Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the

French language French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Nor ...

and world literature. His extant works include

comedie Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term origin ...

farce Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical humor; the use of deliberate absurdity o ...

s, tragicomedies, comédie-ballets, and more. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed at the Comédie-Française more often than those of any other playwright today. His influence is such that the French language is often referred to as the "language of Molière". Born into a prosperous family and having studied at the Collège de Clermont (now Lycée Louis-le-Grand), Molière was well suited to begin a life in the theatre. Thirteen years as an itinerant actor helped him polish his comedic abilities while he began writing, combining

Commedia dell'arte (; ; ) was an early form of professional theatre, originating from Italian theatre, that was popular throughout Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was formerly called Italian comedy in English and is also known as , , and . Charact ...

elements with the more refined French comedy. Through the patronage of aristocrats including Philippe I, Duke of Orléans—the brother of

Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Vers ...

—Molière procured a command performance before the King at the

Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...

. Performing a classic play by

Pierre Corneille Pierre Corneille (; 6 June 1606 – 1 October 1684) was a French tragedian. He is generally considered one of the three great seventeenth-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Racine. As a young man, he earned the valuable patronag ...

and a

of his own, ''The Doctor in Love'', Molière was granted the use of salle du Petit-Bourbon near the Louvre, a spacious room appointed for theatrical performances. Later, he was granted the use of the theatre in the Palais-Royal. In both locations, Molière found success among Parisians with plays such as ''

The Affected Ladies ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'', '' The School for Husbands'', and '' The School for Wives''. This royal favour brought a royal pension to his troupe and the title ''Troupe du Roi'' ("The King's Troupe"). Molière continued as the official author of court entertainments.Roy, p. 756–757. Despite the adulation of the court and Parisians, Molière's satires attracted criticism from other circles. For '' Tartuffe's'' impiety, the

Catholic Church in France , native_name_lang = fr , image = 060806-France-Paris-Notre Dame.jpg , imagewidth = 200px , alt = , caption = Cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris , abbreviation = , type ...

denounced this study of religious

hypocrisy Hypocrisy is the practice of engaging in the same behavior or activity for which one criticizes another or the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform. In moral psychology, it is the ...

, which was followed by a ban by the

Parlement A ''parlement'' (), under the French Ancien Régime, was a provincial appellate court of the Kingdom of France. In 1789, France had 13 parlements, the oldest and most important of which was the Parlement of Paris. While both the modern Fre ...

, while '' Don Juan'' was withdrawn and never restaged by Molière. His hard work in so many theatrical capacities took its toll on his health and, by 1667, he was forced to take a break from the stage. In 1673, during a production of his final play, ''The Imaginary Invalid'', Molière, who suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis, was seized by a coughing fit and a haemorrhage while playing the hypochondriac Argan. He finished the performance but collapsed again and died a few hours later.

Life

Molière was born in Paris shortly before his christening as Jean Poquelin on 15 January 1622. Known as Jean-Baptiste, he was the first son of Jean Poquelin and Marie Cressé, who had married on 27 April 1621. His mother was the daughter of a prosperous

bourgeois The bourgeoisie ( , ) is a social class, equivalent to the middle or upper middle class. They are distinguished from, and traditionally contrasted with, the proletariat by their affluence, and their great cultural and financial capital. They ...

family. Upon seeing him for the first time, a maid exclaimed, "Le nez!", a reference to the infant's large nose. Molière was called "Le Nez" by his family from that time. He lost his mother when he was 10, and he does not seem to have been particularly close to his father. After his mother's death, he lived with his father above the ''Pavillon des Singes'' on the

rue Saint-Honoré The rue Saint-Honoré is a street in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. It is named after the collegial situated in ancient times within the cloisters of Saint-Honoré. The street, on which are located a number of museums and upscale bou ...

, an affluent area of Paris. It is likely that his education commenced with studies at a Parisian elementary school, followed by his enrolment in the prestigious

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

Collège de Clermont In France, secondary education is in two stages: * ''Collèges'' () cater for the first four years of secondary education from the ages of 11 to 15. * ''Lycées'' () provide a three-year course of further secondary education for children between ...

, where he completed his studies in a strict academic environment and got a first taste of life on the stage. In 1631, his father Jean Poquelin purchased from the court of

Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown ...

the posts of "" ("valet of the King's chamber and keeper of carpets and upholstery"). His son assumed the same posts in 1641. The title required only three months' work and an initial cost of 1,200 livres; the title paid 300 livres a year and provided a number of lucrative contracts. Molière also studied as a provincial lawyer some time around 1642, probably in

Orléans Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and Madeleine Béjart, with whom he had crossed paths before, and founded the

Illustre Théâtre The Illustre Théâtre was a French theatre company set up by Molière on 30 June 1643, and shut down less than two years later on his imprisonment in August 1645. However, it is notable for its impact on the history of the French theatre. It was s ...

with 630 livres. They were later joined by Madeleine's brother and sister. Les Contretemps

The theatre troupe went bankrupt in 1645. Molière had become head of the troupe, due in part, perhaps, to his acting prowess and his legal training. However, the troupe had acquired large debts, mostly for the rent of the theatre (a court for

jeu de paume ''Jeu de paume'' (, ; originally spelled ; ), nowadays known as real tennis, (US) court tennis or (in France) ''courte paume'', is a ball-and-court game that originated in France. It was an indoor precursor of tennis played without racquets, a ...

