Molière

1622 — 1673

royaume de France

LiteratureDramaturgeEarly Modern17th century (early modern period, reign of Louis XIV)

Molière (1622-1673) is the greatest French playwright of the 17th century. Founder of his own theatrical company, he created works of comic genius that critique the flaws and vices of the society of his time.

Émotions disponibles (6)

Neutre

par défaut

Inspiré

Pensif

Surpris

Triste

Fier

Famous Quotes

« The duty of comedy is to correct the vices of men. »

« People of quality know everything without ever having learned anything. »

Key Facts

1643: Founds the Illustre Théâtre with his companions
1659: Meets Louis XIV and becomes playwright-actor at the royal court
1664: Premiere of Tartuffe, a controversial play that scandalizes the Court and the Church
1666: Premiere of The Misanthrope, his greatest dramatic work
1673: Dies on February 17th shortly after a performance of The Imaginary Invalid

Works & Achievements

The Ridiculous Précieuses (1659)

Molière's first major Parisian comedy, it mocks young bourgeois women who ape the refinements of the aristocracy. Its immediate success launched the playwright's career in Paris.

The School for Wives (1662)

A five-act comedy that questions the education of women and male tyranny. The play sparked a lively literary quarrel and established Molière as a leading playwright.

Tartuffe, or The Impostor (1664 (authorized in 1669))

A masterpiece of comedy of character, the play denounces religious hypocrisy through the figure of the false devout Tartuffe. It remains one of the most performed plays in the world.

Don Juan, or The Stone Feast (1665)

A bold comedy depicting a cynical libertine who defies God and society. The play was quickly censored but bears witness to Molière's philosophical ambition.

The Misanthrope (1666)

A complex portrait of Alceste, a man devoted to absolute sincerity in a society built on hypocrisy. Considered Molière's most profound play, it blends comedy with moral reflection.

The Miser (1668)

A comedy inspired by Plautus, centred on Harpagon, an old miser obsessed with his strongbox. The character has become the universal embodiment of avarice in French culture.

The Would-Be Gentleman (1670)

A comedy-ballet created for Louis XIV, it ridicules Monsieur Jourdain, a bourgeois who desperately wants to imitate the nobility. It also offers a sharp satire of social vanity.

The Imaginary Invalid (1673)

Molière's last play, it mocks medicine and hypochondriacs through the character of Argan. Molière died symbolically while playing the title role during the fourth performance.

Anecdotes

Molière died on stage — or almost. On February 17, 1673, he played the role of the hypochondriac Argan while he himself was gravely ill. Struck by a fit during the performance, he managed to finish the show, but died a few hours later at home, the victim of a pulmonary hemorrhage.

Because he was an actor, Molière nearly ended up buried like a dog. The Church refused Christian burial to actors who had not renounced their profession before dying. Louis XIV had to personally intervene with the Archbishop of Paris to have him quietly interred, at night, in the Saint-Joseph cemetery.

In 1662, Molière married Armande Béjart, a young woman twenty years his junior, who was either the daughter or the sister of his actress and former companion Madeleine Béjart. This marriage scandalized Parisian society and fueled the most malicious rumors about his private life.

Louis XIV himself was the godfather of Molière's first son in 1664, a sign of the exceptional royal favor the playwright enjoyed. This royal protection allowed him to have Tartuffe performed despite the ban by the devout, who had succeeded in having the play suppressed for five years.

Molière began his career with a stinging failure in Paris in 1645 with the Illustre-Théâtre, a company he had founded with the Béjarts. Riddled with debts, he was even briefly imprisoned at the Châtelet. He then spent thirteen years touring the provinces before returning triumphantly to Paris in 1658.

Primary Sources

The Miser (Act I, Scene 3) (1668)

HARPAGON: What the devil was he going to do in that galley? […] A plague on miserliness and misers!

Tartuffe or the Impostor (Act I, Scene 5) (1664 (definitive version 1669))

CLÉANTE: […] There are false devotees just as there are false brave men; and just as we do not see that true brave men are those who make a great noise where honour leads them, so the good and true devout, whom we should follow in their steps, are not those who make so many grimaces.

Don Juan or the Feast of Stone (Act III, Scene 1) (1665)

DON JUAN: […] I believe that two and two make four, Sganarelle, and that four and four make eight.

The Misanthrope (Act I, Scene 1) (1666)

ALCESTE: I want people to be sincere, and that as men of honour, they utter no word that does not come from the heart.

Preface to The Ridiculous Précieuses (1660)

If one takes the trouble to examine my comedy in good faith, one will perhaps find that it does not stray far enough beyond the bounds of honest and permissible satire.

Key Places

Palais-Royal, Paris

Theatre where Molière's company settled in 1661 and where most of his major plays were first performed. It was the heart of his Parisian activity until his death.

