‘[H]ow much of the French is in this’: Aphra Behn’s use of humour in Sir Patient Fancy (1678)

Abstract

Abstract: In Sir Patient Fancy, Behn asserts that her comedy is based only on Molière’s Le Malade imaginaire (1675): “Others […] cryed it was made out of at least four French Plays, when I had but a very bare hint from one, the Malad Imagenere” (5). This statement constitutes a reaction to the claim that, apart from Le Malade imaginaire, Les Femmes savantes (1672), L’Amour médecin (1665) and Monsieur de Pourceaugnac (1669) are also sources of Sir Patient Fancy. In this paper, after analysing the mechanisms of humour production used by these two playwrights, I hope to shed some light on the relationship between Molière’s comedies and Sir Patient Fancy. Título en español: ‘[H]ow much of the French is in this’: el uso del humor por parte de Aphra Behn en Sir Patient Fancy (1678)Resumen: En Sir Patient Fancy, Behn afi rma que su comedia se basa solamente en Le Malade imaginaire (1975): “Others […] cryed it was made out of at least four French Plays, when I had but a very bare hint from one, the Malad Imagenere” (5). Esta afi rmación constituye una reacción a la afi rmación de que, junto a Le Malade imaginaire, Les Femmes savantes (1672), L’Amour medécin (1665) y Monsieur de Pourceaugnac (1669) también son fuentes de Sir Patient Fancy. En este artículo, tras analizar los mecanismos de producción del humor usados por estos dos dramaturgos, espero aclarar la relación entre las comedias de Molière y Sir Patient Fancy.