), for which they owed 2000 livres. Historians differ as to whether his father or the lover of a member of his troupe paid his debts; either way, after a 24-hour stint in prison he returned to the acting circuit. It was at this time that he began to use the pseudonym Molière, possibly inspired by a small village of the same name in the

Midi MIDI (; Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a technical standard that describes a communications protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors that connect a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, computers, and re ...

near Le Vigan. It was likely that he changed his name to spare his father the shame of having an actor in the family (actors, although no longer vilified by the state under Louis XIV, were still not allowed to be buried in sacred ground). After his imprisonment, he and Madeleine began a theatrical circuit of the provinces with a new

theatre troupe Theatrical troupe (French: ''troupe''), sometimes referred to as an acting company, is a group of theatrical performers working together. They may work in repertory other types of theatres, and may take performances on tour. They are not the same ...

; this life was to last about twelve years, during which he initially played in the company of Charles Dufresne, and subsequently created a company of his own, which had sufficient success and obtained the patronage of Philippe I, Duke of Orléans. Few plays survive from this period. The most noteworthy are '' L'Étourdi ou les Contretemps'' ''(The Bungler)'' and '' Le Docteur Amoureux'' ''(The Doctor in Love)''; with these two plays, Molière moved away from the heavy influence of the Italian improvisational

, and displayed his talent for mockery. In the course of his travels he met Armand, Prince of Conti, the governor of

Languedoc The Province of Languedoc (; , ; oc, Lengadòc ) is a former province of France. Most of its territory is now contained in the modern-day region of Occitanie in Southern France. Its capital city was Toulouse. It had an area of approximately ...

, who became his patron, and named his company after him. This friendship later ended when Armand, having contracted

syphilis Syphilis () is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium ''Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum''. The signs and symptoms of syphilis vary depending in which of the four stages it presents (primary, secondary, latent, an ...

from a courtesan, turned toward religion and joined Molière's enemies in the ''Parti des Dévots'' and the ''Compagnie de Saint Sacrement''. In

Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...

Mademoiselle Du Parc Mademoiselle (abbreviated as ''Mlle'' or ''M'') may refer to: * Mademoiselle (title), the French-language equivalent of the title "miss" Film and television * ''Mademoiselle'' (1966 film), a French-British drama directed by Tony Richardson * '' ...

, known as Marquise, joined the company. Marquise was courted, in vain, by

and later became the lover of

Jean Racine Jean-Baptiste Racine ( , ) (; 22 December 163921 April 1699) was a French dramatist, one of the three great playwrights of 17th-century France, along with Molière and Corneille as well as an important literary figure in the Western traditio ...

. Racine offered Molière his tragedy '' Théagène et Chariclée'' (one of the early works he wrote after he had abandoned his

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

studies), but Molière would not perform it, though he encouraged Racine to pursue his artistic career. It is said that soon thereafter Molière became angry with Racine when he was told that he had secretly presented his

tragedy Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy ...

to the company of the Hôtel de Bourgogne as well.

Return to Paris

Molière was forced to reach Paris in stages, staying outside for a few weeks in order to promote himself with society gentlemen and allow his reputation to feed in to Paris. Molière reached Paris in 1658 and performed in front of the King at the

(then for rent as a theatre) in Corneille's tragedy ''Nicomède'' and in the

''Le Docteur Amoureux'' with some success. He was awarded the title of ''Troupe de Monsieur'' (

Monsieur ( ; ; pl. ; ; 1512, from Middle French , literally "my lord") is an honorific title that was used to refer to or address the eldest living brother of the king in the French royal court. It has now become the customary French title of resp ...

being the honorific for the king's brother Philippe I, Duke of Orléans). With the help of Monsieur, his company was allowed to share the theatre in the large hall of the Petit-Bourbon with the famous Italian

company of

Tiberio Fiorillo Tiberio Fiorilli, also spelled Fiorillo and Fiurelli (November 9, 1608 – December 7, 1694)"Fiorillo, Tiberio" in ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica'' (15th edition, Chicago, 1991) vol. 4, p. 787. was an Italian actor of '' commedia dell'arte' ...

, famous for his character of

Scaramouche Scaramouche () or Scaramouch (; from Italian Scaramuccia , literally "little skirmisher") is a stock clown character of the 16th-century commedia dell'arte (comic theatrical arts of Italian literature). The role combined characteristics of the ...

. (The two companies performed in the theatre on different nights.) The premiere of Molière's ''Les Précieuses Ridicules'' ('' The Affected Young Ladies'') took place at the Petit-Bourbon on 18 November 1659. ''Les Précieuses Ridicules'' was the first of Molière's many attempts to satirize certain societal mannerisms and affectations then common in France. It is widely accepted that the plot was based on

Samuel Chappuzeau Samuel Chappuzeau (16 June 1625, Paris – 31 August 1701) was a French scholar, author, poet and playwright whose best-known work today is ''Le Théâtre François'', a description of French Theatre in the seventeenth century. Chappuzeau's pl ...

's ''Le Cercle des Femmes'' of 1656. He primarily mocks the

Académie Française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...

, a group created by Richelieu under a royal patent to establish the rules of the fledgling French theatre. The Académie preached unity of time, action, and styles of verse. Molière is often associated with the claim that comedy ''castigat ridendo mores'' or "criticises customs through humour" (a phrase in fact coined by his contemporary Jean de Santeuil and sometimes mistaken for a classical Latin proverb).