Palace of Versailles

The venue for many premieres of comedy-ballets commissioned by Louis XIV, including Le Bourgeois gentilhomme (1670) and Les Fâcheux (1661). Royal favour was expressed through these grand festivities.

Molière's birthplace, Rue Saint-Honoré, Paris

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin was born in 1622 in the family home in the Les Halles district, at the heart of commercial Paris. This bourgeois and artisan milieu sharpened his keen eye for society.

Pézenas (Hérault)

A town in Languedoc where Molière and his company stayed on several occasions during their provincial tours (1650–1657). The barber's chair is preserved there, in the shop where Molière reportedly observed ordinary people.

Saint-Joseph Cemetery (now Père-Lachaise), Paris

Molière was quietly buried here at night in February 1673. His remains were transferred to Père-Lachaise in 1817, where his tomb is still visible today.

Typical Objects

The comedy mask

A legacy of the Italian commedia dell'arte, the mask symbolizes performance and disguise. Molière freed himself from it by developing an expressive facial style of acting, distinctive to French comedy.

The quill pen and inkwell

Essential tools of the playwright, used to write plays, often under the pressure of royal commissions. Molière would sometimes compose comédie-ballets for the festivities at Versailles in a matter of weeks.

The Baroque stage costume

Embroidered coat, powdered wig, and buckled shoes made up the typical attire of 17th-century actors. Molière performed in his own plays and paid particular attention to costumes in order to enhance character-based comedy.

The theatre candleholder

17th-century playhouses were lit by candlelight, which created a warm but smoky atmosphere. The management of lighting influenced the pace and mood of performances.

The troupe's account book

Molière was at once author, actor, and theatre director; he managed finances, fees, and contracts. The account books of the Palais-Royal troupe have preserved invaluable records about theatrical life of the era.

The carriage

An indispensable means of transport for travelling to Versailles for performances commissioned by Louis XIV. Molière and his actors regularly made the journey between Paris and the royal court.

School Curriculum

Cycle 3 (CM1-6e)Français

Cycle 4 (5e-3e)Français

LycéeFrançais

LycéeFrançais — La comédie au XVIIe siècle

LycéeFrançais — La satire des mœurs dans le théâtre classique

LycéeFrançais — Les règles du théâtre classique (unités, vraisemblance)

LycéeFrançais — La critique sociale par la littérature

LycéeFrançais — L'influence de la Cour royale sur la création artistique

LycéeFrançais — Les conflits entre l'Église et la liberté de création

Vocabulary & Tags

Key Vocabulary

comedy of mannerssatirehypocrisydramatic verisimilitudecomedy of characterplaywrightthree unities of classical theatre

Daily Life

Morning

Molière would wake up relatively late, in keeping with theater people whose lives are shaped by evening performances. He devoted part of the morning to writing and revising his texts, often seated in his study with a quill and ink. He also received visits from actors, musicians, or royal patrons.

Afternoon

The afternoon was dominated by rehearsals at the Palais-Royal, where Molière directed his troupe with a firm but benevolent hand. He himself played the main comic roles and worked on the details of staging, costumes, and musical effects. Performances took place three times a week before a popular audience mixing bourgeois and aristocrats.

Evening

On performance nights, Molière prepared in his dressing room before taking the stage in front of several hundred spectators. After the show, he would sometimes receive distinguished visitors backstage or dine with members of his troupe. On some evenings, he was invited to Versailles for royal festivities where his plays were performed with great pomp.

Food

The table in 17th-century Paris included bread, thick soups, roasted meats (pork, poultry, game) and boiled vegetables. Ordinary wine was the daily beverage, while chocolate and coffee were beginning to appear in bourgeois households. The financial hardships of the troupe's early years had accustomed Molière to relative frugality, although his later successes allowed him a more comfortable life.

Clothing

In the city, Molière wore the justaucorps — a fitted jacket with skirts — along with woolen breeches, silk stockings, and buckled shoes, the attire of a prosperous bourgeois. A lace collar or muslin cravat completed the ensemble, paired with a curled wig following the fashion of Louis XIV's reign. On stage, the costumes were far more sumptuous: embroidered velvet, feathers, masks, and accessories helped visually define each character.

Housing

In Paris, Molière lived near the Palais-Royal in a comfortable but unpretentious apartment. The dwelling also housed members of his family and sometimes his troupe. After his successes of the 1660s, he was able to settle more comfortably, yet he continued to closely manage his company's finances.

Historical Timeline

1622Naissance de Jean-Baptiste Poquelin à Paris, fils d'un tapissier du roi.

1643Fondation de l'Illustre-Théâtre avec Madeleine Béjart ; Poquelin prend le pseudonyme de Molière.

1648Début de la Fronde, révolte parlementaire et princière contre Mazarin et la régence d'Anne d'Autriche.

1659Succès des Précieuses ridicules à Paris : Molière et sa troupe s'imposent dans la capitale.

