaps) and goes through all kinds of adventures, or misadventures, only to find out at the end that both his parents are noblemen, of course.All in all although it's entertaining, it has not much value. The historical parts seem sort of mangled, but then the French revolution itself was mangled. And the plot is the standard semi-romantic story of adventure. I can think of many other books that are more worthy of reading than this one.