Molière’s Followers (1,269)

Molière

Born

in Paris, France

January 15, 1622

Died

February 17, 1673

Genre

Theatre

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Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, also known by his stage name, Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature. 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).

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. Thirteen years as an itinerant actor helped to polish his comic abilities while he also began writin Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, also known by his stage name, Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature. 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).

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. 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.

Through the patronage of a few aristocrats including the brother of Louis XIV, Molière procured a command performance before the King at the Louvre. 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. 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). 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.

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. 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. He finished the performance but collapsed again soon after, and died a few hours later. In his time in Paris, Molière had completely reformed French comedy.
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Molière’s books

Average rating: 3.67 · 166,688 ratings · 5,762 reviews · 1,838 distinct works • Similar authors

	Tartuffe 3.66 avg rating — 37,123 ratings — published 1664 — 738 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	MOLIERE AVARE 3.61 avg rating — 25,454 ratings — published 1668 — 70 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Misanthrope 3.77 avg rating — 21,869 ratings — published 1666 — 599 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Le Malade imaginaire 3.66 avg rating — 13,690 ratings — published 1673 — 281 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Don Juan 3.59 avg rating — 13,234 ratings — published 1665 — 282 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme 3.73 avg rating — 11,809 ratings — published 1670 — 495 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	L'École des Femmes 3.63 avg rating — 7,981 ratings — published 1662 — 226 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Les Fourberies de Scapin 3.63 avg rating — 6,636 ratings — published 1671 — 287 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Le Médecin Malgré Lui by Molière, Marie-Helene Prat (Editeur) 3.73 avg rating — 5,711 ratings — published 1666 — 330 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Misanthrope and Other Plays by Molière, David Coward (Annotations), John Wood (Translator) 4.03 avg rating — 3,130 ratings — published 1666 — 30 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Molière…

Series by Molière

Théâtre de Molière (2 books)
by

Molière

3.33 avg rating — 6 ratings

The Works of Moliere (11 Volumes) (1 book)
by

Molière (Creator),

Henri Van Laun (Creator)

really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2 ratings

Quotes by Molière (?)

“Trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.”
― Moliere

tags: inspirational, patience

2666 likes

“It is a wonderful seasoning of all enjoyments to think of those we love.”
― Molière

1041 likes

“The more we love someone, the less we flatter them; it is by excusing nothing that true love shows itself.”
― Molière

639 likes

See all Molière's quotes »

Polls

September 2021 Short Story/Novella Poll

The Misanthrope by Molière, 64 pages, 1666

59 votes, 26.7%

Wakefield by Nathaniel Hawthorne, 28 pages, 1835

32 votes, 14.5%

The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell, under 48 pages, 1924

32 votes, 14.5%

Bliss by Katherine Mansfield, 12+- pages, 1918

29 votes, 13.1%

Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo, 128 pages, 1955

28 votes, 12.7%

The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono, 74 pages, 1953

25 votes, 11.3%

A Horseman In The Sky: Short Story by Ambrose Bierce, under 25 pages, 1898

16 votes, 7.2%

221 total votes

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Molière’s Followers (1,269)

Molière

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