Jean-Baptiste Poquelin
Portrait of Molière by Nicolas Mignard
Born	January 15, 1622 Paris, France
Died	February 17, 1673 Paris, France
Pen name	Molière
Occupation	playwright
Nationality	French
Writing period	1645-1673
Genres	Comedy
Notable work(s)	Tartuffe; The Misanthrope; The Learned Women; The School for Wives
Spouse(s)	Armande Béjart
Domestic partner(s)	Madeleine Béjart
Influences Commedia dell'arte

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, also known by his stage name, Molière, (January 15, 1622 – February 17, 1673) was a French playwright and actor who is considered one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature. Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Events 1500 - Battle of Hemmingstedt. 1600 - Philosopher Giordano Bruno is burned alive at Campo de' Fiori Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a Pseudonym adopted by an Author or their publishers to conceal their identity Employment is a Contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. A playwright, also known as a dramatist, is a person who writes dramatic literature or Drama. Nationality is a relationship between a Person and their State of Origin, Culture, association Affiliation and/or Loyalty Legal residents and citizens To be French according to the first article of the Constitution is to be a citizen of France regardless of one's origin race or religion ( A literary genre is a category of literary composition Genres may be determined by Literary technique, tone, Content, or even (as in the case of fiction Comedy (from the Greek κωμωδίαkomodia has a popular meaning (any discourse generally intended to amuse especially in Television, Film, and A domestic partnership is a legal or Personal relationship between two individuals who live together and share a common domestic life but are neither joined by a traditional For the Swiss ballet company see Béjart Ballet, and its choreographer Maurice Béjart Béjart, the name of several French Commedia dell'Arte ( Italian: "the comedy of artists" is a form of Improvisational theatre that began in Italy in the 16th century A stage name, also called a screen name, is a Pseudonym used by Performers and Entertainers such as Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Events 1500 - Battle of Hemmingstedt. 1600 - Philosopher Giordano Bruno is burned alive at Campo de' Fiori A playwright, also known as a dramatist, is a person who writes dramatic literature or Drama. An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works Comedy (from the Greek κωμωδίαkomodia has a popular meaning (any discourse generally intended to amuse especially in Television, Film, and ^[1] Among Molière's best-known dramas are Le Misanthrope, (The Misanthrope), L'Ecole des femmes (The School for Wives), Tartuffe ou l'Imposteur, (Tartuffe or the Hypocrite), L'Avare ou l'École du mensonge (The Miser), Le Malade imaginaire (The Imaginary Invalid), and Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (The Bourgeois Gentleman). Le Misanthrope ou l'Atrabilaire amoureux (June 4th 1666 is a 17th century Comedy of manners written by French playwright Molière. The School for Wives ( French: L'école des femmes) is a theatrical Comedy written by the 17th century French playwright Molière Tartuffe (full title Tartuffe or the Hypocrite, French fr ''Tartuffe ou l'Imposteur'' is a Comedy by Molière, and arguably his most famous L'Avare is a 1668 five-act satirical Comedy by French playwright Molière. Le Malade imaginaire (roughly The Hypochondriac or The Imaginary Invalid) is a play and the last work by Molière. Le Bourgeois gentilhomme ( The Bourgeois Gentleman) is a comédie-ballet - a Ballet interrupted by spoken dialogue - in five acts by

From a prosperous family and having studied at the Jesuit Clermont College (now Lycée Louis-le-Grand), Molière was well suited to begin a life in the theatre. The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order The Lycée Louis-le-Grand (sometimes nicknamed LLG) is a public Secondary school located in Paris, widely regarded as one of the most demanding in Thirteen years as an itinerant actor helped to polish his comic abilities while he also began writing, combining Commedia dell'Arte elements with the more refined French comedy. Commedia dell'Arte ( Italian: "the comedy of artists" is a form of Improvisational theatre that began in Italy in the 16th century ^[2]