Height of fame

Despite his own preference for tragedy, which he had tried to further with the Illustre Théâtre, Molière became famous for his farces, which were generally in one act and performed after the tragedy. Some of these farces were only partly written, and were played in the style of Commedia dell'arte with improvisation over a

canovaccio A canovaccio is a scenario used by '' commedia dell'arte'' players. It consisted only of a list of acts and scenes; the details were left to the improvisation of the actors. Actors in the ''commedia dell'arte'' thus had to be endowed with an invent ...

(a vague plot outline). He began to write full, five-act comedies in verse (''L'Étourdi'' (Lyon, 1654) and ''Le dépit amoureux'' (Béziers, 1656)), which although immersed in the gags of contemporary Italian troupes, were successful as part of Madeleine Béjart and Molière's plans to win aristocratic patronage and, ultimately, move the troupe to a position in a Paris theater-venue. Later Molière concentrated on writing musical comedies, in which the drama is interrupted by songs and/or dances, but for years the fundamentals of numerous comedy-traditions would remain strong, especially Italian (e.g. the semi-improvisatory style that in the 1750s writers started calling

commedia dell'arte (; ; ) was an early form of professional theatre, originating from Italian theatre, that was popular throughout Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was formerly called Italian comedy in English and is also known as , , and . Charact ...

), Spanish, and French plays, all also drawing on classical models (e.g. Plautus and Terence), especially the trope of the clever slave/servant. ''Les précieuses ridicules'' won Molière the attention and the criticism of many, but it was not a popular success. He then asked Fiorillo to teach him the techniques of Commedia dell'arte. His 1660 play ''Sganarelle, ou Le Cocu imaginaire'' ('' The Imaginary Cuckold'') seems to be a tribute both to Commedia dell'arte and to his teacher. Its theme of marital relationships dramatizes Molière's pessimistic views on the falsity inherent in human relationships. This view is also evident in his later works and was a source of inspiration for many later authors, including (in a different field and with different effect)

Luigi Pirandello Luigi Pirandello (; 28 June 1867 – 10 December 1936) was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer whose greatest contributions were his plays. He was awarded the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature for "his almost magical power ...

. It describes a kind of round dance where two couples believe that each of their partners has been betrayed by the other's and is the first in Molière's "Jealousy series", which includes ''Dom Garcie de Navarre'', ''L'École des maris'' and ''L'École des femmes''. In 1660 the Petit-Bourbon was demolished to make way for the eastern expansion of the Louvre, but Molière's company was allowed to move into the abandoned theatre in the east wing of the Palais-Royal. After a period of refurbishment they opened there on 20 January 1661. In order to please his patron, Monsieur, who was so enthralled with entertainment and art that he was soon excluded from state affairs, Molière wrote and played ''Dom Garcie de Navarre ou Le Prince jaloux'' (''

The Jealous Prince ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...

'', 4 February 1661), a heroic comedy derived from a work of Cicognini's. Two other comedies of the same year were the successful ''L'École des maris'' ('' The School for Husbands'') and '' Les Fâcheux'' (''The Bores''), subtitled ''Comédie faite pour les divertissements du Roi'' (a comedy for the King's amusements) because it was performed during a series of parties that Nicolas Fouquet gave in honor of the sovereign. These entertainments led

Jean-Baptiste Colbert Jean-Baptiste Colbert (; 29 August 1619 – 6 September 1683) was a French statesman who served as First Minister of State from 1661 until his death in 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. His lasting impact on the organization of the countr ...

to demand the arrest of Fouquet for wasting public money, and he was condemned to life imprisonment. On 20 February 1662, Molière married

Armande Béjart Armande-Grésinde-Claire-Élisabeth Béjart (1645 – 30 November 1700) was a French stage actress, also known under her stage name Mademoiselle Molière.Scott, Virginia (2010). Women on the stage in early modern France : 1540-1750''. Cambridg ...

, whom he believed to be the sister of Madeleine. (She may have been her illegitimate daughter with the Duke of Modena.) The same year, he premiered ''L'École des femmes'' ('' The School for Wives''), subsequently regarded as a masterpiece. It poked fun at the limited education that was given to daughters of rich families and reflected Molière's own marriage. Both this work and his marriage attracted much criticism. The play sparked the protest called the "Quarrel of L'École des femmes". On the artistic side he responded with two lesser-known works: ''La Critique de "L'École des femmes"'', in which he imagined the spectators of his previous work attending it. The piece mocks the people who had criticised ''L'École des femmes'' by showing them at dinner after watching the play; it addresses all the criticism raised about the piece by presenting the critics' arguments and then dismissing them. This was the so-called ''Guerre comique'' (''War of Comedy''), in which the opposite side was taken by writers like Donneau de Visé,

Edmé Boursault Edmé Boursault (October 163815 September 1701) was a French dramatist and miscellaneous writer, born at Mussy l'Evéque, now Mussy-sur-Seine (Aube). Biography On Boursault's first arrival in Paris in 1651 his language was limited to Burgundia ...

, and Montfleury. However, more serious opposition was brewing, focusing on Molière's politics and his personal life. A so-called ''parti des Dévots'' arose in French high society, who protested against Molière's excessive "

realism Realism, Realistic, or Realists may refer to: In the arts *Realism (arts), the general attempt to depict subjects truthfully in different forms of the arts Arts movements related to realism include: *Classical Realism *Literary realism, a move ...

