Definition

Proper noun: * Carlo Goldoni: An 18th-century Italian playwright, renowned for his prolific output and significant reforms to Italian comedy. He is celebrated for moving comedy away from the stock characters and improvisation of the commedia dell'arte tradition toward more realistic, character-driven plays with fully written scripts.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The plays of Goldoni offer a vivid portrait of 18th-century Venetian society.
  • Many scholars study how Goldoni modernized Italian theatrical comedy.
  • The theater festival will feature a special season dedicated to Goldoni.

Advanced Usage

• Goldoni-esque: (adjective) Describing a style of comedy reminiscent of Goldoni's work, characterized by sharp observation of social manners, vibrant middle-class settings, and well-drawn, realistic characters.
  • The modern play had a distinctly Goldoni-esque feel in its portrayal of family conflicts.

Variants and Related Words

• Goldonian: (adjective) Pertaining to or characteristic of Carlo Goldoni or his works.
  • The scholar presented a paper on Goldonian theatrical conventions.

Synonyms

• The playwright: (when contextually clear)
• The Venetian dramatist: (a descriptive synonym referencing his primary setting)

Related Idioms and Phrases

• A servant of two masters: This phrase is the title of one of Goldoni's most famous plays (). It is sometimes used idiomatically to describe a person trying to serve two conflicting parties or interests.
  • Trying to please both departments, he felt like a servant of two masters.

Noun

1. prolific Italian dramatist (1707-1793)