Through the patronage of a few aristocrats including the brother of Louis XIV, Molière procured a command performance before the King at the Louvre. Early years Birth and ancestry Louis XIV was born in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye on September 5 1638 and bore the Heir apparent The Royal Variety Performance is a gala evening held annually in the United Kingdom, which is attended by senior members of the British Royal Family, normally The Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre located in Paris is the world's most visited art museum a historic monument and a national museum of France Performing a classic play by Pierre Corneille and a farce of his own, Le Docteur amoureux (The Doctor in Love), Molière was granted the use of Salle du Petit-Bourbon at the Louvre, a spacious room appointed for theatrical performances. Pierre Corneille ( June 6, 1606 – October 1, 1684) was a French tragedian who was one of the three great seventeenth Century French A farce is a Comedy written for the stage or film which aims to Entertain the audience by means of unlikely extravagant and improbable situations disguise and mistaken Later, Molière was granted the use of the Palais-Royal. In both locations he found success among the Parisians with plays such as Les Précieuses ridicules (The Affected Ladies), L'École des maris (The School for Husbands) and L'École des femmes (The School for Wives). Les Précieuses ridicules is a one-act Satire by Molière in Prose. The School for Wives ( French: L'école des femmes) is a theatrical Comedy written by the 17th century French playwright Molière This royal favour brought a royal pension to his troupe and the title "Troupe du Roi" (The King's Troupe). A pension is a steady income given to a person upon Retirement, typically in the form of a guaranteed annuity. Molière continued as the official author of court entertainments. ^[3]

Though he received the adulation of the court and Parisians, Molière's satires attracted criticisms from moralists and the Church. Tartuffe ou l'Imposteur (Tartuffe or the Hypocrite) and its attack on religious hypocrisy roundly received condemnations from the Church while Don Juan was banned from performance. Tartuffe (full title Tartuffe or the Hypocrite, French fr ''Tartuffe ou l'Imposteur'' is a Comedy by Molière, and arguably his most famous Don Juan (Spanish or Don Giovanni (Italian is a legendary fictional Libertine whose story has been told many times by many authors Molière's hard work in so many theatrical capacities began to take 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, Le Malade imaginaire (The Imaginary Invalid), Molière, who suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis, was seized by a coughing fit and a haemorrhage while playing the hypochondriac Argan. Le Malade imaginaire (roughly The Hypochondriac or The Imaginary Invalid) is a play and the last work by Molière. Tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB for tubercle bacillus or T u' b' erculosis Bacillus --> is a common Hypochondriasis (or hypochondria, sometimes referred to as health phobia) refers to an excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness He finished the performance but collapsed again and died a few hours later. In his time in Paris, Molière had completely reformed French comedy. ^[4]

Life

The son of court interior decorator (tapissier) Jean Poquelin, the descendant of a long line of Beauvais tradesmen, and valet de chambre to the King, and Marie Cressé, the daughter of a prosperous bourgeois family, Jean Baptiste Poquelin lost his mother at the age of 10 and doesn't seem to have been particularly close to his father. Valet de chambre, or varlet de chambre, was a court appointment introduced in the late Middle Ages, common from the 14th century onwards After his mother's death, he lived with his father above the Pavillion de Singes on the rue Saint-Honoré in an affluent quartier of Paris. It is likely that his education commenced with studies in a Parisian petty school; this was followed with his enrollment in the prestigious Jesuit College de Clermont, where he completed his studies in a strict academic environment. The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order

At the age of 18 Jean Poquelin arranged for his son to receive his title ("Tapissier ordinaire de la chambre du Roi") which he had purchased with the payment from Richelieu's enlargement of the court offices. The title required only 3 months' work and an initial cost of 1,200 livres; the title paid 300 livres a year and provided a number of lucrative contracts. Poquelin also studied as a provincial lawyer some time around 1642, probably in Orléans, but it is not documented that he ever qualified. This article is about the French city of Orléans for other meanings see Orleans (disambiguation. So far he had followed the plan of his father and it had served him well; he had mingled with nobility at the College and seemed destined for a career in office, bright prospects for a boy of 20 in 17th century France.

