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Molière

Nationality

French

Description

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière (; French: [mɔ.ljɛːʁ]; 15 January 1622 – 17 February 1673), was a French playwright, actor and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and universal literature. His extant works include comedies, farces, 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 itself 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 comic abilities while he began writing, combining Commedia dell'arte elements with the more refined French comedy.Through the patronage of aristocrats including Philippe I, Duke of Orléans—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, 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 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.Despite the adulation of the court and Parisians, Molière's satires attracted criticism from churchmen. For Tartuffe's impiety, the Catholic Church denounced this study of religious hypocrisy followed by the Parliament's ban, while Don Juan was withdrawn and never restaged by Molière. [1] 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.

Wikipedia

Link

Gender

Male

The best books of all time by Molière

  1. 602 . Tartuffe by Molière

    Image of Tartuffe

    Tartuffe (full title: Tartuffe, or the Impostor, French: Tartuffe, ou l'Imposteur) is a comedy by Molière. It is his most famous play.

  2. 888 . The Misanthrope by Molière

    Image of The Misanthrope

    Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière (French pronunciation: ​[mɔ.ljɛːʁ]; 1622 – 1673), was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of co...

  3. 1577 . The School for Wives by Molière

    Image of The School for Wives

    The School for Wives (French: L'école des femmes) is a theatrical comedy written by the 17th century French playwright Molière and considered by some critics to be one of his finest achievements. I...

  4. 1578 . The Would-Be Invalid by Molière

    Image of The Would-Be Invalid

    The Imaginary Invalid (French: Le Malade imaginaire) is a three-act comedy by the French playwright Molière. It was first performed in 1673 and was the last work he wrote. Molière collapsed during ...

  5. 1607 . The Would-Be Gentleman by Molière

    Image of The Would-Be Gentleman

    Le Bourgeois gentilhomme (known as The Bourgeois Gentleman or The Middle-Class Gentleman) is a five-act comédie-ballet—a ballet interrupted by spoken dialogue—by Molière, first presented on October...

  6. 1613 . Don Juan by Molière

    Image of Don Juan

    Don Juan (Spanish, or Don Giovanni in Italian) is a legendary, fictional libertine whose story has been told many times by many authors. El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra (The Trickster ...

  7. 1625 . The Miser by Molière

    Image of The Miser

    The Miser's plot, involving a rich money-lender called Harpagon, whose feisty children long to escape from his penny-pinching household and marry their respective lovers, is a comedy of manners to ...

  8. . The Works of Moliere by Molière

    Image of The Works of Moliere

    Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière (French pronunciation: ​[mɔ.ljɛːʁ]; 1622–1673), was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of come...

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