Super Reviewer ½ [font=Century Gothic]"Moliere" starts in 1658 with playwright and actor Moliere(Romain Duris) leading his acting troupe to a triumphant return to Paris after perfomring throughout rural France for years but he aims to do more serious plays than his usual farces.(So, I guess you could say he was a 17th century Woody Allen, minus the space aliens.) 13 years earlier, he was not so fortunate as he was arrested for debts unpaid but is rescued by Jourdain(Fabrice Luchini), a wealthy merchant, who assumes his debts in exchange for his theatrical coaching to win the hand of Marquise Celimene(Ludivine Sagnier). At the first opportunity, Moliere makes a break for it but is simultaneously deterred by a very large dog and enchanted by Jourdain's wife(Laura Morante)...[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Moliere" is a misguided and awkward attempt to explore the creative process. Well, at least it looks great. Maybe, it would have helped if I knew more about the life and works of Moliere.

What I can sense is that he was some kind of comic genius. Ironically, the film is at its weakest when it tries to be funny while the serious parts are not half bad, as long as they are allowed to maintain some kind of momentum. Under such conditions, a good cast can do little to help. Ludivine Sagnier comes closest to succeeding but even Laura Morante cannot shine with material like this. And it is especially strange considering Fabrice Luchini was on similar ground several years back in "Beaumarchais the Scoundrel."[/font] Walter M. Super Reviewer Entertaining period comedy with beautiful sets and engaging acting. It tells the story of French playwright Molière's early days, as if they were indeed as farcical as his plays. C'est très drole!

Ross Collins Super Reviewer [size=3]"Moliere," starring French dreamboat [b]Romain Duris[/b] as the legendary 17th-century playwright himself, is wonderfully funny and intelligent from first moment to last, all with a light joie de vivre that seems to be part of the French DNA.[/size] [size=3][img] [size=3]I have heard grumblings from some critics who say that the film is simply a recapitulation of one of Moliere's plays. I can't comment on that, as I haven't read any of his work. What I do know is that this film is gorgeous, heart-felt, superbly acted and directed, surprising, witty and overflowing with life. I recommend it to anyone, except [/size][size=3]maybe to Moliere scholars, who presumably have seen it all before.[/size] [size=3][img] [size=3]The plot surrounds Moliere being rescued from debtors' prison by an extravagantly wealthy merchant named Monsieur Jourdain, who is striving to win the heart of a young, beautiful, well-educated Comtesse.

Since he is married, this Comtesse would be his mistress. (The tradition of the mistress in France is like nothing we have in America. In France it is almost presumed that a married man would have a mistress -- or more recently, a boyfriend. Vive la France!)[/size] [size=3]Jourdain, who is hilariously played by [b]Fabrice Luchini[/b], [/size][size=3]is hoping to captivate the ravishing Comtesse by writing a play that will impress her. [/size][size=3]Moliere is to move into Jourdain's immense chateau and tutor Jourdain without his family knowing. Moliere is to masquerade as a priest come to protect the soul of Jourdain's youngest daughter. [/size][size=3]Watching the ribald, devilish Moliere attempt to lead prayers was priceless.[/size] [size=3]Complexities emerge when Moliere falls in love with Madame Jourdain and the erotic adventures of Jourdain's older daughter come to light. The local aristocrat also brings his own intrigues.

Woven through all of it is the struggle within Moliere himself to trust his talent in all its oddness. When he tells the artistically minded Madame Jourdain that there is no such thing as comedy with philosophical depth, her response is simply and powerfully, "Then invent it." Would that all young artists had a Mme. Jourdain to inspire them.[/size] [size=3]He does come to believe in himself, and nearly 400 years later we're still talking about him. That's pretty damn good.[/size] [size=3]I'm sure anyone who sees this film will enjoy him or herself immensely. But I can't say it's a superior artistic accomplishment. Formally speaking, it's run of the mill. It stays completely within the established conventions of modern mainstream cinema. It doesn't show even the slightest bit of interest in charting new territory, formally or even thematically. It's a delight, but no one would call it artistically audacious.