1661Louis XIV commence son règne personnel après la mort de Mazarin ; début de la construction de Versailles.

1662Mariage de Molière avec Armande Béjart ; création de L'École des femmes, grand succès mais vives polémiques.

1664Première représentation de Tartuffe à Versailles, aussitôt interdite par les dévots et le Parlement.

1665La troupe de Molière devient la Troupe du Roi ; création de Dom Juan, retirée après quinze représentations.

1666Création du Misanthrope et du Médecin malgré lui ; Molière est gravement malade (tuberculose).

1668Création de L'Avare et du Grand Divertissement royal de Versailles (George Dandin).

1669Tartuffe est enfin autorisé à être joué publiquement ; triomphe immédiat.

1670Création du Bourgeois gentilhomme à Chambord, comédie-ballet avec Lully.

1673Mort de Molière le 17 février, lors de la quatrième représentation du Malade imaginaire.

Period Vocabulary

Parterre — The lower section of the theatre where spectators stood. It was the cheapest area, occupied by common people and students, often the loudest and most demanding.

Justaucorps — A fitted men's garment worn in the 17th century, covering the torso down to the hips. It replaced the doublet and became the centerpiece of fashion under Louis XIV.

Dévot — A person displaying ostentatious and rigorous piety. In the 17th century, the Compagnie du Saint-Sacrement gathered influential devouts who had Tartuffe banned for five years.

Comédie-ballet — A theatrical genre invented by Molière and Lully, blending spoken comedy, music, and dance. These spectacles were commissioned by Louis XIV for grand court festivities.

Préciosité — A 17th-century cultural movement promoting refined language, pure sentiments, and distinguished manners. Molière mocked it in Les Précieuses ridicules.

Honnête homme — The social ideal of the 17th century denoting a cultivated, measured, sociable, and self-possessed man. This ideal is often portrayed positively in Molière's plays, set against the excesses of other characters.

Cassette — A small iron-bound wooden box used to store money and valuables. In L'Avare, Harpagon's cassette is the central object of the play and the symbol of his obsession.

Baladin / bateleur — A pejorative term for a traveling entertainer or buffoon. In the 17th century, actors were often held in contempt and the Church denied them Christian burial.

Marquis — A noble title ranking between count and duke. In Molière's comedies, marquises are frequently ridiculed for their vanity, foolishness, and affectation.

Comédie de mœurs — A theatrical genre that depicts and critiques the behaviors and failings of contemporary society. Molière is its undisputed master in France, with works such as Tartuffe, Le Misanthrope, and L'Avare.

Gallery

Édouard Pingret - Portrait eines Literaten in seinem Salon, 1834

Musée Ingres-Bourdelle - Portrait d'homme - Claude Lefebvre -Joconde06070000345

Portrait of Molière (1622-1673)

Atelier de Pierre Mignard - Portrait d'Olympe Mancini

German: Porträt von Molière Portrait of Molièretitle QS:P1476,de:"Porträt von Molière "label QS:Lde,"Porträt von Molière "label QS:Len,"Portrait of Molière"label QS:Lfr,"Portrait de Molière"

French: Molière Molièretitle QS:P1476,fr:"Molière "label QS:Lfr,"Molière "label QS:Len,"Molière"

Mahlknecht statue of Corneille at the Graslin Opera Nantes 2

Monument à Molière, Pézenas

L'art : la sculpture contemporaine et l'oeuvre d'Alfred Pina

The stones of Paris in history and letters

Visual Style

Esthétique baroque du Grand Siècle : lumière de chandelles, velours grenat et or, costumes brodés, jeu expressif des visages sur la scène du Palais-Royal.

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AI Prompt

17th century French Baroque theatre painting style, inspired by the court of Louis XIV. Rich warm candlelight illuminating velvet curtains in deep crimson and gold. Characters in elaborate period costumes — lace collars, brocade justaucorps, powdered wigs, black domino masks. Stage perspective with painted flats and chandeliers of candles. Color palette of deep burgundy, golden amber, ivory, forest green and shadow black. Chiaroscuro lighting reminiscent of Le Nain brothers and Philippe de Champaigne. Crowded theatrical hall with animated gestures and expressive faces caught mid-performance.

Sound Ambience

L'atmosphère sonore du Palais-Royal : rires du parterre, clavecin, chandelles qui crépitent et rumeur de la rue parisienne du Grand Siècle.

AI Prompt

Ambient sounds of a 17th century Parisian theatre: wooden stage creaking under actors' feet, candlelight flickering and wax dripping, audience murmuring and laughing in a packed hall, harpsichord and string instruments tuning backstage, distant street noise from Paris outside — carriage wheels on cobblestones, street vendors calling, church bells ringing. Occasional burst of laughter from the parterre, applause, the rustle of silk and taffeta costumes, a prompter whispering lines offstage.

Portrait Source

Wikimedia Commons — domaine public — Pierre Mignard I — 1658