Marivaudagen.

1765 H. Walpole Let. 19 Nov. in Corr. (1948) XIII. 144 Crébillon is entirely out of fashion, and Marivaux a proverb: marivauder, and marivaudage are established terms for being prolix and tiresome.

1882 G. Saintsbury Short Hist. Fr. Lit. iv. ii. 410 All the work of Marivaux, dramatic and non-dramatic, is pervaded more or less by a peculiarity which at the time received the name of Marivaudage. This peculiarity exists partly in the sentiment, and partly in the phraseology. The former is characteristic of the eighteenth century, disguising a considerable affectation under a mask of simplicity, and the latter (sparkling with abundant, if somewhat precious wit) is ingeniously constructed to suit it and carry it off.

1894 M. Beerbohm in Yellow Bk. 2 284 The qualities that I tried..to travesty—paradox and marivaudage.

1930 Mod. Lang. Rev. 25 71 Marivaudage..to quote Faguet..‘consists much more in analysing to excess a just thought than in decking out to excess an empty one’.

1959 Oxf. Compan. French Lit. 455/2 The term marivaudage, coined from his name, is used to signify the analysis of the delicate sentiments of the heart and the subtle, affected style used by Marivaux to this end in his comedies.

1982 F. Raphael Byron (1988) 56 Their romance dwindled into a matter more of ardent marivaudage than of passionate demonstration.