Thus I cannot rank it higher than an 8.[/size] William Dunmyer Molière, French Playwright « The Freelance History Writer May 21, 2013 By Susan Abernethy in 17th & 18th Century French Artists , 17th Century , French History Tags: Duke of Orleans , Jean-Baptiste Poquelin , King Louis XIV , Louvre , Molière , Paris , Père Lachaise Cemetery , The Misanthrope 5 Comments Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, better known as Moliere In 17th and 18th Century France, there were an extraordinary number of men and women artists that emerged, making a name for themselves. They were poets, fabulists, painters, playwrights, actors, composers and writers. Some of the writers became the foundation for the L’Académie Française, which was established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. The Académie is the most distinguished learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Freelance History Writer would like to take a look at some of these remarkable artists.

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, is considered one of the greatest comedic masters of Western literature. His most well-known works are ‘The Misanthrope’, ‘The School for Wives’, ‘Tartuffe or the Imposter’, ‘The Imaginary Invalid’ and ‘The Bourgeois Gentleman’. He spent thirteen years as a travelling actor which allowed him to refine his comic skills as he began writing. He combined commedia dell’arte elements with the more refined French comedy. Molière was baptized on January 15, 1622. He was born in Paris into a prosperous family and studied at the Collège de Clermont. When he was twenty-one, he decided to abandon his social class and pursue a career on the stage, founding the Illustre Théâtre. His theater went bankrupt by 1645 and he spent twenty-four hours in prison. It is unknown who paid his debts but once he left prison, he changed his name and went back to the acting circuit.

This was to last for twelve years and during this time he was able to gain the patronage of several aristocrats including Philippe I, Duke of Orleans, the brother of King Louis XIV. By 1658, he had made his reputation in Paris and performed in front of King Louis XIV at the Louvre which was then for rent as a theater. He was named head of the actor’s troupe for the Duke of Orleans. Molière preferred tragedy but became famous for his farces which were presented in one act and were performed after the tragedy. Later in life he focused on writing musical comedies where the drama was interrupted by songs and/or dances. Jean-Baptiste de Lully wrote some of the music for these. Some of his plays made fun of society at the time and produced controversy but Molière was always careful not to attack the institution of the monarchy itself. He was to earn a position as one of King Louis’ favorites and enjoyed the king’s protection from attacks on his work. Eventually, the king became the official sponsor of Molière’s troupe. In his fourteen years in Paris, Molière wrote thirty-one out of the eighty-five plays his troupe performed.

By 1672, he was ill and was writing less and less. He was suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis which he may have contracted when he was in prison. While performing ‘The Imaginary Invalid’ on stage on February 17, 1673 he collapsed with a fit of coughing and hemorrhaging. He insisted on finishing the performance. When the play was over he collapsed again with more hemorrhaging and was taken home where he died a few hours later. Under French law, actors were not allowed to be buried in the sacred ground of the cemetery. Molière’s wife pleaded with the King to have a “normal” funeral at night and the King agreed. Molière was buried in a cemetery in a section reserved for unbaptized infants. In 1792, his remains were brought to the museum of French monuments and in 1817, they were transferred to Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, close to those of Jean de La Fontaine . In one of the great omissions of history, Molière was never admitted to the Académie Française.

Share this: Tartuffe by Molière - Free at Loyal Books By: Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature. Among Molière's best-known works is Tartuffe or The Hypocrite, written in 1664. Though Tartuffe was received well by the public and even by Louis XIV, its popularity was lessened when the Archbishop of Paris issued an edict threatening excommunication for anyone who watched, performed in, or read the play. Tartuffe, a pious fraud who pretends to speak with divine authority, has insinuated himself into the household of Orgon. When Orgon announces that his daughter Mariane is to marry Tartuffe instead of her fiance Valère, the rest of the family realizes the extent of Tartuffe's influence over Orgon. Tartuffe tries to seduce Orgon's wife Elmire, who traps him into revealing to Orgon his intentions toward her.

Orgon throws Tartuffe out of the house, Tartuffe returns with an order of eviction for the family, and at the final moment the tables are turned and the play ends happily. First Page: Moliere - Microsoft Store Moliere 2007 • Comedy • 2 h • French • HD (1) $12.99 In 1645, the French playwright and actor Jean-Baptiste Poquelin -- better known as Molière -- mysteriously disappeared for several weeks, and this lavish comedy drama imagines a scenario that could explain what may have happened to him. At this time, Molière (Romain Duris) is touring the French countryside with his traveling theater company, and he's yet to be recognized as one of the continent's great authors (or achieve significant financial success). Molière is put in jail after skipping ... Buy HD $12.99 Ratings & reviews Synopsis In 1645, the French playwright and actor Jean-Baptiste Poquelin -- better known as Molière -- mysteriously disappeared for several weeks, and this lavish comedy drama imagines a scenario that could explain what may have happened to him.