" and irreverence, which were causing some embarrassment. These people accused Molière of having married his daughter. The Prince of Conti, once Molière's friend, joined them. Molière had other enemies, too, among them the Jansenists and some traditional authors. However, the king expressed support for the author, granting him a pension and agreeing to be the godfather of Molière's first son. Boileau also supported him through statements that he included in his ''Art poétique''. Molière's friendship with

Jean-Baptiste Lully Jean-Baptiste Lully ( , , ; born Giovanni Battista Lulli, ; – 22 March 1687) was an Italian-born French composer, guitarist, violinist, and dancer who is considered a master of the French Baroque music style. Best known for his operas, he ...

influenced him towards writing his ''Le Mariage forcé'' and ''La Princesse d'Élide'' (subtitled as ''Comédie galante mêlée de musique et d'entrées de ballet''), written for royal "''divertissements''" at the

Palace of Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 19 ...

. '' Tartuffe, ou L'Imposteur'' was also performed at Versailles, in 1664, and created the greatest scandal of Molière's artistic career. Its depiction of the hypocrisy of the dominant classes was taken as an outrage and violently contested. It also aroused the wrath of the Jansenists and the play was banned. Molière was always careful not to attack the institution of monarchy. He earned a position as one of the king's favourites and enjoyed his protection from the attacks of the court. The king allegedly suggested that Molière suspend performances of ''Tartuffe'', and the author rapidly wrote ''

Dom Juan ou le Festin de Pierre ''Dom Juan ou le Festin de pierre'' ("Don Juan or The Feast of the Stone tatue) is a five-act 1665 comedy by Molière based upon the Spanish legend of Don Juan Tenorio. The aristocrat Dom Juan is a rake who seduces, marries, and abandons Elvira, ...

'' to replace it. It was a strange work, derived from a work by

Tirso de Molina Gabriel Téllez ( 24 March 1583 20 February 1648), better known as Tirso de Molina, was a Spanish Baroque dramatist, poet and Roman Catholic monk. He is primarily known for writing ''The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest'', the play from ...

and rendered in a prose that still seems modern today. It describes the story of an atheist who becomes a religious hypocrite and, for this, is punished by God. This work too was quickly suspended. The king, demonstrating his protection once again, became the new official sponsor of Molière's troupe. With music by

Lully Jean-Baptiste Lully ( , , ; born Giovanni Battista Lulli, ; – 22 March 1687) was an Italian-born French composer, guitarist, violinist, and dancer who is considered a master of the French Baroque music style. Best known for his operas, he ...

, Molière presented ''

L'Amour médecin ''L'Amour médecin'' (Dr. Cupid) is a French comedy written by Molière. It was presented for the first time by order of King Louis XIV at Versailles on September 22, 1665. Molière's foreword to the text states that the play is only a sketch, ...

'' (''Love Doctor'' or ''Medical Love''). Subtitles on this occasion reported that the work was given "par ordre du Roi" (by order of the king) and this work was received much more warmly than its predecessors. In 1666, '' Le Misanthrope'' was produced. It is now widely regarded as Molière's most refined masterpiece, the one with the highest moral content, but it was little appreciated at its time. It caused the "conversion" of Donneau de Visé, who became fond of his theatre. But it was a commercial flop, forcing Molière to immediately write ''

Le médecin malgré lui ''Le Médecin malgré lui'' (; "The doctor/physician in spite of himself") is a farce by Molière first presented in 1666 (published as a manuscript in early 1667) at le théâtre du Palais-Royal by la Troupe du Roi. The play is one of sever ...

'' (''The Doctor Despite Himself''), a satire against the official sciences. This was a success despite a moral treatise by the Prince of Conti, criticizing the theatre in general and Molière in particular. In several of his plays, Molière depicted the physicians of his day as pompous individuals who speak (poor) Latin to impress others with false erudition, and know only

clyster An enema, also known as a clyster, is an injection of fluid into the lower bowel by way of the rectum.Cullingworth, ''A Manual of Nursing, Medical and Surgical'':155 The word enema can also refer to the liquid injected, as well as to a device ...

s and bleedings as (ineffective) remedies. After the ''Mélicerte'' and the ''Pastorale comique'', he tried again to perform a revised ''Tartuffe'' in 1667, this time with the name of ''Panulphe'' or ''L'Imposteur''. As soon as the King left Paris for a tour,

Lamoignon Lamoignon is the name of a French noble family: * Famille de Lamoignon (French article, use translate option to view in English) *Guillaume de Lamoignon (1617–1677), lawyer *Nicolas de Lamoignon (1648–1724), Guillaume's second son, public offi ...

and the archbishop banned the play. The King finally imposed respect for ''Tartuffe'' a few years later, after he had gained more power over the clergy. Molière, now ill, wrote less. ''Le Sicilien ou L'Amour peintre'' was written for festivities at the castle of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, and was followed in 1668 by ''

Amphitryon Amphitryon (; Ancient Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων, ''gen''.: Ἀμφιτρύωνος; usually interpreted as "harassing either side", Latin: Amphitruo), in Greek mythology, was a son of Alcaeus, king of Tiryns in Argolis. His mother was named ei ...

