Molière

alias Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (1622-1673). French playwright, actor and theatre manager.

Life

Molière was born in Paris as the oldest son of Jean Poquelin, an upholsterer, and Marie Cressé. Little is known about his early years. He went to the Collège de Clermont where he was taught how to dance and to foil fence. Even though his father wanted him to work as an upholsterer as well [1], he decided to work in a theatre. As a child, he went to the theatre regularly with his grandfather who was passionate about it (Brodowsky 162).

In 1643, he, his mistress Madeleine Béjart, her family and some friends set up a drama group called L’Illustre Théâtre. Due to financial problems the group left Paris and travelled throughout the country. In 1644, Poquelin used his stage name Molière for the first time [2].

In 1658, the group returned to Paris. As Philippe d`Orléans, the only brother of King Louis XIV, became Molière`s patron, he was more successful this time. They played for the King and his royal household. Later Louis XIV patronised the company, then known as “troupe du roi”. This also brought a rise in cultural capital, social prestige and popular success [3]. In 1662, Molière married Armande Béjart, the sister of Madeleine. Louis XIV was the godfather of their son who was born two years later.

In 1673, Molière died after a long illness. The final dying stages actually came on stage. While he was acting the title role in Le Malade Imaginaire (The Imaginary Invalid).

Comedies

Between 1658 and 1673, Molière wrote about thirty plays. He was influenced by the Italian Commedia dell`arte, fascinated by its central elements of improvisation and exaggeration. Therefore, the characters in his plays are exaggerated in their behaviour. As an example, in his play The Miser ( L`Avare) Harpagon, the main character, is so miserly that he is only interested in defending his property. He mistrusts everyone, including his children, and in the end, the fear of losing his property drives him to insanity.

In contrast to the Commedia dell`arte, in which human weaknesses of character are ridiculed, but the protagonists were not harmed, in Molière`s plays they are not able to live a “normal” life and distance themselves from humanity. Most of Molière`s plays take place in contemporary Paris and offered satirical representations of Parisian society. He did not stick to the upper class but in his plays there are stupid as well as prudent characters from all social classes.

In the Restoration his plays were very often adapted for the English stage and proved a decisive influence. William Wycherley's The Plain Dealer, for instance, takes central elements from Molière's Le Misanthrope (1666).

Some of the most well-known comedies:

The School for Husbands (L`école de maris) (1661)

The School for Wives (L`École des femmes) (1662)

The Forced Marriage (Le Mariage forcé) (1664)

The Princess of Elida (La Princesse d`Élide) (1664)

Tartuffe (Le Tartuffe; ou l`imposteur) (1664, 1667, 1669)

Don Juan (Dom Juan) (1665)

Love's Cure-All (L`Amour médecin) (1665)

The Misanthrope ( Le Misanthrope) (1666)

A Doctor Despite Himself (Le Médecin malgré hui) (1666)

Mélicerte (Mélicerte) (1666)

The Sicilian (Le Sicilien) (1667)

The Miser (L`Avare) (1668)

Monsieur de Pourceaugnac (Monsieur de Pourceaugnac) (1669)

The Magnificent Suitors (Les Amants magnifiques) (1670)

Psyche (Psyché) (1671).

Scapin's Schemings (Les Fourberies de Scapin) (1671)

A Pretentious Countess (La Comtesse d`Escarbagnas) (1671)

Learned Ladies (Les Femmes savantes) (1672)

The Hypochondriac, or The Imaginary Invalid (Le Malade imaginaire) (1673)

Sources

"Molière." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2013. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 08. July 2013 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/388302/Moliere

"Molière." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2013. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 08. July 2013 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/362554/comedy-of-manners>

"Molière." Site Molière. 08. July 2013 <http://www.site-moliere.com/bio/>

Brodowsky, Paul, et al. (eds). Weltliteratur II: Vom Mittelalter zur Aufklärung. Bockenem: Universitätsverlag Hildesheim, 2009.

Hösle, Johannes. Molière. München: Piper, 1987.

Howarth, William D. Molière: A Playwright and His Audience. Cambridge: CUP, 1982.

Further Reading

Knutson, Harold C. The Triumph of Wit: Molière and Restoration Comedy. Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1988.