At this time, Molière (Romain Duris) is touring the French countryside with his traveling theater company, and he's yet to be recognized as one of the continent's great authors (or achieve significant financial success). Molière is put in jail after skipping out on some unpaid debts, but is freed after his fine is paid by two strangers. Molière discovers his benefactors are acting on behalf of Jourdain (Fabrice Luchini), a very wealthy man who has a beautiful wife, Elmire (Laura Morante) and two lovely daughters. However, Jourdain has fallen head over heels for Celimene (Ludivine Sagnier), a gorgeous widow, and he's written a short play in order to demonstrate his feelings for her. Jourdain needs someone to help him polish his script and serve as an acting coach, and he's recruited Molière for the job. Needing the money, Moliere accepts, but he poses as a man of the cloth, Monsieur Tartuffe, to keep his identity a secret.

Molière soon realizes that Jourdain's talent exists only in the rich man's imagination, and that Jourdain already has a rival for Celimene's affections, the charming but duplicitous Dorante (Edouard Baer). Actors Biography of Moliere - French Dramatist and more! MOLIERE - French Dramatist La Comédie Française or le Théâtre Français -- the French national theater -- was founded in 1680 in Paris by merging three existing companies: the Hôtel de Bourgogne, the Théâtre du Marais, and the troupe of Molière. It is organized cooperatively, according to the original charter granted by Louis XIV and revised by Napoleon. From its inception the company has had a tumultuous existence. During the French Revolution the Comédie Française split into two rival factions. In 1803 it was reconstituted. As recently as 1945 and 1959 internal problems necessitated reforms in its charter. It is still noted for its productions of classical French drama. Alvin Goldfarb. Bibliography: A.

Houssaye, Behind the Scenes of the Comédie Française (1889); H.C. Lancaster, The Comédie Française, 2 vols (1941; 1951). Molière {mohl-yair'}, whose real name was Jean Baptiste Poquelin, composed 12 of the most durable and penetratingly satirical full-length comedies of all time, some in rhyming verse, some in prose, as well as six shorter farces and comedies. As a comic dramatist he ranks with such other distinctive masters of the genre as Aristophanes, Plautus, and George Bernard Shaw. He was also the leading French comic actor, stage director, and dramatic theoretician of the 17th century. In a theatrical period, the early baroque, dominated by the formal neoclassical tragedies of Mairet, Rotrou, du Ryer, Pierre and Thomas Corneille, and Racine, Molière affirmed the potency of comedy as a serious, flexible art form.

He also wrote a number of pastorals and other indoor and outdoor divertissements, such as his popular comedy-ballets, that depended on a formidable array of stage machinery (mostly imported from Italy) capable of providing swift and startling changes of sumptuous scenic effects. He was born on Jan. 15, 1622, to Marie and Jean Poquelin; his father was a Parisian furniture merchant and upholsterer to the king. Jean Baptiste received his early education at the College de Clermont, a Jesuit school, becoming a promising scholar of Latin and Greek. Although he proceeded to study law and was awarded his law degree in 1642, he turned away from both the legal profession and his father's business. Instead, he incorporated (1643) an acting troupe, the Illustre Theatre, in collaboration with the Bejart family, probably because he had fallen in love with their oldest daughter, Madeleine Bejart, who became his mistress. At roughly the same time he also acquired the pseudonym Molière.

With this company, Molière played an unsuccessful season in Paris and went bankrupt, then left to tour the provinces, primarily in southern and southwestern France, from about 1646 to 1658. During these 12 years he polished his skills as actor, director, administrator, and playwright. In 1658 the troupe returned to Paris and played before Louis XIV. The king's brother became Molière's patron; later Molière and his colleagues were appointed official providers of entertainment to the Sun King himself. In the following 24 years, starting with The Precious Maidens Ridiculed (1659), which established him as the most popular comic playwright of the day, and ending with The Imaginary Invalid (1673), Molière advanced from being a gifted adapter of Italian-derived sketches and a showman who put on extravaganzas to a writer whose best plays had the lasting impact of tragedies. Unwittingly, he made many enemies. The clergy mistakenly believed that certain of his plays were attacks on the church. Other playwrights resented his continual experiments with comic forms (as in The School for Wives) and with verse (as in Amphitryon).