'', inspired both by

Plautus Titus Maccius Plautus (; c. 254 – 184 BC), commonly known as Plautus, was a Roman playwright of the Old Latin period. His comedies are the earliest Latin literary works to have survived in their entirety. He wrote Palliata comoedia, the gen ...

' work of the same name and Jean Rotrou's successful reconfiguration of the drama. With some conjecture, Molière's play can be seen to allude to the love affairs of Louis XIV, then king of France. '' George Dandin, ou Le mari confondu'' (''The Confounded Husband'') was little appreciated, but success returned with ''L'Avare'' ('' The Miser''), now very well known. With Lully he again used music for ''Monsieur de Pourceaugnac'', for ''Les Amants magnifiques'', and finally for ''

Le Bourgeois gentilhomme ''Le Bourgeois gentilhomme'' (, translated as ''The Bourgeois Gentleman'', ''The Middle-Class Aristocrat'', or ''The Would-Be Noble'') is a five-act ''comédie-ballet'' – a Play (theatre), play intermingled with music, dance and singing – wri ...

'' (''The Middle Class Gentleman''), another of his masterpieces. It is claimed to be particularly directed against Colbert, the minister who had condemned his old patron Fouquet. The collaboration with Lully ended with a ''tragédie et ballet'', ''

Psyché Psyche (''Psyché'' in French) is the Greek term for "soul" (ψυχή). Psyche may also refer to: Psychology * Psyche (psychology), the totality of the human mind, conscious and unconscious * ''Psyche'', an 1846 book about the unconscious by Car ...

'', written in collaboration with

and

Philippe Quinault Philippe Quinault (; 3 June 1635 – 26 November 1688), French dramatist and librettist, was born in Paris. Biography Quinault was educated by the liberality of François Tristan l'Hermite, the author of ''Marianne''. Quinault's first play w ...

. In 1672, Madeleine Béjart died, and Molière suffered from this loss and from the worsening of his own illness. Nevertheless, he wrote a successful ''

Les Fourberies de Scapin ''Scapin the Schemer'' (french: Les Fourberies de Scapin) is a three-act comedy of intrigue by the French playwright Molière. The title character Scapin is similar to the archetypical Scapino character. The play was first staged on 24 May 1671 i ...

'' ("Scapin's Deceits"), a farce and a comedy in five acts. His following play, ''La Comtesse d'Escarbagnas'', is considered one of his lesser works. ''Les Femmes savantes'' (''

The Learned Ladies ''Les Femmes savantes'' (''The Learned Ladies'') is a comedy by Molière in five acts, written in verse. A satire on academic pretension, female education, and préciosité (French for preciousness), it was one of his most popular comedies and ...

'') of 1672 is considered another of Molière's masterpieces. It was born from the termination of the legal use of music in theatre, since Lully had patented the

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

in France (and taken most of the best available singers for his own performances), so Molière had to go back to his traditional genre. It was a great success, and it led to his last work (see below), which is still held in high esteem. In his 14 years in Paris, Molière singlehandedly wrote 31 of the 85 plays performed on his stage.

Les Comédies-Ballets

In 1661, Molière introduced the '' comédies-ballets'' in conjunction with ''Les Fâcheux''. These ballets were a transitional form of dance performance between the

court ballets of Louis XIV ''Ballet de cour'' ("court ballet") is the name given to ballets performed in the 16th and 17th centuries at royal court, courts. The court ballet was a gathering of noblemen and women, as the cast and audience were largely supplied by the ruling ...

and the art of professional theatre which was developing in the advent of the use of the proscenium stage. The ''comédies-ballets'' developed accidentally when Molière was enlisted to mount both a play and a ballet in the honor of Louis XIV and found that he did not have a big enough cast to meet these demands. Molière therefore decided to combine the ballet and the play so that his goal could be met while the performers catch their breath and change costume. The risky move paid off and Molière was asked to produce twelve more ''comédies-ballets'' before his death. During the ''comédies-ballets'', Molière collaborated with

Pierre Beauchamp Pierre Beauchamp or Beauchamps (; 30 October 1631 – February 1705) was a French choreographer, dancer and composer, and the probable inventor of Beauchamp–Feuillet notation. His grand-father was called Christophe (a musician) and his fa ...

. Beauchamp codified the five balletic positions of the feet and arms and was partly responsible for the creation of the Beauchamp-Feuillet dance notation. Molière also collaborated with Jean-Baptiste Lully. Lully was a dancer, choreographer, and composer, whose dominant reign at the Paris Opéra lasted 15 years. Under his command, ballet and opera rightly became professional arts unto themselves. The ''comédies-ballets'' closely integrated dance with music and the action of the play and the style of continuity distinctly separated these performances from the court ballets of the time; additionally, the ''comédies-ballets'' demanded that both the dancers and the actors play an important role in advancing the story. Similar to the court ballets, both professionally trained dancers and courtiers socialized together at the ''comédies-ballets'' - Louis XIV even played the part of an Egyptian in Molière's ''Le Mariage forcé'' (1664) and also appeared as

Neptune Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun and the farthest known planet in the Solar System. It is the fourth-largest planet in the Solar System by diameter, the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 times ...

and

Apollo Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...

in his retirement performance of ''Les Amants magnifiques'' (1670).