It was at this point that Molière became disenchanted with his father's plans. At age 21 he decided that he preferred a career on the stage. In June 1643 he abandoned his social class and family's plans for his future and pursued the theatre. Taking leave of his father, he joined the beautiful Madeleine Béjart, with whom he had crossed paths before, and founded L'Illustre Théâtre with 630 livres. For the Swiss ballet company see Béjart Ballet, and its choreographer Maurice Béjart Béjart, the name of several French They were later joined by Madeleine's brother and sister.

The newly founded theater troupe became bankrupt in 1645. Moliere 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 tennis court for Jeu de Paume), for which they owed 2000 livres. Historians differ as to who paid his debts, his father, or perhaps the lover of a member of the troupe; either way after a twenty four hour stint in prison he returned to the acting circuit. It was at this time that he began to sign himself with the pseudonym Molière, possibly inspired by a small village of the same name in Southern France close to Le Vigan. A pseudonym is a fictitious alternative to a person's legal name (see Alias) Southern France (or the South of France) colloquially known as Le Midi, is a loosely defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that Le Vigan or Vigan is the name or part of the name of the following communes in France Le Vigan Gard, in the Gard department Le It was also 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 in the reign of Louis XIV, were still not allowed to be buried in sacred ground). Early years Birth and ancestry Louis XIV was born in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye on September 5 1638 and bore the Heir apparent

After his imprisonment, he and Madeleine began a theatrical circuit of the provinces; this life was to last about 12 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 d'Orléans. Few pieces survive from this period, which is documented by La Grange. The most noteworthy are L'Etourdi and Le docteur amoureux; with these two pieces Molière finally moved away from the heavy influence of the Italian Commedia dell'arte whose improvisation had scarred his earlier work, and showed the genius for mockery which was to serve him so well in later life. Commedia dell'Arte ( Italian: "the comedy of artists" is a form of Improvisational theatre that began in Italy in the 16th century In the course of his travels he met the Prince of Conti, the governor of Languedoc, who became his patron, and named his company after him. Languedoc ( in French Lengadòc in Occitan) is a former Province of France, now continued in the modern-day ''régions'' of Languedoc-Roussillon This friendship would later end, when Conti, after contracting syphilis (the result of an unfortunate night spent with a prostitute rather than his official mistress), attempted to reconcile himself with religion and so cure himself. Syphilis is a Sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochetal Bacterium Treponema pallidum pallidum. Conti acquired a religious advisor, as was the style at the time, who counseled him against maintaining actors and encouraged him to join Molière's enemies in the Parti des Dévots and the Compagnie de Saint Sacrement.

In Lyon, Mademoiselle Duparc, known as Marquise, joined the company. ||-||} Lyon, also known as Lyons in English is a city in east-central France. Marquise was courted, in vain, by Pierre Corneille and later became the lover of Jean Racine. Pierre Corneille ( June 6, 1606 – October 1, 1684) was a French tragedian who was one of the three great seventeenth Century French Jean Racine ( ( December 22, 1639 &ndash April 21, 1699) was a French Dramatist, one of the "big three" of Racine offered Molière his tragedy Théagène et Chariclée (one of the first works he wrote after he had left his theology studies), but Molière would not perform it, though he encouraged Racine to pursue his artistic career. Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective It is said that soon thereafter Molière became angry with Racine when he was told that he had secretly presented his tragedy to the company of the Hôtel de Bourgogne as well.