Famous tragedians such as Montfleury and Hauteroche envied his success with the public and the royal protection he enjoyed. Molière responded by incorporating some of his detractors into his comedies as buffoons and ineffectuals. In 1662 he married Armande Béjart, a 19-year-old actress who was either Madeleine's sister or (as some of the playwright's rivals claimed) her daughter by Molière. They had one child, Esprit-Madeleine, born in 1665. The marriage led to more than one separation and reconciliation between the playwright and his wife, who was 21 years his junior. In the late 1660s, Molière developed a lung ailment from which he never recovered, although he continued to write, act, direct, and manage his troupe as energetically as before. He finally collapsed on Feb. 17, 1673, after the fourth performance of The Imaginary Invalid, and died at home that evening. Four days later, on the night of February 21, he was interred in Saint Joseph's Cemetery.

Church leaders refused to officiate or to grant his body a formal burial. Seven years later the king united Molière's company with one of its competitors; since that time the French national theater, the Comédie Francaise, has been known as the House of Molière. The strongest influence on Molière's theater came from the Italian commedia dell'arte troupes -- with their stock characters and situations -- that he encountered during his travels. This influence was enhanced by Molière's sharing of the Théâtre du Petit-Bourbon in Paris with the Italian Players, led by the celebrated Scaramouche. In his longer comedies, Molière immensely refined the commedia themes and techniques, setting most of his plots in and around Paris and raising neoclassical French comedy to a plane of artistry and inventiveness never attained before or since. He applied the alexandrine , or rhymed hexameter line -- borrowed from contemporary tragedies, many of which he had staged -- to a relaxed dialogue that imitated conversational speech.

He also created a gallery of incisive portraits: Tartuffe the religious hypocrite, and Orgon, his dupe; Jourdain the social climber; Don Juan the rebel and libertine; cuckolds such as Arnolphe, Dandin, and Amphitryon; Alceste the stony idealist; Harpagon the miser; Scapin the trickster; Argan the hypochondriac; Philaminte the pretentiously cultured lady; and many more.

Molière's principal short plays (in one or two acts) are: The Jealous Husband (1645?), The Flying Doctor (1648?), Sganarelle (1660), The Rehearsal at Versailles (1663), and The Forced Marriage (1664); the longer plays (in three or five acts) include The School for Husbands (1661), The School for Wives (1662), Tartuffe (1664), Don Juan (1665), The Misanthrope (1666), The Doctor in Spite of Himself (1666), Amphitryon (1668), The Miser (1668), George Dandin (1668), The Bourgeois Gentleman (1670), Scapin (1671), The Learned Ladies (1672), and The Imaginary Invalid (1673). Albert Bermel, Professor of Theatre, Herbert H. Lehman College, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York City.

Source: 1997 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia v.9.0.1 Bibliography: THE PLAYS: Comedies, 2 vols., trans. by H. Baker and J. Miller (1739; repr. 1961); The Misanthrope and Other Plays, trans. by John Wood (1959); The Miser and Other Plays, trans. by John Wood (1953); One-Act Comedies of Molière, 2d ed., trans. by Albert Bermel (1975); Tartuffe and Other Plays (1967) and The Misanthrope and Other Plays (1968), both trans. by Donald M. Frame. BIOGRAPHY AND CRITICISM: Lionel Gossman, Men and Masks: A Study of Molière (1963); Jacques Guicharnaud, ed., Molière: A Collection of Critical Essays (1964); W.D. Howarth and J. M. Thomas, eds., Molière: Stage and Study (1973); J.D.

Hubert, Molière and the Comedy of Intellect (1962); F.L. Lawrence, Molière: The Comedy of Unreason, 2 vols. (1968); D.B. Wyndham Lewis, Molière: The Comic Mask (1959); Robert McBride, The Sceptical Vision of Molière: A Study in Paradox (1977); Gertrud Mander, Molière, trans. by Diana S. Peters (1973); W.G. Moore, Molière: A New Criticism, rev. ed. (1962); John Palmer, Molière, 2d ed. (1965). Image Source: Portrait of Molière - The Bettmann Archive; Comédie Française scene - Giraudon/Art Resource, NY. Playwright Biographies: Moliere | Define Moliere at Dictionary.com noun 1. real name Jean-Baptiste Poquelin. 1622–73, French dramatist, regarded as the greatest French writer of comedy.