Death

Molière suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis, possibly contracted when he was imprisoned for debt as a young man. The circumstances of Molière's death, on 17 February 1673, became legend. He collapsed on stage in a fit of coughing and haemorrhaging while performing in the last play he had written, which had lavish ballets performed to the music of Marc-Antoine Charpentier and which ironically was titled '' Le Malade imaginaire'' (''The Imaginary Invalid''). Molière insisted on completing his performance. Afterwards he collapsed again with another, larger haemorrhage before being taken home, where he died a few hours later, without receiving the last rites because two priests refused to visit him while a third arrived too late. The superstition that green brings bad luck to actors is said to originate from the colour of the clothing he was wearing at the time of his death. Under French law at the time, actors were not allowed to be buried in the sacred ground of a cemetery. However, Molière's widow, Armande, asked the King if her spouse could be granted a normal funeral at night. The King agreed and Molière's body was buried in the part of the cemetery reserved for unbaptised infants. In 1792, his remains were brought to the museum of French monuments, and in 1817, transferred to Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, close to those of La Fontaine.

Reception of his works

Though conventional thinkers, religious leaders and medical professionals in Molière's time criticised his work, their ideas did not really diminish his widespread success with the public. Other playwrights and companies began to emulate his dramatic style in England and in France. Molière's works continued to garner positive feedback in 18th-century England, but they were not so warmly welcomed in France at this time. However, during the French Restoration of the 19th century, Molière's comedies became popular with both the French public and the critics. Romanticists admired his plays for the unconventional individualism they portrayed. 20th-century scholars have carried on this interest in Molière and his plays and have continued to study a wide array of issues relating to this playwright. Many critics now are shifting their attention from the philosophical, religious and moral implications in his comedies to the study of his comic technique. Molière's works were translated into English prose by John Ozell in 1714, but the first complete version in English, by Baker and Miller in 1739, remained "influential" and was long reprinted. The first to offer full translations of Molière's verse plays such as ''Tartuffe'' into English verse was

Curtis Hidden Page Curtis Hidden Page (April 4, 1870-December 13, 1946Date from ''New York Times'' obituary "DR. CURTIS H. PAGE; Retired Professor of English at Dartmouth..." published Dec. 13, 1946.) was a United States educator and writer. Biography He was born ...

, who produced blank verse versions of three of the plays in his 1908 translation. Since then, notable translations have been made by Richard Wilbur,

Donald M. Frame Donald M. Frame (1911 in Manhattan – March 8, 1991 in Alexandria, Virginia, Alexandria, Virginia), a scholar of French Renaissance literature, was Moore Professor Emeritus of French at Columbia University, where he worked for half a century. Bi ...

, and many others. In his memoir ''A Terrible Liar'', actor

Hume Cronyn Hume Blake Cronyn Jr. OC (July 18, 1911 – June 15, 2003) was a Canadian-American actor and writer. Early life Cronyn, one of five children, was born in London, Ontario, Canada. His father, Hume Blake Cronyn, Sr., was a businessman and ...

writes that, in 1962, celebrated actor

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the Theatre of the U ...

criticized Molière. According to Cronyn, he mentioned to Olivier that he (Cronyn) was about to play the title role in ''The Miser'', and that Olivier then responded "Molière? Funny as a baby's open grave." Cronyn comments on the incident: "You may imagine how that made me feel. Fortunately, he was dead wrong." Author Martha Bellinger points out that:

Influence on French culture

Molière is considered the creator of modern French comedy. Many words or phrases introduced in Molière's plays are still used in current French: *A '' tartuffe'' is a hypocrite, especially a hypocrite displaying affected morality or religious piety. *A '' harpagon'', named after the main character of '' The Miser'', is an obsessively greedy and cheap man. *The statue of the Commander (''statue du Commandeur'') from Don Juan is used as a model of implacable rigidity (''raide comme la statue du Commandeur''). *In ''

'', Act II, scene 7, Géronte is asked for ransom money for his son, allegedly held in a

galley A galley is a type of ship that is propelled mainly by oars. The galley is characterized by its long, slender hull, shallow draft, and low freeboard (clearance between sea and gunwale). Virtually all types of galleys had sails that could be used ...

. He repeats, "What the deuce did he want to go into that galley for?" ("Que diable allait-il faire dans cette galère?") The phrase "to go into that galley" is used to describe unnecessary difficulties a person has sought. *In ''

'', forced to impersonate a doctor, the chancer Sganarelle examines a young woman who is faking muteness in order to delay an arranged marriage. He then delivers to her father a "diagnosis" which consists of strings of gibberish, dog latin and recursive explanations which conclude with an authoritative "and so that is why your daughter is mute" ("Et voilà pourquoi votre fille est muette"). The phrase is used wholesale to mock an unsatisfactory explanation. *Monsieur Jourdain in ''Le Bourgeois gentilhomme'' arranges to be tutored in good manners and culture, and is delighted to learn that, because every statement that is not poetry is prose, he therefore has been speaking prose for 40 years without knowing it ("Par ma foi, il y a plus de quarante ans que je dis de la prose, sans que j’en susse rien"). The more modern phrase "je parle de la prose sans le savoir" is used by a person who realizes that he was more skilled or better aligned than he thought. *In the Comédie-ballet " George Dandin" (1668), Act I, scene 7, the main character uses the phrase "Tu l'as voulu, George Dandin" ("You wanted it, George Dandin") to address himself when his rich wife cheats on him. Now the phrase is used to reproach someone ironically, something like "You did it yourself".

