Sganarelle Valet Bouffon

encouragement given to dramatists by Richelieu in the 1630s, actors became public personages who contributed significantly to the success or failure of their companies. Some created comic characters – the white-faced ‘Jodelet’ (Julien Bedeau, c.1595–1660), ‘Sganarelle’ (Molière), ‘Crispin’ (Belleroche, pseud. of Raymond Poisson, 1630–90) – or were associated with types developed from the commedia dell’arte, such as Arlequin, Pierrot and the immensely popular ‘Scaramouche’ (Tiberio Fiorelli, 1606– 94). As their