Social Message of the Marriage of Figaro in the Way of French Revolution

Although The Marriage of Figaro is considered as one of the best comic operas, it has  another  meaning in the history of music.The social  massage of the opera which is based on the idea of being individual without distinction of class stratification had a significant role in the period to French Revolution.The character of Figaro put forward an opinion that dares to state that he is as good as his master.This is the first consequent of the enligthtenment idea.The enlightenment idea gave value to the idea of individualizm and provide people who belong to lower classes an opportunity to jugde aristocracy and also a chance to realize their rights.This was an  important step to prepare society to the  French Revolution.The middle and the lower classes follow a servant who can deride with his master's  arrogance and pedantry, critisize his moral values and revolt to his injustices.Charles H. Parsons is true when he says "Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro  is one of the most beloved comic operas of all.Audiences have been laughing and enjoying its humor for over two centuries. Yet no one probably enjoyed the humor as much as Mozart himself. Noted for a ready, if sometimes childish, wit, Mozart certainly enjoyed tweaking the prevailing social class system of his day. And no one was more aware than Mozart of the dangers of such tweaking and theserious underside of Figaro’s story. Mozart had audaciously chosen to base his opera on Pierre de Beaumarchais’ play Le Marriage de Figaro, which with vicious political satire mocked the French nobility and absolutism in general. The play was soon to become a rallying cry for the French Revolution".

Although Figaro was a  rebellious character for the period, in the way of French Revolution, his critisicms were not in a heroic way.Figaro has sarcastic and biting style because social and political conditions not allowed middle and lower classes to say aloud  their thoughts bravely.The most noticeable different after the revolution was having more concrete and bolder reactions and commentaris about  aristocracy and social regime.