ABSTRACT
The early modern period reveals itself to be a time when the aesthetic, moral, and epistemological issues revolving around deception were a key concern and were endlessly debated. This chapter illustrates parallels but also underline the strikingly different ways in which comedies often deal with this subject. It shows how some playwrights do incorporate the moral, philosophical, and religious dimensions of lying, thereby revealing an appreciation of its perceived attributes in other more serious discourses. The chapter reveals the early modern period not only demonstrates a fascination with the subject but possesses a rich vocabulary for speaking about veracity and mendacity, rendering it most fertile as a field of inquiry. It examines aesthetic concerns and considers the figure of the liar on the stage. The chapter also examines Pierre Corneille's Le Menteur and its sequel, La Suite du Menteur and reviews disruptions of straightforward communication. The chapter considers how characters and the audience are presented with truth or falsehood.