His works include Tartuffe (1664), Le Misanthrope (1666), L'Avare (1668), Le Bourgeois gentilhomme (1670), and Le Malade imaginaire (1673) Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 French Neoclacism at University of North Carolina School Of The Arts - StudyBlue StudyBlue When was the French renaissance? 1630 to 1700. Who is France's greatest comic playwright? Jean Baptiste Poquelin (1622-1673), better known as Moliere. Advertisement ) Why did Jean Baptiste Poquelin change his name to Moliere?

Jean Baptiste Poquelin's father was a minor official (royal upholsterer and furniture maker) in the court of King Louis XIII (reigned 1610-1643). When Jean Baptiste decided to become an actor, (his father wanted him to become a lawyer) and organized the Theatre Illustre in 1643, his father requested that he change his name so Jean would not embarrass either his family or the King's court. Acting was still an unacceptable profession in France. Definition What two types of comedies did he write?Term Moliere's ten major works are divided into two groups: (1) the farcical comedies (primarily influenced by the Commedia) and the (2) high comedies (comedy of character). List the title of one major work from each group? Farcical comedy , Comedy of character Farcical comedy The Doctor In Spite of Himself (1666), The Tricks of Scapine (1671) (sometimes known as Scapino Comedy of character Tartuffe (1664), See the Play Synopsis on page A-3 in the Appendix.

The Miser (1668), The Imaginary Invalid (1673) Definition How did molliere die? Where? He collapsed, on stage, during the fourth performance of The Imaginary Invalid and died later that evening at his home. Definition Why was he buried in a private ceremony? Because he had not reconciled with the church and did not die in a state of grace. Moliere was an actor, as well as a playwright, and all actors had been excommunicated from the church since the middle ages. Since he died before he had a chance to confess his sins, he could not be "legally" buried in hallowed ground. It was only after the intervention of King Louis XIV, that his body was buried after dark in a private (and probably secret) ceremony in the graveyard at St. Joseph's in the parish of St Eustache in Paris. What is the Comedie Francaise? Does it still exist today? The Comedie Francaise is considered by many to be the "world's first national theatre." Yes. It is still the most important French speaking theatre in Paris. What type of dramas did Pierre Cornielle write? What is the title of his most important work?

Although Pierre Cornielle (1606-1684) did write comedies, he is primarily remembered for his tragedies. Le Cid (1636) was a turning point in French drama. It precipitated the literary battle which would lead to the triumph of the neoclassical ideal. This battle was settled by the Academie Francaise in 1638 when it published The Judgement of the Academy on Le Cid. What was the Academie Francaise? An organization, chartered in 1637, patterned after the Italian academies, and limited to "forty men of letters." The guiding force behind the Academie was Cardinal Richelieu (1586-1642). What are the five neo-classical rules of dramatic structure?

The five neoclassical rules established by the Academie Francaise were: Anything which happens on stage must be able to happen in real life, Every drama must preach a moral lesson by showing that good will be rewarded and that evil will be punished, There could be no mixing of dramatic styles -- a play was either a comedy or tragedy, but not a tragicomedy A play must observe the three unities (time, place and action), and A drama must be divided into five acts. Why were soliloquies not allowed in neo-classical French drama? Because in a realistic presentation a soliloquy is a character talking to himself, something which is not very "real."Definition What type of characters were permitted in a neo-classical tragedy? Comedy? A tragedy must draw its characters from the nobility. The plot must deal with affairs of state (who will be the next king), the ending must be tragic (everyone dies) and the dialogue poetic. A comedy should draw its characters from the middle and lower classes. The plot should deal with domestic affairs (a love story), the ending should be happy (everyone gets married), and the dialogue should be written in prose.

