Jean+Baptiste+Poquelin+“Molière”

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, mostly 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. Among Molière's best-known dramas are Le Misanthrope (The Misanthrope), L'École 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). 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 a few 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, 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 favor 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 Roman Catholic Church. Tartuffe ou L'Imposteur (Tartuffe or the Hypocrite) and its attack on religious hypocrisy roundly received condemnations from the Church, while Dom 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 and died a few hours later. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moliere)
 * Jean Baptiste Poquelin "Moliere":**

▪ Le Médecin volant (1645) -- The Flying Doctor ▪ La Jalousie du barbouillé (1650) ▪ L'Étourdi ou Les Contretemps (1655) -- The Blunderer ▪ Le Dépit amoureux (December 16, 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 18, 1659) -- The Affected Young Ladies ▪ Sganarelle ou Le Cocu imaginaire (May 28, 1660) -- Sganarelle, or the Imaginary Cuckold ▪ Dom Garcie de Navarre ou Le Prince jaloux (February 4, 1661) -- Don Garcia of Navarre or the Jealous Prince ▪ L'École des maris (June 24, 1661) -- The School for Husbands ▪ Les Fâcheux (August 17, 1661) -- The Mad ▪ L'École des femmes (December 26, 1662) (Adapted into The Amorous Flea in 1964) -- The School for Wives ▪ La Jalousie du Gros-René (April 15, 1663) (presumably the same as "La Jalousie du Barbouillé") ▪ La Critique de l'école des femmes (June 1, 1663) -- Critique of the School for Wives ▪ L'Impromptu de Versailles (October 14, 1663) ▪ Le Mariage forcé (January 29, 1664) -- The Forced Marriage ▪ Gros-René, petit enfant (April 27, 1664) (now lost) ▪ La Princesse d'Élide (May 8, 1664) -- The Princess of Elid ▪ Tartuffe ou L'Imposteur (May 12, 1664) -- Tartuffe, or The Imposter (or Hypocrite) ▪ Dom Juan ou Le Festin de pierre (February 15, 1665) ▪ L'Amour médecin (September 15, 1665) -- Love Is the Doctor ▪ Le Misanthrope ou L'Atrabilaire amoureux (June 4, 1666) -- The Misanthrope ▪ Le Médecin malgré lui (August 6, 1666) -- The Doctor in Spite of Himself ▪ Mélicerte (December 2, 1666) ▪ Pastorale comique (January 5, 1667) ▪ Le Sicilien ou L'Amour peintre (February 14, 1667) -- The Sicilian, or Love Is the Doctor ▪ Amphitryon(January 13, 1668) ▪ George Dandin ou Le Mari confondu (July 18, 1668) -- George Dandin, or the Abashed Husband ▪ L'Avare ou L'École du mensonge (September 9, 1668) -- The Miser ▪ Monsieur de Pourceaugnac (October 6, 1669) ▪ Les Amants magnifiques (February 4, 1670) -- The magnificent lovers ▪ Le Bourgeois gentilhomme (October 14, 1670) -- The Bourgeois Gentlemen ▪ Psyché (January 17, 1671) -- Psyche ▪ Les Fourberies de Scapin (May 24, 1671) ▪ La Comtesse d'Escarbagnas (December 2, 1671) ▪ Les Femmes savantes (March 11, 1672) -- The Learned Ladies Le Malade imaginaire (February 10, 1673) -- The Imaginary Invalid (or The Hypochondriac) (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moliere)
 * LIST OF MAJOR WORKS:**

Portrait of Molière by Nicolas Mignard

LINKS: 1) http://www.theatredatabase.com/17th_century/moliere_001.html 2) http://www.imagi-nation.com/moonstruck/clsc35.html 3) http://www.theatrehistory.com/french/moliere006.html 4) http://www.online-literature.com/moliere/ 5) http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10434b.htm