The Comic Romance

 

Paul Scarron's masterpiece recounts the adventures of a troupe of provincial itinerant actors, skillfully weaving comic anecdotes of their amorous exploits and the central love story between Léandre and his beloved Angélique into a rich and realistic tapestry depicting rural France. This milestone of picaresque literature spawned countless imitations in the 17th and 18th centuries, and was championed in the 19th century by eminent literary figures such as Théophile Gautier and Gérard de Nerval. Fully annotated, this edition is ideal for students.