Arrival in Paris

Molière was forced to reach Paris by stages, staying outside for a few weeks in order to inveigle himself with society gentlemen and allow his reputation to feed in to Paris. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Molière reached Paris in 1658 and performed in front of the King at the Louvre (then for rent as a theatre) in Corneille's tragedy Nicomède and in the farce Le docteur amoureux (The Doctor in Love), with some success. The Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre located in Paris is the world's most visited art museum a historic monument and a national museum of France A farce is a Comedy written for the stage or film which aims to Entertain the audience by means of unlikely extravagant and improbable situations disguise and mistaken He was awarded the title of Troupe de Monsieur (Monsieur being the king's brother) and with the help of Monsieur, his company joined a famous Italian Commedia dell'arte company. Commedia dell'Arte ( Italian: "the comedy of artists" is a form of Improvisational theatre that began in Italy in the 16th century He became firmly established at their theatre, Petit-Bourbon, where on November 18, 1659, he performed the premiere of Les Précieuses Ridicules (The Affected Young Ladies). Events 326 - The old St Peter's Basilica is consecrated 1302 - Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull Les Précieuses ridicules is a one-act Satire by Molière in Prose.

Les Précieuses Ridicules was the first of Molière's many attempts to satire certain societal mannerisms and affectations then common in France. It is widely accepted that the plot was based on Samuel Chappuzeau's Le Cercle des Femmes of 1656. Samuel Chappuzeau (1625-1701 was a French Scholar, Author, Poet and Playwright whose best-known work today is Le Théâtre He primarily mocks the Académie Française, an 'organization' created by Richelieu to organise and classify the rules of the fledgling French theatre, they preached unity of time and action, styles of verse. L'Académie française, or the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. He is often associated with the claim that comedy castigat ridendo mores or "criticizes customs through humor" a phrase in fact coined by his contemporary Jean de Santeuil and sometimes mistaken for a classical Latin proverb. Humour or humor (see spelling differences) is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke Laughter and provide Amusement This page lists direct English Translations of common Latin phrases, such as veni vidi vici and Et cetera.

Height of fame

Despite his own preference for tragedy, which he had tried to further with the Illustre Theatre, Molière became famous for his farces, which were generally in one act and performed after the tragedy. A farce is a Comedy written for the stage or film which aims to Entertain the audience by means of unlikely extravagant and improbable situations disguise and mistaken 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 a vague plot outline used by Commedia dell'Arte players He also wrote two comedies in verse, but these were less successful and are generally considered less significant. Later in life Molière concentrated on writing musical comedies, in which the drama is interrupted by songs and dance or a combination of both.

Les Précieuses ridicules won Molière the attention and the criticism of many, but it was not a popular success. He then asked his Italian partner Tiberio Fiorelli, famous for his play Scaramouche, to teach him the techniques of Commedia dell'arte. Tiberio Fiorelli ( November 9 1608 &ndash December 7 1694) was an Actor of Commedia dell' arte, creator Scaramouche is a Historical novel by Rafael Sabatini, originally published in 1921 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 ( June 28, 1867 — December 10, 1936) was an Italian Dramatist Novelist, and short 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 (a flop), L'École de Maris and L'École des femmes.

In 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), 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, 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 honour of the sovereign. Nicolas Fouquet marquis de Belle-Isle viscomte de Melun et Vaux ( January 27, 1615 – March 23, 1680) was the Superintendent of Finances These entertainments led Jean-Baptiste Colbert to demand the arrest of Fouquet for wasting public money, and he was condemned to life imprisonment. Jean-Baptiste Colbert ( August 29, 1619 — September 6, 1683) served as the French minister of finance from 1665 to 1683 under

In 1662 Molière moved to the Théâtre du Palais-Royal, still with his Italian partners, and married Armande, whom he believed to be the sister of Madeleine. The Théâtre du Palais-Royal is a 750 seat theatre at 38 rue Montpensier in Paris. She may have instead been her illegitimate daughter with the Duc of Modène. The same year he played L'École des Femmes (The School for Wives), subsequently regarded as a masterpiece. The School for Wives ( French: L'école des femmes) is a theatrical Comedy written by the 17th century French playwright Molière 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. This perhaps needs some explanation: the piece mocks the people who had criticised L'Ecole 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, and Montfleury. Jean Donneau de Visé (1638 - 1710 was a French journalist royal historian ("historiographe du roi" playwright and publicist Edmé Boursault (October 1638 - September 15, 1701) was a French Dramatist and miscellaneous writer born at Mussy l'Evéque now