Advertisement Renaissance Theatre: France Renaissance Theatre: France Wilson and Goldfarb. Theatre: The Lively Art, 7th edition: Chapter 13, pages 297 - 303. Plays... Moliere. Tartuffe, The Doctor In Spite of Himself 1. When was the French renaissance? 1630 to 1700. 2. Who is France's greatest comic playwright? Jean Baptiste Poquelin (1622-1673), better known as Moliere. 3. Why did Jean Baptiste Poquelin change his name to Moliere? Jean Baptiste Poquelin's father was a minor official (royal upholsterer and furniture maker) in the court of King Louis XIII (reigned 1610-1643). When Jean Baptiste decided to become an actor, (his father wanted him to become a lawyer) and organized the Theatre Illustre in 1643, his father requested that he change his name so Jean would not embarrass either his family or the King's court. Acting was still an unacceptable profession in France. 4.

What two types of comedies did he write? Moliere's ten major works are divided into two groups: (1) the farcical comedies (primarily influenced by the Commedia) and the (2) high comedies (comedy of character). 5. List the title of one major work from each group? Farcical comedy-- The Doctor In Spite of Himself (1666), The Tricks of Scapine (1671) (sometimes known as Scapino) Comedy of character-- Tartuffe (1664), See the Play Synopsis on page 412 in the Appendix. The Miser (1668), The Imaginary Invalid (1673) What is considered his masterpiece? Tartuffe. The story of one of the greatest con-men of all time. The famous "Table Scene" from Tartuffe Elmire, the wife, has just hidden Orgon, her husband, under the table as Tartuffe enters. Watch the same scene from Tartuffe as performed in Slovenian, by the Slovenia National Theatre (SNG) of Ljubljana. This interpretation is considerably more physical. 6. How did he die? Where?

He collapsed, on stage, during the fourth performance of The Imaginary Invalid and died later that evening at his home. 7. Why was he buried in a private ceremony? Moliere's Monument Père Lachaise Paris Because he had not reconciled with the church and did not die in a state of grace. Moliere was an actor, as well as a playwright, and all actors had been excommunicated from the church since the middle ages. Since he died before he had a chance to confess his sins, he could not be "legally" buried in hallowed ground. It was only after the intervention of King Louis XIV, that his body was buried after dark in a private (and probably secret) ceremony in the graveyard at St. Joseph's in the parish of St Eustache in Paris. In 1792, after the French Revolution and the establishment of the Empire, his remains were moved to Alexandre Lenoir's newly established Musée des Monuments Français (Museum of French Monuments). In 1817 his remains were again moved, this time to their final resting place in the Cemetery Père Lachaise in Paris.

(Note: There are those who believe that when Moliere's body was exhumed in 1792 the wrong grave was opened and it is therefor not his body in the monument at Père Lachaise. 8. What is the Comedie Francaise? Comedie Francaise The Comedie Francaise is the national theatre of Francis, and is considered by many to be the "world's first national theatre." Does it still exist today? Yes. It is still the most important French speaking playhouse in Paris. 9. How was it created? It was created in 1680, seven years after Moliere's death, by King Louis XIV (reigned 1643-1715). He combined Moliere's company with two other Parisian acting companies producing a much larger and more powerful organization. He also granted the Comedie a monopoly over all French spoken drama. In 1689 the company moved into their own facility. See the ground plan on page 303. Whose plays does it perform? Primarily the neoclassical works of Moliere, Racine and Corneille.

They also present significant French drama from the 18th, 19th, and 20th century. 10. What type of dramas did Pierre Cornielle write? Pierre Cornielle Although Pierre Cornielle (1606-1684) did write comedies, he is primarily remembered today for his tragedies. He was one of France's most popular and successful 17th century playwrights. His first major work was Mélite, or The False Letters, a comedy, which was performed in 1629. He retired in 1674 and died at his home in Paris 10 years later. He was active on the French stage for over 40 years and is credited with at least 33 plays. 11. What is the title of his most important work? Le Cid (1636) -- al sayyid in Arabic; roughly translated as "The Lord" was based on the legend of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (El Cid Campeador), a hero of Medieval Spain -- was a turning point in French drama. It precipitated the literary battle which would lead to the triumph of the neoclassical ideal.

This battle was settled by the Academie Francaise in 1638 when it published The Judgement of the Academy on Le Cid. Academie Francaise 12. What was the Academie Francaise? An organization, chartered in 1637, patterned after the Italian academies, and limited to "forty men of letters." The guiding force behind the Academie was Cardinal Richelieu (1586-1642). 13. Why was it formed? What was its function? According to the Academie's web site ( ), translated from French by the Google Language Tools ... The mission which was assigned to him right from the start was to fix the French language, to give him rules, to make it pure and comprehensible by all. 14. What are the five neo-classical rules of dramatic structure? The five neoclassical rules established by the Academie Francaise were ...

