ABSTRACT
Alexis Piron avoids in his tragedy the most inherently comic indicator of the unreliability of appearance as proof of identity, disguise; but numerous others are used, and perhaps the closest to disguise is found when Gustave appears before Christierne pretending to be his own killer. This scene even includes some dark dramatic irony which gets perilously close to being that very unclassical device of comedy in a tragic context, albeit very black comedy, as Gustave speaks in double meanings appreciated by the audience but not by Christierne. Christierne asks the 'killer' if he is the man who brings with him Gustave's head; Gustave replies that he is. Given the reputation of the mythologized historical figure of the real Gustav for the use of disguise, which is alluded to in Piron's text, this may seem a rather high-minded attitude, but it is clearly intended to give tragic dignity to this potentially comic theme of concealed identity.
