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Molière (1622–1673)

Author of Tartuffe

866+ Works 18,841 Members 261 Reviews 35 Favorited

About the Author

The French dramatist Moliere was born Jean-Baptiste Poquelin on January 15, 1622, in Paris. The son of a wealthy tapestry merchant, he had a penchant for the theater from childhood. In 1636, he was sent off to school at the Jesuit College of Claremont and in 1643, he embarked upon a 13-year career show more touring in provincial theater as a troupe member of Illustre Theatre, a group established by the family Bejarts. He married a daughter of the troupe, Armande Bejart, in 1662 and changed his name to Moliere. The French King Louis XIV, becoming entranced with the troupe after seeing a performance of The Would-Be Gentleman, lent his support and charged Moliere with the production of comedy ballets in which he often used real-life human qualities as backdrops rather than settings from church or state. Soon, Moliere secured a position at the Palais-Royal and committed himself to the comic theater as a dramatist, actor, producer, and director. Moliere is considered to be one of the preeminent French dramatists and writers of comedies; his work continues to delight audiences today. With L'Ecole des Femmes (The School for Wives) Moliere broke with the farce tradition, and the play, about the role played by women in society and their preparation for it, is regarded by many as the first great seriocomic work of French literature. In Tartuffe (1664), Moliere invented one of his famous comic types, that of a religious hypocrite, a character so realistic that the king forbade public performance of the play for five years. Moliere gave psychological depth to his characters, engaging them in facial antics and slapstick comedy, but with an underlying pathos. Jean Baptiste Moliere died in 1673. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Wikipédia France

