This article examines the role of the mask in the theater of Marivaux. The mask as a stage attribute, having long lost its relevance, obtains new forms and meanings in his comedies. Marivaux develops a new type of comedy – love-psychological, emphasising not so much the plot twists and turns as the inner experience of the characters. The famous masks of Commedia dell’arte acquire clearly defined characters bearing the imprint of the elegant theater style of Rococo. In addition, in the context of Marivaux’s plays, the mask includes both artificial face and manner of speech of the character, the latter based on word play, hints and omissions. The world of the Marivaux’s theater is that of the salons and living rooms, where the characters live. Life for them means performance and game. And how to do without a mask in such a world, how to hide the true feelings there? The only way is to use a mask as a necessary condition for conflicts and intrigues.
theater; rococo; mask; marivaudage; commedia dell’arte; love-psychological comedy.