Goldoni’s revolution in comedy in the 18th century was the view that the origin of the comedy is the character. Slowly the masks of commedia dell’arte disappear from his plays and the personality of the actors and their becoming of the character is given an ever more prominent role. One of his most important character-comedies is written in 1753. The plot takes place in an inn in Florence where a hard struggle takes place to win the favors of the inn’s madam. Mirandolina is an orphan who manages the inn alone, but to stay afloat she needs a good dosage of almost overt female cunning. It is a consequence of her subtle air, high society demeanor and beauty that all the male residence of the inn are all drawn into her charm. One day a knight arrives who it seems doesn’t take any woman of the world into any consideration. But Mirandolina’s subtle ways slowly unhinge him from his misogynistic attitude. Heroism, passion, vanity and jealousy spring up in the inn, and the madam only forgets one thing: in this searing atmosphere she can get burned as well as anyone else.

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