men enter and kill both Rosine and Clindor. Isabelle is taken to the prince, who is in love with her. Pridamant is beside himself, when Alcandre begins laughing. He reveals Clindor and the other characters alive and in the process of dividing money. Clindor and his friends have become actors and what Pridamant observed was their performance of the final act of a tragedy. The play ends with Alcandre's apology explaining the virtue of becoming an actor. Characters Alcandre, a magician. Pridamant, father of Clindor. Dorante, friend of Pridamant. Matamore, a captain. Clindor, son of Pridamant, lover of Isabelle. Isabelle, lover of Clindor. Adraste, in love with Isabelle. Géronte, Isabelle's father. Lise, Isabelle's servant, in love with Clindor. Rosine, an English princess. Florilame, the husband of Rosine. Interpretation Structure L'Illusion comique plays with the idea of theatre within the theatre and has many layers of representation: The first level is the entire play with its share of conflicts, complications, and dénouements. The second level is the scene between Alcandre and Pridamant, who are actors and spectators at the same time The third level is that of the young lovers, Clindor and Isabelle, and their adventures The fourth level is that of the play that is performed by Clindor and Isabelle in the final act "The theatre of the world" The complex structure of the play, based on a mise en abyme and a play on appearances is designed to confuse the reader. The game of illusions is found in the Baroque idea that life is a theatre; and Corneille exploits this idea by mixing the real life of Clindor and the role that he plays. Disguise and changing identity are marks of the Baroque in this play. The grotto can also be interpreted as a metaphor for the theatre and its spectators. Instability The linearity of the story is broken several times, and numerous digressions interrupt actions that overlap and are often incomplete. The principal story is interlaced with many subplots. The inconsistency of the plot is reinforced by the amorous inconsistency of the characters. This instability is present again at the end when Pridamant and the reader cannot distinguish between reality and fiction. Disregard of the three unities Corneille seems to disregard the three unities of classical theatre: the entanglement of the plots breaks the unity of action; two years pass between the end of act IV and the