Figaro Social Class

The Marriage of Figaro written by Beaumarchais portrays 18th century France, a time that had many controversies evolved around the ideas of social and political aspects of society. Beaumarchais incorporates his use of characters and scenes to portray French society at the time. The common people began to see the way the government was mistreating them and eventually began to stand up for what they believed in. Corruption within the nobles and upper-class people of society was common at the time. Figaro one of the main characters in the play, who comes from the common people social class is one who becomes dissatisfied with the government and eventually speaks out against it. The play focuses on society in France before the Revolution and

He shows this by using Figaro and the Count who are in two different classes. The Count is from the rich class and holding a position of power. Figaro who works for the Count was part of the lower class also known as the common people. Leading up to the events of the French Revolution there was constant distress between the common and noble people in society. Figaro believed that “Whereas I, lost among the obscure crowd, have had to deploy more knowledge, ore calculation and skill merely to survive than has sufficed to rule all the providences of Spain for a century” he was smarter than the Count who did not have enough education to hold his role as a leader. (Beaumarchais, 199). The common people had very little rights, or power in society. However, Figaro stood up for himself and his beliefs and took the initiative to challenge the Count. Figaro believed inequality among the people and that each social class should not have more power over

One example in the play is when Figaro says to the Count “all that was required of you was the effort of being born and nothing more” (Beaumarchais, 199). This was a speech given by Figaro in the final act, which expresses the frustration the common people had towards the government. The common people had very little representation in their government, nor did the government respect their rights or opinions they had. Beaumarchais purpose for writing this play was to display the inequality of the social class system at the time. He was hoping to grow support from the common people so they can come together and rise up against the government and overthrow