Portrayals of Molière

Molière plays a small part in

Alexandre Dumas Alexandre Dumas (, ; ; born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (), 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas père (where '' '' is French for 'father', to distinguish him from his son Alexandre Dumas fils), was a French writer ...

's novel ''

The Vicomte of Bragelonne ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'', in which he is seen taking inspiration from the muskeeter Porthos for his central character in ''Le Bourgeois gentilhomme''. Russian writer

Mikhail Bulgakov Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov ( rus, links=no, Михаил Афанасьевич Булгаков, p=mʲɪxɐˈil ɐfɐˈnasʲjɪvʲɪtɕ bʊlˈɡakəf; – 10 March 1940) was a Soviet writer, medical doctor, and playwright active in the fir ...

wrote a semi-fictitious biography-tribute to Molière, titled ''Life of Mr. de Molière''. It was written in 1932–1933 and first published 1962. The French 1978 film simply titled ''

Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world ...

'' directed by Ariane Mnouchkine and starring Philippe Caubère presents his complete biography. It was in competition for the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1978. He is portrayed among other writers in ''

The Blasphemers' Banquet ''The Blasphemers' Banquet'' is a film-poem created in 1989 by English poet and playwright Tony Harrison which examines censorship arising from religious issues. It was created in part as a response to the Salman Rushdie controversy surrounding ...

'' (1989). The 2000 film ''

Le Roi Danse ''The King is Dancing'' (''Le Roi danse'') is a 2000 costume drama by Belgian filmmaker Gérard Corbiau based on Philippe Beaussant's biography of Jean-Baptiste Lully, ''Lully ou le musicien du soleil'' (1992). The film, presenting libertine and p ...

'' (''The King Dances''), in which Molière is played by

Tchéky Karyo Tchéky Karyo (; born 4 October 1953) is a French actor and musician of Turkish origin. Beginning his career as an actor on stage in classical and contemporary works, he began to work as a character actor in films in the 1980s. He has acted in nu ...

, shows his collaborations with

, as well as his illness and on-stage death. The 2007 French film ''

'' was more loosely based on the life of Molière, starring Romain Duris,

Fabrice Luchini Fabrice Luchini (; born Robert Luchini; 1 November 1951) is a French stage and film actor. He has appeared in films such as ''Potiche'', ''The Women on the 6th Floor'', and '' In the House''. For his role in the 2015 film '' Courted'' he won th ...

and Ludivine Sagnier.

David Hirson David Hirson (born 1958) is an American dramatist, best known for his award-winning Broadway comedies, '' La Bête'' and ''Wrong Mountain''. Biography Hirson was born in New York City to actress Alice and playwright Roger O. Hirson. He was edu ...

's play '' La Bête'', written in the style of Molière, includes the character Elomire as an anagrammatic parody of him.

List of major works

* ''

Le Médecin volant ''Le Médecin volant'' (''The Flying Doctor'') is a French play by Molière, The date of its actual premiere is unknown, but its Paris premiere took place on 18 April 1659. Parts of the play were later reproduced in '' L'Amour médecin'', and '' Le ...

'' (1645)—''The Flying Doctor'' * ''La Jalousie du barbouillé'' (1650)—''The Jealousy of le Barbouillé'' * '' L'Étourdi ou les Contretemps'' (1655)—''The Blunderer, or, the Counterplots'' * ''Le Dépit amoureux'' (16 December 1656)—''The Love-Tiff'' * ''Le Docteur amoureux'' (1658), the first play performed by Molière's troupe for

(now lost)—''The Doctor in Love'' * ''

Les Précieuses ridicules ''Les Précieuses ridicules'' (, ''The Absurd Précieuses'' or ''The Affected Ladies'') is a one-act satire by Molière in prose. It takes aim at the ''précieuses'', the ultra-witty ladies who indulged in lively conversations, word games and, in ...

'' (18 November 1659)—''The Affected Young Ladies'' * ''Sganarelle ou Le Cocu imaginaire'' (28 May 1660)—''Sganarelle, or the Imaginary Cuckold'' * ''Dom Garcie de Navarre ou Le Prince jaloux'' (4 February 1661)—''Don Garcia of Navarre or the Jealous Prince'' * '' L'École des maris'' (24 June 1661)—''The School for Husbands'' * ''Les Fâcheux'' (17 August 1661)—''The Bores'' (also translated ''The Mad'') * '' L'École des femmes'' (26 December 1662; adapted into '' The Amorous Flea'', 1964)—''The School for Wives'' * ''La Jalousie du Gros-René'' (15 April 1663; now lost)—''The Jealousy of Gros-René'' * ''La Critique de l'école des femmes'' (1 June 1663)—''Critique of the School for Wives'' * ''L'Impromptu de Versailles'' (14 October 1663)—''The Versailles Impromptu'' * ''Le Mariage forcé'' (29 January 1664)—''The Forced Marriage'' * ''Gros-René, petit enfant '' (27 April 1664; now lost)—''Gros-René, Small Child'' * ''La Princesse d'Élide'' (8 May 1664)—''The Princess of Elid'' * ''

Tartuffe ou L'Imposteur ''Tartuffe, or The Impostor, or The Hypocrite'' (; french: Tartuffe, ou l'Imposteur, ), first performed in 1664, is a theatrical comedy by Molière. The characters of Tartuffe, Elmire, and Orgon are considered among the greatest classical thea ...

