Résumé:
This thesis explores the presence of the elements of the carnivalesque and the adaptation of Arlecchino and Il Dottore in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and Pierre de Marivaux’s The Isle of Slaves. Drawing from Mikhail Bakhtin’s concept in Rabelais and His World,alongside descriptions of Commedia’s stock characters as well as Carl Jung’s concept of the trickster archetype, this study investigates how these plays use these notions for a purpose that exceeds entertainment and humour but are used as a subtle social commentary on hierarchies and the duality of identity. By analysing the use of role reversal, disguise,laughter and the grotesque, this research reveals how theatrical humour is used as a tool for social critique and how Commedia contributes to the literature of the carnivalesque. Thus,this study aims to demonstrate how these plays create a liminal space where conventional norms are subverted, allowing characters to adopt new identities and challenge the status quo.
Ultimately, this study explains the function of foolish figures like Feste and Harlequin as
tricksters and their role in bringing change and exposing the human flaw through their acts of humorous mischief.
