Scaramouche (novel) Scaramouche (novel) Scaramouche is an historical novel by Rafael Sabatini, originally published in 1921. A romantic adventure, "Scaramouche" tells the story of a young lawyer during the French Revolution. In the course of his adventures he becomes an actor portraying "Scaramouche" (a roguish buffoon character in the "commedia dell'arte"). He also becomes a revolutionary, politician, and fencing-master, confounding his enemies with his powerful orations and swordsmanship. He is forced by circumstances to change sides several times. The book also depicts his transformation from cynic to idealist. The three-part novel opens with the memorable line: "He was born with a gift
Scaramouche wore a predominantly black costume with a white ruff. In France he became known as scaramouche. In the 19th century the English actor Joseph Grimaldi and his son J. S. Grimaldi made numerous appearances as Scaramouche. Scaramouche entertains the audience by his "grimaces and affected language". Salvator Rosa says that Coviello (like Scaramouche) is "sly, adroit, supple, and conceited". In Molière's "The Bourgeois Gentleman", Coviello disguises his master as a Turk and pretends to speak Turkish. Both Scaramouche and Coviello can be clever or stupid—as the actor sees fit to portray him. Scaramouche is one of the great characters in