Figaro plays upright|thumb|The original title page of The Marriage of Figaro Beaumarchais's Figaro plays are Le Barbier de Séville, Le Mariage de Figaro, and La Mère coupable. Figaro and Count Almaviva, the two characters Beaumarchais most likely conceived in his travels in Spain, are (with Rosine, later the Countess Almaviva) the only ones present in all three plays. They are indicative of the change in social attitudes before, during, and after the French Revolution. Prototypes of Almaviva and Rosine first appeared under the names Lindor and Pauline in the short and incomplete play Le Sacristain, in which Lindor disguises himself as a monk and music teacher in order to meet Pauline under the watchful eyes of her elderly husband. Beaumarchais wrote it around 1765 and dubbed it "an interlude, imitating the Spanish style."Beaumarchais: The three Figaro plays, translation and notes by David Edney, Doverhouse, 2000. Naturally, this thinly veiled government criticism did not go without opposition. Upon first reading a manuscript of Beaumarchais's play, King Louis XVI stated that "this man mocks everything that must be respected in a government" and refused to let it be performed. To a lesser degree, the Figaro plays are semi-autobiographical. Don Guzman Brid'oison (Le Mariage) and Bégearss (La Mère) were caricatures of two of Beaumarchais's real-life adversaries, Goezman and Bergasse. The page Chérubin (Le Mariage) resembled the youthful Beaumarchais, who did contemplate suicide when his love was to marry another. Suzanne, the heroine of Le Mariage and La Mère, was modelled after Beaumarchais's third wife, Marie-Thérèse de Willer-Mawlaz. Meanwhile, some of the Count's monologues reflect on the playwright's remorse over his numerous sexual exploits.
figaro playS UpRIGhT|thumB|thE oriGInAL titLe PaGe of The Marriage of fIgaro BEaumaRchaIs's fiGaro PLays ARe lE barbier de séville, le maRiage De fiGaro, and la mÈRe COUpAble. fiGAro anD coUnt AlmAvIva, THe twO CharacteRS beaUmArChAIs mOsT lIkeLy ConcEived in his traveLs In sPain, aRE (witH rOsinE, latER The couNTEss aLmaViva) The OnLy oneS present in all thrEe pLays. THeY arE iNdIcative oF tHE chAnge in SOcial AtTiTudes BeFORE, duRIng, aNd afTEr thE FreNCH rEVoLUtion. pRototypes of alMavivA aNd RoSiNE First appEared uNder the naMeS LindoR AND PaulIne in the shoRT and iNcomplEte plaY lE sacristain, In whicH linDor DisguIses hImselF as a MoNk and MUsIc TEacHer in Order TO meET pauline unDEr the WaTcHFuL eyeS oF HER eldErly HuSBANd. BEAUmArcHAis wrote it Around 1765 anD dubbEd it "an inTerluDE, imitatINg the spanIsh stYLe."beAumARchais: the three FIGaRO playS, transLatIon anD notes bY DAvid EdnEy, doveRhoUsE, 2000. natuRaLly, tHIs ThiNly vEilEd govERnMent CriTicism did Not GO wItHout OpPosition. UpoN fIrst rEaDINg a mANuScriPt of bEaumaRcHais's pLay, KiNG Louis xvi sTATed that "THis MaN mOckS EverYthINg THAt must be respected in A goVERnMent" And rEfusEd to LEt It BE perfoRmeD. tO a leSser dEGrEe, The FigaRo plAyS ARe semi-AutobiOgraPhIcal. don Guzman bRid'OISOn (le mariage) ANd béGeArSs (LA mÈre) WeRE cariCaturEs of twO Of bEAuMarcHaiS'S ReaL-Life AdverSarIeS, goeZMan and BErGAsSE. the pAge cHérubin (LE MAriAGE) REsEmbleD ThE YOuThfUl beAumARchais, wHo dId coNteMPLaTe SuIcide when hIs love wAs To maRrY anOtHer. suZaNNE, the herOine Of Le MaRIAGe anD la mèRE, Was MoDelled aFtEr bEaumARCHaiS's thIrD wife, mArie-THÉrèse de wilLer-mawlaz. MEanWhile, SomE Of the cOunT'S moNolOGueS REflecT On tHE plAYwRiGHt's remorSe OvEr His nUmeROus sexuAl exploItS.