'' (12 May 1664)—''Tartuffe, or, the Impostor'' * ''

Dom Juan ou Le Festin de pierre ''Dom Juan ou le Festin de pierre'' ("Don Juan or The Feast of the Stone tatue) is a five-act 1665 comedy by Molière based upon the Spanish legend of Don Juan Tenorio. The aristocrat Dom Juan is a rake who seduces, marries, and abandons Elvira, ...

'' (15 February 1665)—''Don Juan, or, The Stone Banquet'' (subtitle also translated ''The Stone Guest'', ''The Feast with the Statue'', &c.) * ''

'' (15 September 1665)—''Love Is the Doctor'' * ''

Le Misanthrope ou L'Atrabilaire amoureux ''The Misanthrope, or the Cantankerous Lover'' (french: Le Misanthrope ou l'Atrabilaire amoureux; ) is a 17th-century comedy of manners in verse written by Molière. It was first performed on 4 June 1666 at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal, Paris b ...

'' (4 June 1666)—''The Misanthrope, or, the Cantankerous Lover'' * ''

Le Médecin malgré lui ''Le Médecin malgré lui'' (; "The doctor/physician in spite of himself") is a farce by Molière first presented in 1666 (published as a manuscript in early 1667) at le théâtre du Palais-Royal by la Troupe du Roi. The play is one of sever ...

'' (6 August 1666)—''The Doctor in Spite of Himself'' * ''Mélicerte'' (2 December 1666) * ''Pastorale comique'' (5 January 1667)—''Comic Pastoral'' * ''Le Sicilien ou L'Amour peintre'' (14 February 1667)—''The Sicilian, or Love the Painter'' * ''

'' (13 January 1668) * ''

George Dandin ou Le Mari confondu ''George Dandin ou le mari confondu'' (''George Dandin or The Thwarted Husband'') is a French Comédie-ballet in three acts by Molière, with music by Jean-Baptiste Lully, choreography by Pierre Beauchamp, and architecture/staging by Carlo Vigaran ...

'' (18 July 1668)—''George Dandin, or the Abashed Husband'' * '' L'Avare ou L'École du mensonge'' (9 September 1668)—''The Miser, or, the School for Lies'' * ''

Monsieur de Pourceaugnac ''Monsieur de Pourceaugnac'' is a three-act ''comédie-ballet''—a ballet interrupted by spoken dialogue—by Molière, first presented on 6 October 1669 before the court of Louis XIV at the Château of Chambord by Molière's troupe of actors. ...

'' (6 October 1669) * ''Les Amants magnifiques'' (4 February 1670)—''The Magnificent Lovers'' * ''

'' (14 October 1670)—''The Bourgeois Gentleman'' * ''

'' (17 January 1671)—''Psyche'' * ''

'' (24 May 1671)—''The Impostures of Scapin'' * ''La Comtesse d'Escarbagnas'' (2 December 1671)—''The Countess of Escarbagnas'' * ''

Les Femmes savantes ''Les Femmes savantes'' (''The Learned Ladies'') is a comedy by Molière in five acts, written in verse. A satire on academic pretension, female education, and préciosité (French for preciousness), it was one of his most popular comedies and ...

'' (11 March 1672)—''The Learned Ladies'' * '' Le Malade imaginaire'' (10 February 1673)—''The Imaginary Invalid'' (or ''The Hypochondriac'')

References

Bibliography

*Alberge, Claude (1988). ''Voyage de Molière en Languedoc (1647–1657)''. Montpellier: Presses du Languedoc. . *Dormandy, Thomas (2000). ''The White Death: A History of Tuberculosis''. New York University Press, p. 10. . *Gaines, James F., editor (2002). ''The Molière Encyclopedia''. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. . * Hartnoll, Phyllis, editor (1983). ''The Oxford Companion to the Theatre'' (fourth edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press. . *Ranum, Patricia M. (2004). ''Portraits around Marc-Antoine Charpentier''. Baltimore: Patricia M. Ranum. "Molière", pp. 141–49. . *Riggs, Larry (2005). ''Molière and Modernity'', Charlottesville: Rookwood Press. . *Roy, Donald (1995). "Molière", , in ''The Cambridge Guide to Theatre'', edited by Martin Banham. Cambridge University Press. . *Scott, Virginia (2000). ''Molière, A Theatrical Life''. Cambridge University Press. .

External links

* * * *
Molière's works online
at toutmoliere.net (in French)
Molière's works online
at site-Molière.com

at InLibroVeritas.net *
Moliere's Verses Plays
Publication, Statistics, Words Research (in French)
The Comédie Française Registers
a database of over 34,000 performances from 1680 to 1791
Free Online 2010 American Translation of ''Dom Juan ou le Festin de pierre''Free Online 2011 American Translation of ''Le Médecin malgré lui''Free Online 2012 American Translation of ''Les Fourberies de Scapin''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moliere 1622 births 1673 deaths Male actors from Paris 17th-century French dramatists and playwrights 17th-century French male writers 17th-century French poets French satirists Lycée Louis-le-Grand alumni Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery 17th-century French male actors French male stage actors 17th-century male writers 17th-century deaths from tuberculosis Deaths onstage Man in the Iron Mask 17th-century pseudonymous writers 17th-century theatre managers Tuberculosis deaths in France