But 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" and irreverence, which were causing some embarrassment. Literary realism most often refers to the trend beginning with certain works of nineteenth-century French literature and extending to late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century 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. Jansenism was a branch of Catholic Gallican thought which arose in the frame of the Counter-Reformation and the aftermath of the Council of Trent However, the King expressed his solidarity with the author, granting him a pension and agreeing to be the godfather of Molière's first son. A pension is a steady income given to a person upon Retirement, typically in the form of a guaranteed annuity. Boileau also supported him through statements that he included in his Art Poétique. Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux ( November 1 1636 - March 13, 1711) commonly called Boileau, was a French Poet and

Molière's friendship with Jean Baptiste Lully 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 Versailles. Jean-Baptiste de Lully ( Giovanni Battista di Lulli) (ʒɑ̃batist də lyˈli in French (November 28 1632 &ndash March 22 1687 was a French Composer of Italian Versailles (vɛʀsaj in French) formerly de facto capital of the kingdom of France, is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and is still an important

Le Tartuffe, ou L'Imposteur was also performed at Versailles, in 1664, and created the greatest scandal of Molière's artistic career. Tartuffe (full title Tartuffe or the Hypocrite, French fr ''Tartuffe ou l'Imposteur'' is a Comedy by Molière, and arguably his most famous A scandal is a widely Publicized incident that involves Allegations of wrongdoing, disgrace or moral outrage 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.

Moliére was always careful not to attack the institution of monarchy and the authority of the Church. He earned a position as one of the king's favorites and enjoyed his protection from the attacks of the court. The King allegedly suggested that Molière suspend the performances of Tartuffe, and the author rapidly wrote Don Juan, ou le Festin de Pierre to replace it. It was a strange work, derived from a work by Tirso de Molina and inspired by the life of Giovanni Tenorio, rendered in a prose that still seems modern today. Tirso de Molina (October 1571? - March 12, 1648) was a Spanish Baroque Dramatist and poet Don Giovanni ( K527; complete title Il dissoluto punito ossia il Don Giovanni, literally "The Rake Punish'd or Don Giovanni For the Wikipedia guideline regarding editing articles see WikipediaManual of Style. 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, Molière presented L'Amour médecin (Love Doctor or Medical Love). L'Amour médecin (The Love Doctor is a French comedy written by Molière. 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.

Jean-Léon Gérôme illustrates the unfounded Romantic anecdote in which Louis XIV invites Molière to share his supper, in a painting of 1863

In 1666, Le Misanthrope was produced. Jean-Léon Gérôme ( May 11, 1824 – January 10, 1904) was a French painter and sculptor in the style Le Misanthrope ou l'Atrabilaire amoureux (June 4th 1666 is a 17th century Comedy of manners written by French playwright Molière. 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 the Le Médecin malgré lui (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's 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 clysters and bleedings as (ineffective) remedies. An enema (plural enemata or enemas) is the procedure of introducing liquids into the Rectum and colon via the Anus. Bleeding, technically known as hemorrhaging / haemorrhaging (see American and British spelling differences) is the loss of Blood from

After the Mélicerte and the Pastorale Comique, he tried again to perform Tartuffe in 1667, this time with the name of Panulphe or L'imposteur. As soon as the King left Paris for a tour, Lamoignon and the archibishop banned the play. The King finally imposed respect for Tartuffe a few years later, after he had gained more power over the clergy. Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given Religion.

Molière, now ill, wrote less. Le Sicilien, ou l'Amour Peintre was written for festivities at the castle of Saint-Germain, and was followed in 1668 by a very elegant Amphitryon, obviously inspired by Plautus's version but with allusions to the King's love affairs. Amphitryon, or Amphitrion, in Greek mythology, was a son of Alcaeus, king of Tiryns in Argolis. Titus Maccius Plautus (c 254–184 BCE commonly known as Plautus, was a Roman Playwright. George Dandin, ou le Mari Confondu (The Confounded Husband) was little appreciated, but success returned with L'Avare (The Miser), now very well known. L'Avare is a 1668 five-act satirical Comedy by French playwright Molière.