Series

Works by Molière

Tartuffe (1664) — Author — 2,826 copies
The Misanthrope (1666) — Author — 1,555 copies
The Miser (1668) — Author — 1,154 copies
The Imaginary Invalid (1673) 1,068 copies
Don Juan (1665) — Author — 985 copies
The Bourgeois Gentleman (1670) — Author — 928 copies
Misanthrope / Tartuffe (1954) — Author — 730 copies
The School for Wives (1662) — Author — 683 copies
The Misanthrope and Other Plays (Penguin Classics) (1666) — Author — 655 copies
The Learned Ladies (1672) — Author — 533 copies
Scapin (1671) — Author — 470 copies
Five Plays: The Miser and other Plays (1953) — Author — 397 copies
A Doctor in Spite of Himself (1666) — Author — 377 copies
Tartuffe and Other Plays (1664) 374 copies
The Misanthrope and Other Plays (Signet Classics) (1666) — Author — 296 copies
The Pretentious Young Ladies (1659) — Author — 294 copies
Eight Plays by Molière [Modern Library, 1957] (1957) — Author — 269 copies
Comedies (1777) 244 copies
Bourgeois Gentleman / Tartuffe (1664) — Author — 172 copies
Amphitryon (1995) — Author — 142 copies
Oeuvres complètes (1900) 140 copies
Plays by Molière [Modern Library, 1924] (1923) — Author — 127 copies
Learned Ladies / School for Wives (1991) — Author — 126 copies
Dom Juan / Tartuffe (1664) — Author — 109 copies
George Dandin (1668) — Author — 98 copies
The Classic Theatre; Volume IV: Six French Plays (1961) — Contributor — 78 copies
Doctor in Spite of Himself / Imaginary Invalid (1969) — Author — 77 copies
Imaginary Invalid / Tartuffe (1931) — Author — 54 copies
School for Husbands (1661) — Author — 52 copies
The Bungler (1951) — Author — 44 copies
Bourgeois Gentleman / Doctor in Spite of Himself (1992) — Author — 43 copies
Comedies of Molière (1941) 43 copies
Dom Juan / Misanthrope / Tartuffe (1973) — Author — 40 copies
Bourgeois Gentleman / Misanthrope / Miser (1993) — Author — 39 copies
The Imaginary Cuckold, or Sganarelle (1955) — Author — 32 copies
The Misanthrope: in a version by Martin Crimp (1996) — Original Text — 32 copies
Oeuvres complètes, tome 2 (1992) 31 copies
Dom Juan / Misanthrope (1983) 30 copies
Misanthrope / Miser / Tartuffe (1984) — Author — 30 copies
Oeuvres complètes, tome 3 (1899) — Author — 29 copies
Oeuvres complètes, tome 4 (1965) 28 copies
Oeuvres complètes, tome 1 (1976) 27 copies
Miser / Tartuffe (1664) — Author — 25 copies
Chosen Theatre of Molière (1962) — Author — 24 copies
George Dandin / Miser (1987) — Author — 24 copies
The Versailles Impromptu (1663) — Author — 23 copies
Lovers' Quarrels (2007) — Author — 22 copies
Doctor in Spite of Himself / Flying Doctor (1966) — Author — 20 copies
Moliere Comedies (1777) 16 copies
Fransk klassisk drama (1976) 16 copies
Théâtre complet (1986) 16 copies
Four classic French plays (1961) 15 copies
Doctor in Spite of Himself / Tartuffe (1962) — Author — 15 copies
Dom Juan / Scapin (1998) 15 copies
Four comedies (1982) — Author — 15 copies
Learned Ladies / Pretentious Young Ladies (1993) — Author — 14 copies
The Flying Doctor / Love's the Best Doctor (2004) — Author — 14 copies
Les Fâcheux (1960) — Author — 13 copies
The Sicilian (2009) — Author — 13 copies
Critique of the School for Wives (1663) — Author — 13 copies
Obras completas (1945) 12 copies
Amphitryon / George Dandin / Miser (1973) — Author — 12 copies
Tartufo; El avaro; Las preciosas ridículas (1944) — Author — 11 copies
The Forced Marriage (2008) — Author — 11 copies
The Countess of Escarbagnas (2004) — Author — 10 copies
Monsieur De Pourceaugnac (2004) — Author — 10 copies
OEuvres complètes (Tome 1) (2010) 10 copies
The Flying Doctor (2010) — Author — 10 copies
Flying Doctor / Jealous Husband (2006) — Author — 9 copies
L'Avare / Der Geizige [bilingual French/German] (1984) — Author — 9 copies
AVARO, EL EL BURGUES GENTILHIMBRE (2000) — Author — 9 copies
L'amour medecin (French Edition) (2009) — Author — 8 copies
A Comic Pastoral / Mélicerte (2015) — Author — 8 copies
Molière (2012) 8 copies
Comedies (1973) 8 copies
Psyche (2005) — Author — 7 copies
The Magnificent Lovers (2007) — Author — 7 copies
Love's the Best Doctor (1991) — Author — 7 copies
UM MOLIERE IMAGINARIO (2007) 6 copies
Œuvres complètes II (1932) 6 copies
The Jealous Husband (2012) — Author — 6 copies
Oeuvres complètes - II (2011) 6 copies
Tutto il teatro (2002) 6 copies
Tartufo La escuela de las mujeres (1971) — Author — 6 copies
Commedie scelte 6 copies
The miser : the idiot (2001) 6 copies
Misantropen : Scapinos skälmstycken (1999) — Author — 6 copies
Komödien (1989) — Author — 5 copies
Molière 5 copies
Dom Garcia of Navarre (2012) — Author — 5 copies
Œuvres vol.1 (1972) 4 copies
Medico A Forca (2011) 4 copies
Lover's Quarrel / Tartuffe — Author — 4 copies
Set comèdies i un ballet (2021) 4 copies
Œuvres complètes I, II (2022) 4 copies
Comedies. Vol.1 4 copies
Teatro 4 copies
Commedie (1996) 4 copies
Scapin / Sicilian (1969) — Author — 4 copies
OEuvres complètes I, II (1976) — Author — 4 copies
Classical French theatre — Contributor — 4 copies
Dom Juan / Doctor in Spite of Himself / Mad (1996) — Author — 4 copies
Il misantropo e Sganarello — Author — 4 copies
Комедии 3 copies
Hat színmű (1966) 3 copies
The Princess of Elida (2008) 3 copies
Comedies (1993) 3 copies
Komödien 3 copies
Imaginary Invalid / Learned Ladies (1998) — Author — 3 copies
Théâtre de Molière (2013) 3 copies
Trois courtes pièces (2004) 3 copies
Tartuffe [adapted - Lecture facile] (1993) — Contributor — 3 copies
Bungler / Forced Marriage (2001) 3 copies
Tres comedias (1977) 3 copies
Complete Theatre, Vol. 1 (1997) 2 copies
Moliere 2 copies
Skapiec z opracowaniem (2007) 2 copies
Le Malade imaginaire BAC (2020) 2 copies
TARTUFI 2 copies
Molière pour rire (2002) 2 copies
MOLIERES MEISTERWERKE (1892) — Author — 2 copies
Theatre choisi de moliere (1912) — Author — 2 copies
Tartuffe, and other plays (1967) 2 copies
Comedies (1980) 2 copies
Avarento, O (2008) 2 copies
L'avaro Il misantropo (1996) 2 copies
Teatre (1984) 2 copies
Oeuvres complètes II (1962) 2 copies
Näidendid 2 copies
Komedijos 2 copies
Teatro - volume primo (1993) 1 copy
Gros-René écolier: théâtre (2000) — Author — 1 copy
Misantroop ja Ebahaige — Author — 1 copy
Les Bourgeois Gentilhomme (2007) — Author — 1 copy
Lakomec 1 copy
Oeuvres 1 1 copy
Oeuvres 2 1 copy
Comedias 1 copy
Poésies diverses (2015) 1 copy
Tvrdica ; Tartif (2012) 1 copy
Molière 1 copy
Teatro / I (1980) 1 copy
Teatro / II (1980) 1 copy
Scapin'in Dolaplari (2022) 1 copy
Komödien (1995) 1 copy
L'avaro 1 copy
Tout Molière (2022) 1 copy
Le Misanthrope / L'Avare — Author — 1 copy
L'amour Médecin (1997) 1 copy
Théâtre 1 copy
CIMRI CILTLI (2017) 1 copy
Komedii. 1 copy
Œuvres complètes I (1932) 1 copy
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme: Comedie-Ballet (1966) — Author — 1 copy
Dramatic Works, Vol. V (1875) 1 copy
Plays 1 copy
הקמצן 1 copy
KOMEDIER 1 1 copy
Moliere: Plays (1980) 1 copy
Molière: Komödien (1972) 1 copy
Tales of Molière [adapted - Je roconte] — Contributor — 1 copy
Oeuvres complètes. 2 (2011) 1 copy
TUTTO IL TEATRO 2 (1974) 1 copy
Theatre Tome III (1949) 1 copy
Hry. II 1 copy
The Sisterhood (1989) 1 copy
Komedioja 2 1 copy
[Works] 1 copy
TUTTO IL TEATRO 1 (1973) 1 copy
Comedies [I] 1 copy
Dramatic Works, Vol. I (1875) 1 copy
Théâtre (tome I - V) (1995) 1 copy
Les Œuvres 1 copy
Ihnus : komöödia viies vaatuses — Author — 1 copy
Poésies 1 copy
Komedier 1 copy
Jealous Husband / Misanthrope — Author — 1 copy
Oeuvres complètes, 3 (1965) 1 copy
O avarento e As sabichonas (1992) — Author — 1 copy
Moliere - Werke (1954) 1 copy
Komödien Moliere Reclam (1974) — Author — 1 copy
Tartuffe CD (2011) 1 copy
Les Femmes savantes (2020) 1 copy
Hry 1 copy
Teatre complet (2003) 1 copy
KOMEDI 1 copy
KOPRACI 1 copy
Oeuvres 1 copy
The Pests (2022) 1 copy
L'avare:l'argent (1997) 1 copy

