<p>In 'The Comedies of Carlo Goldoni,' edited with an introduction by Helen Zimmern, readers are presented with a curated ensemble of Goldoni's most celebrated theatrical works. These plays, notable for their realistic portrayal of contemporary life in the Italian middle class, mark a departure from the commedia dell'arte tradition that dominated the era's stage. Goldoni's prose embodies a perfect amalgam of wit and satire, coupled with a profoun...