Musset, myoo SAY, Alfred de (1810-1857), was a French dramatist and poet. Most of his plays were meant to be read rather than performed on stage. Musset is best known for a series of comedies of manners. These works, known collectively as Comedies et Proverbes, reflect a witty, poetic style and deep insights into human behavior. His plays deal with the pain of love and with the conflict between innocence and cynical sophistication. Musset's Lorenzaccio (1834) was a historical drama set in Florence, Italy. It was first staged in 1896.