Associated Works

Eight Great Comedies (1958) — Contributor — 346 copies
Masterpieces of the Drama (1966) — Contributor — 173 copies
The Oxford Book of Villains (1992) — Contributor — 134 copies
Treasury of the Theatre: From Aeschylus to Ostrovsky (1967) — Contributor — 48 copies
Ten Great One Act Plays (1968) — Contributor — 35 copies
Nine Great Plays: From Aeschylus to Eliot (Revised Edition) (1950) — Contributor; Contributor — 24 copies
Frantic Comedy: Eight Plays of Knock-About Fun (1991) — Contributor — 18 copies
Twelve Classic One-Act Plays (2010) — Contributor — 17 copies
Molière (1975) — Contributor — 16 copies

Tagged

17th century (391) 17th century literature (23) anthology (115) classic (229) classic literature (32) classics (306) collection (45) comedy (394) drama (1,431) ebook (22) fiction (597) France (269) Franklin Library (28) French (921) French drama (91) French language (62) French literature (835) French theatre (50) Harvard Classics (41) humor (134) in French (48) Kindle (25) literature (426) Moliere (213) own (51) owned (27) paperback (21) Penguin Classics (41) play (398) plays (825) playscript (21) Pléiade (31) poetry (43) read (84) satire (77) script (77) theatre (1,412) to-read (387) translation (91) unread (70)

Common Knowledge

Members

Reviews

I’m unsure how to review this, other than to say I’m ambivalent about it and move on. I don’t think it will be memorable beyond my learning the term “comedy of humors.” Perhaps I would feel more strongly if I saw a live production or read it in French.
 