With Lully he again used music for Monsieur de Pourceaugnac, for Les Amants Magnifiques, and finally for Le Bourgeois gentilhomme (The Middle Class Gentleman), another of his masterpieces. Le Bourgeois gentilhomme ( The Bourgeois Gentleman) is a comédie-ballet - a Ballet interrupted by spoken dialogue - in five acts by 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, written in collaboration with Pierre Corneille and Philippe Quinault. For the play of the same name see Psyché (play. Psyché is an opera of 1678, adapted from Molière's original play Pierre Corneille ( June 6, 1606 – October 1, 1684) was a French tragedian who was one of the three great seventeenth Century French Philippe Quinault ( 3 June 1635 – 26 November 1688) French Dramatist and Librettist, was born in Paris

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's Schemings), a farce and a comedy in 5 acts. Les Fourberies de Scapin (literally "Scapin's deceits" is a 3-act Comedy by French Playwright Molière first staged on His following play, La Comtesse d'Escarbagnas, is considered one of his lesser works.

Tomb of Molière in Le Père Lachaise Cemetery. Père Lachaise Cemetery (Cimetière du Père-Lachaise officially cimetière de l'Est, "East Cemetery" is the largest Cemetery in the city of Paris La Fontaine's grave can be seen right behind.

Les Femmes savantes (The Learned Ladies) of 1672 is considered one of Molière's masterpieces. Les Femmes Savantes (The Learned Ladies is a play by Molière in five acts written in verse It was born from the termination of the legal use of music in theatre, since Lully had patented the opera in France, so Molière had to go back to his traditional genre. Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto It was a great success, and it led to his last work, which is held in high esteem.

In his 14 years in Paris, Molière single-handedly wrote 31 of the 85 plays performed on his stage while simultaneously holding his company together.

Death

Moliere suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis, possibly contracted when he was imprisoned for debt as a young man. One of the most famous moments in Molière's life is the last, which became legend: while performing Le Malade Imaginaire (The Hypochondriac in some translations), he collapsed on stage with a fit of coughing and hemorrhaging. The King, Louis XIV, urged him to rest but Moliere insisted on completing his performance after which he collapsed again with another, larger hemorrhage and died a few hours later at his house. He died without sacraments because two priests refused to visit him and the third arrived too late. A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active A priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites in particular rites of sacrifice to and propitiation of a deity or deities It is said that he was wearing green, and because of that, there is a superstition that green brings bad luck to actors. Luck (also called fortunity) is a chance happening, or that which happens beyond a person's control.

As an actor, he was not allowed by the laws of the time to be buried in the sacred ground of a cemetery. A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. His wife Armande asked King Louis XIV to allow a "normal" funeral celebrated at night. Early years Birth and ancestry Louis XIV was born in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye on September 5 1638 and bore the Heir apparent The king agreed, and Molière was buried in a part of the cemetery reserved for unbaptized infants. A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. In some accounts of his death, it is said that over 800 people attended his "secret" funeral.

In 1792 his remains were brought to the museum of French monuments and in 1817 transferred to Le Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, close to La Fontaine. Year 1792 ( MDCCXCII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Year 1817 ( MDCCCXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Père Lachaise Cemetery (Cimetière du Père-Lachaise officially cimetière de l'Est, "East Cemetery" is the largest Cemetery in the city of Paris

Criticism

Some critics accuse Molière of writing his plays too hastily and not maintaining a consistent style. They point out his occasionally mistaken grammar and metaphors and his use of filler words to complete his lines. ^[5]

Though conventional thinkers, religious leaders, and medical professionals in Molière's time criticized his work, their ideas did not really impact 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. Twentieth 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 more objective study of his comic technique. ^[6]

Influence on French culture

Molière is considered the creator of modern French comedy.

