Publisher's Synopsis
Two plays by the well-known French Enlightenment philosopher and writer, Denis Diderot. THE PLAY AND THE PROLOGUE examines, with a certain amount of skepticism, the motives of people helping other people. The playwright Hardouin, who's clearly modeled on Diderot himself, manipulates those around him to generate what he believes to be beneficial results for those in need--whatever those needs are. But the recipients are not so sanguine about the underhanded methods that Hardouin employs to attain his ends, however good they might be. THE UNFORTUNATE FATHERS presents a family reduced to extreme poverty and even starvation by the intemperate actions of a father and his son. In the end, of course, all's well that ends well. Charles Palissot, in his plays The Philosophers & The Stumbling Block of Morals (also available from Borgo Press), accused Diderot of being a dishonest charlatan. But these two plays show a different side of Diderot--a man of compassion and caring, but never a fool. Great Enlightenment drama!