Anything which happens on stage must be able to happen in real life, Every drama must preach a moral lesson by showing that good will be rewarded and that evil will be punished, There could be no mixing of dramatic styles -- a play was either a comedy or tragedy, but not a tragicomedy A play must observe the three unities (time, place and action), and A drama must be divided into five acts. 15. Why were soliloquies not allowed in neo-classical French drama? Because in a realistic presentation a soliloquy is a character talking to himself, something which is not very "real." 16. What type of characters were permitted in a neo-classical tragedy? A tragedy must draw its characters from the nobility. The plot must deal with affairs of state (who will be the next king), the ending must be tragic (everyone dies) and the dialogue poetic. Comedy? A comedy should draw its characters from the middle and lower classes. The plot should deal with domestic affairs (a love story), the ending should be happy (everyone gets married), and the dialogue should be written in prose.

Jean Racine Jean-Baptiste Poquelin « The Freelance History Writer May 21, 2013 By Susan Abernethy in 17th & 18th Century French Artists , 17th Century , French History Tags: Duke of Orleans , Jean-Baptiste Poquelin , King Louis XIV , Louvre , Molière , Paris , Père Lachaise Cemetery , The Misanthrope 5 Comments Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, better known as Moliere In 17th and 18th Century France, there were an extraordinary number of men and women artists that emerged, making a name for themselves. They were poets, fabulists, painters, playwrights, actors, composers and writers. Some of the writers became the foundation for the L’Académie Française, which was established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. The Académie is the most distinguished learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Freelance History Writer would like to take a look at some of these remarkable artists.

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, is considered one of the greatest comedic masters of Western literature. His most well-known works are ‘The Misanthrope’, ‘The School for Wives’, ‘Tartuffe or the Imposter’, ‘The Imaginary Invalid’ and ‘The Bourgeois Gentleman’. He spent thirteen years as a travelling actor which allowed him to refine his comic skills as he began writing. He combined commedia dell’arte elements with the more refined French comedy. Molière was baptized on January 15, 1622. He was born in Paris into a prosperous family and studied at the Collège de Clermont. When he was twenty-one, he decided to abandon his social class and pursue a career on the stage, founding the Illustre Théâtre. His theater went bankrupt by 1645 and he spent twenty-four hours in prison. It is unknown who paid his debts but once he left prison, he changed his name and went back to the acting circuit.

This was to last for twelve years and during this time he was able to gain the patronage of several aristocrats including Philippe I, Duke of Orleans, the brother of King Louis XIV. By 1658, he had made his reputation in Paris and performed in front of King Louis XIV at the Louvre which was then for rent as a theater. He was named head of the actor’s troupe for the Duke of Orleans. Molière preferred tragedy but became famous for his farces which were presented in one act and were performed after the tragedy. Later in life he focused on writing musical comedies where the drama was interrupted by songs and/or dances. Jean-Baptiste de Lully wrote some of the music for these. Some of his plays made fun of society at the time and produced controversy but Molière was always careful not to attack the institution of the monarchy itself. He was to earn a position as one of King Louis’ favorites and enjoyed the king’s protection from attacks on his work. Eventually, the king became the official sponsor of Molière’s troupe. In his fourteen years in Paris, Molière wrote thirty-one out of the eighty-five plays his troupe performed.

By 1672, he was ill and was writing less and less. He was suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis which he may have contracted when he was in prison. While performing ‘The Imaginary Invalid’ on stage on February 17, 1673 he collapsed with a fit of coughing and hemorrhaging. He insisted on finishing the performance. When the play was over he collapsed again with more hemorrhaging and was taken home where he died a few hours later. Under French law, actors were not allowed to be buried in the sacred ground of the cemetery. Molière’s wife pleaded with the King to have a “normal” funeral at night and the King agreed. Molière was buried in a cemetery in a section reserved for unbaptized infants. In 1792, his remains were brought to the museum of French monuments and in 1817, they were transferred to Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, close to those of Jean de La Fontaine . In one of the great omissions of history, Molière was never admitted to the Académie Française. Share this:

Question: French playwright Jean-Baptiste Poquelin was better known by what name?
Answer: Moliere