Many words or phrases used in Molière's plays are still used in current French:

• A tartuffe is a hypocrite, especially a hypocrite displaying affected morality or religious piety. Tartuffe (full title Tartuffe or the Hypocrite, French fr ''Tartuffe ou l'Imposteur'' is a Comedy by Molière, and arguably his most famous
• A harpagon, named after the main character of The Miser, is an obsessively greedy and cheap man. L'Avare is a 1668 five-act satirical Comedy by French playwright Molière. L'Avare is a 1668 five-act satirical Comedy by French playwright Molière.
• 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 Les Fourberies de Scapin, Act II, scene 7, Géronte is asked for ransom money for his son, allegedly held in a galley. Les Fourberies de Scapin (literally "Scapin's deceits" is a 3-act Comedy by French Playwright Molière first staged on A galley (from Greek γαλέα - galea is an ancient Ship which can be propelled entirely by human oarsmen, used for Warfare He repeats, "What the devil was he doing in that galley?" ("Que diable allait-il faire dans cette galère?") The word galère ("galley") is used in French nowadays to mean "a cumbersome, painful affair".
• In Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, the title character, M. Le Bourgeois gentilhomme ( The Bourgeois Gentleman) is a comédie-ballet - a Ballet interrupted by spoken dialogue - in five acts by Jourdain, composes a love note as follows: "Beautiful marchioness, your beautiful eyes make me die from love" ("Belle marquise, vos beaux yeux me font mourir d'amour"). He then asks his philosophy teacher to rephrase the sentence which he does by shuffling the words in nearly every single way ("Beautiful marchioness, from love," etc. ). M. Jourdain then asks which phrasing is best and the teacher promptly replies that the first is best. The phrase "Belle marquise. . . " is now used to indicate that two different sentences mean the same thing.
• A French film very loosely based on the life of Molière starring Romain Duris, Fabrice Luchini and Ludivine Sagnier, called Molière [1], was released in 2007. Romain Duris, born 1974 in Paris, is a French Actor. Life Born on May 28 1974 in Paris son of an engineer architect father Duris studied Fabrice Luchini (born November 1, 1951) is a French stage and film Actor. Ludivine Sagnier (born July 3, 1979) is a French actress and model. Molière is a Film by French director Laurent Tirard. It stars Romain Duris as the eponymous playwright A previous French film also titled Molière, directed by Ariane Mnouchkine and more accurately presenting his complete biography, was in competition for the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1978.

List of major works

• Le Médecin volant (1645) --The Flying Doctor
• La Jalousie du barbouillé (1650)
• L'Étourdi ou les Contretemps (1655) -- The Blunderer
• Le Dépit amoureux (December 16th 1656)
• Le Docteur amoureux (1658), the first play performed by Molière's troupe for Louis XIV (now lost) --The Doctor in Love
• Les Précieuses ridicules (November 18th 1659) --The Affected Young Ladies
• Sganarelle ou le Cocu imaginaire (May 28th 1660) --Sganarelle, or the Imaginary Cuckold
• Dom Garcie de Navarre ou le Prince jaloux (February 4th 1661)
• L'École des maris (June 24th 1661) --The School for Husbands
• Les Fâcheux (August 17th 1661)--The Mad
• L'École des femmes (December 26th 1662) (Adapted into The Amorous Flea in 1964) --The School for Wives
• La Jalousie du Gros-René (April 15th 1663) (presumably the same as "La Jalousie du Barbouillé")
• La Critique de l'école des femmes (June 1st 1663) --Critique of the School for Wives
• L'Impromptu de Versailles (October 14th 1663)
• Le Mariage forcé (January 29th 1664) The forced marriage
• Gros-René, petit enfant (April 27th 1664) (now lost)
• La Princesse d'Élide (May 8th 1664)The princess of elid
• Tartuffe ou l'Imposteur (May 12th 1664) --Tartuffe, or The Imposter (or Hypocrite)
• Dom Juan ou le Festin de pierre (February 15th 1665)
• L'Amour médecin (September 15th 1665) --Doctor of Love
• Le Misanthrope ou l'Atrabilaire amoureux (June 4th 1666) --The Misanthrope
• Le Médecin malgré lui (August 6th 1666) --The Doctor in Spite of Himself
• Mélicerte (December 2nd 1666)
• Pastorale comique (January 5th 1667)
• Le Sicilien ou l'Amour peintre (February 14th 1667)
• Amphitryon (January 13th 1668)
• George Dandin ou le Mari confondu (July 18th 1668) --George Dandin, or the Abashed Husband
• L'Avare ou l'École du mensonge (September 9th 1668) --The Miser
• Monsieur de Pourceaugnac (October 6th 1669)
• Les Amants magnifiques (February 4th 1670) The magnificent lovers
• Le Bourgeois gentilhomme (October 14th 1670) --The Bourgeois Gentlemen
• Psyché (January 17th 1671) --Psyche
• Les Fourberies de Scapin (May 24th 1671)
• La Comtesse d'Escarbagnas (December 2nd 1671)
• Les Femmes Savantes (March 11th 1672) --The Learned Ladies
• Le Malade imaginaire (February 10th 1673) --The Imaginary Invalid (or The Hypochondriac)