Flagged
psalva | 21 other reviews | Aug 14, 2023 |
Hilarious satire! My Kindle edition, acquired from Project Gutenberg, didn't have the best translation but the humor still shines in this play. Orgon (and his mother) is completely taken in by Tartuffe, whom the rest of the household dislike. Tartuffe and his hypocrisy are really just foils Molière uses to display the folly of Orgon's gullibility. The saying "There is none so blind as those who will not see" could have been coined to describe Orgon & Madame Pernelle! The most comic scenes in the play are when Dorine (his daughter´s maid) and later Damis (his son) try to convince him of his foolishness. I thought Cleante, Orgon's brother-in-law, portrayed the voice of reason & his description of how Orgon had a temperament which flew to extremes was so apt.

Molière has a keen eye for human nature & although Orgon & Tartuffe are exaggerated for comic effect, they still display characteristics which I can recognize in people today. I will certainly be reading more of his plays!
… (more)
 
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leslie.98 | 37 other reviews | Jun 27, 2023 |
This final play by Molière isn't as hilarious as his best plays but was still pretty fun. Molière was ill while writing this so choosing to satirize doctors and apothecaries makes sense and explains the bitter edge to some of the speeches.

My edition, from Project Gutenberg, was a prose translation by Charles Heron Wall. I didn't have any complaints about this translation but I missed the rhyming couplets in Richard Wilbur's translations of several other Molière plays. Also, the text of this ebook was very large (even on the smallest font setting!) -- perhaps a good choice for those who have impaired vision.… (more)
 
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leslie.98 | 15 other reviews | Jun 27, 2023 |
4.5* for this full cast recording using Richard Wilbur's translation.

This is the 4th play in the digital audiobook of "The Molière Collection" - the plays just keep getting better! However, unless you are a big Molière fan (as I am), these plays should not be listened to too close together as they have enough similarities that it could strike a listener as repetitive.
 
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leslie.98 | 5 other reviews | Jun 27, 2023 |

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Associated Authors

Richard WILBUR Translator
Jean Racine Contributor
Pierre de Marivaux Contributor
Pierre Corneille Contributor
Alain-Rene Lesage Contributor
George Feydeau Contributor
Henry Becque Contributor
Gyula Illyés Translator
István Vas Translator
Juan G de Luaces Translator
John Wood Translator, Introduction
Morris Bishop Translator
David Coward Translator
Johanna Walser Translator
Martin Walser Translator
David Bradby Introduction
Harmut Stenzel Translator
Henri Van Laun Translator
W.J. Wendel Translator
Freyda Thomas Translator
Georges Couton Editor, Sous la direction de
Léon Lejealle Introduction, Editor
Luigi Lunari Translator
Jean-Pol Caput Introduction
Haskell M. Block Translator
Carlo Muscetta Translator
Liz Lochhead Translator
Eleanor F. Jourdain Introduction
Otto Manninen Translator
Stephen Mulrine Translator
Jean-Marc Pau Illustrator
Monique Rubinel Photographer
Francois Weil Designer
Philippe Honoré Cover artist
Marc Enguerand Photographer
Claude Bricage Photographer
Thierry Chaucat Illustrator
Miles Malleson Translator
Arthur Luther Translator
Lauri Hirvensalo Translator
Samuel Meyer Translator
Gabriel Bonno Introduction
David Chambers Translator
Allan Bergstrand Translator
Walther Widmer Translator
Merritt Stone Translator
Henri Marel Introduction
Richard Nelson Translator
Anne-Marie H Marel Contributor
R. J. Hathorn Exercises
I. K. Shearer Exercises
L. Paichoux Exercises
Herma Briffault Translator
Rene d'Hermies Introduction
Pierre Cabanis Introduction
Ernst van Altena Introduction, Translator
Curtis Hidden Translator
Volker Held Afterword
Dirck Buysero Translator
René d' Hermies Introduction
Brigitte Diaz Introduction
Donald M. Frame Translator
Hartmut Stenzel Afterword
Francis Fergusson Introduction
Waldo David Frank Introduction
Lars Huldén Translator
Donald Frame Translator
Tony Johannot Illustrator
Albert Bermel Translator
Brander Matthew Introduction
Renate Baader Translator

Statistics

Works
866
Also by
22
Members
18,841
Popularity
#1,160
Rating
½ 3.7
Reviews
261
ISBNs
1,896
Languages
31
Favorited
35
Touchstones
179

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