Master Peter Patelan, a Fifteenth-Century French Farce

Maistre Pierre Pathelin, also known as Master Peter Patelan, is a 15th-century French farce. Farce is a type of comic drama characterized by improbable situations, exaggerated characters, and slapstick humor. The term "farce" originated in Old French, meaning "stuffing," as these comic pieces were initially inserted into religious plays.1

Maistre Pierre Pathelin is considered one of the best examples of French farce. It tells a story of trickery involving a cunning lawyer, a simple draper, and a clever shepherd. This play, along with others, contributed to the spread of farce throughout Europe, influencing later playwrights like Shakespeare and Molière. Farce has remained a popular form of entertainment, evolving through various theatrical styles and into modern film and television comedies.213