References

• Dormandy, Thomas "The white death: a history of tuberculosis", New York University Press, 2000, p. Le Médecin volant is a French play by Molière first presented in 1645 Early years Birth and ancestry Louis XIV was born in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye on September 5 1638 and bore the Heir apparent Les Précieuses ridicules is a one-act Satire by Molière in Prose. The School for Wives ( French: L'école des femmes) is a theatrical Comedy written by the 17th century French playwright Molière The Amorous Flea is a musical with a book by Jerry Devine and music and lyrics by Bruce Montgomery. Tartuffe (full title Tartuffe or the Hypocrite, French fr ''Tartuffe ou l'Imposteur'' is a Comedy by Molière, and arguably his most famous Dom Juan or The Feast with the Statue ( Dom Juan ou le Festin de pierre) is a French play by Molière, based on the legend of Don Juan L'Amour médecin (The Love Doctor is a French comedy written by Molière. Le Misanthrope ou l'Atrabilaire amoureux (June 4th 1666 is a 17th century Comedy of manners written by French playwright Molière. Le Médecin malgré lui ( The Doctor in spite of himself/The Mock Doctor) is a comedy by Molière. George Dandin ou le Mari confondu is a 1668 Comedy by Molière. L'Avare is a 1668 five-act satirical Comedy by French playwright Molière. Le Bourgeois gentilhomme ( The Bourgeois Gentleman) is a comédie-ballet - a Ballet interrupted by spoken dialogue - in five acts by For the opera of the same name see Psyché. Psyché is a Tragédie et ballet of 1671, composed by Molière Les Fourberies de Scapin (literally "Scapin's deceits" is a 3-act Comedy by French Playwright Molière first staged on Les Femmes Savantes (The Learned Ladies is a play by Molière in five acts written in verse Le Malade imaginaire (roughly The Hypochondriac or The Imaginary Invalid) is a play and the last work by Molière. 10
• Hartnoll, Phyllis (ed. ) The Oxford Companion to the Theatre, 1983, Oxford University Press
• Roy, Donald. "Molière. " in Banham, Martin (ed. ) The Cambridge Guide to Theatre, 1995, Cambridge University Press
• Scott, Virginia Molière, A Theatrical Life, 2000, Cambridge University Press

Notes

External links

• Works by Molière at Project Gutenberg
• Molière's works online at toutmoliere. Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to Digitize, archive and distribute Cultural works net (in French)
• Molière's works online at site-moliere. com
• Molière's works online at InLibroVeritas. net
• Molière's works online at classicistranieri. com
• Biography, Bibliography, Analysis, Plot overview at biblioweb. org (in French)
• Moliere's Verses Plays Publication, Statistics, Words Research (in French)
• Parody - "The Life & Times of Moliere" at YouTube. com