Du marionnettiste au capitaliste : variations autour de la fonction éducative de Mangefeu

DOI : 10.54563/revue-k.912

Résumé

Chapter 9 of the Adventures of Pinocchio features one of the most ambiguous characters in this novel for young people, the terrible puppetshowman Mangiafoco. Contrary to what his erasure in many adaptations might suggest, this character is one of the richest and most complex characters in the Collodian text. Included since the 1881 version, it is interesting in many ways and helps to structure the link between the realm of men and that of puppets, perhaps anticipating Pinocchio’s future and ultimate metamorphosis. Unlike the circus ringmaster who serves as a repellent in his attempt to brutally educate a Pinocchio turned donkey, Mangiafoco appears to be a fundamental player in the puppet’s education and training process, even before Geppetto and the teacher. In fact, the brief encounter between the puppet and the puppeteer trains Pinocchio in fraternity and mutual aid, in defense through speech and discourse, and serves as an introduction to economics.

Numerous adaptations and rewritings of this novel have been proposed, whether it be in the form of films, cartoons, novels or comic strips. If the adaptationsreductions intended for younger children often omit the puppet theatre scene, those intended for older children, or even for an adult reader, transform and reinvest the puppeteer’s character, varying its educational weight and meaning, frequently mixing it with the circus director or the little man of the Land of Toys. This article proposes to analyze the educational function of Mangiafoco in different rewritings, from his being damaged in the 1940 Disney studios’ cartoon where Mangiafoco steals Pinocchio and tries to kidnap him, to his attitude that is alternately cynical, vengeful and helping in Arnaud Boutle and Corinne Denoyelle (2008), to his transformation into a stereotypical capitalist in Winshluss (2008).

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Référence électronique

Sylvie Martin-Mercier, « Du marionnettiste au capitaliste : variations autour de la fonction éducative de Mangefeu », K [En ligne], 5 | 2020, mis en ligne le 01 décembre 2020, consulté le 17 février 2025. URL : http://www.peren-revues.fr/revue-k/912

Auteur

Sylvie Martin-Mercier