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Jean Baptiste Moliere: a short biography
Jean Baptiste Poquelin was born in France in the 15th century. Specifically: in Paris on January 1622, XNUMX, in the family of a royal valet and successor of the upholstery dynasty. Jean Baptiste’s mother died of tuberculosis when he was ten years old. The father sent his son to a prestigious Jesuit school (Clermont College).
There, until the age of seventeen, Jean Baptiste studied Latin, natural sciences, philosophy and classical literature. By the way, many talented scientists, writers and public figures were graduates of this college (in different years). Here are some names:
- Maximilien Robespierre;
- Eugene Delacroix;
- Victor Hugo;
- Georges Pompidou;
- Jacques Chirac.
Portrait of Moliere by Pierre Mignard, 1658
Let’s return to our hero. Young Jean Baptiste enthusiastically listened to the lectures of Pierre Gassendi – priest, philosopher, mathematician and astronomer. Gassendi had an ideological influence on the young Poquelin. Having successfully passed the exams in Orleans, he received the title of licensee of rights.
This made it possible to teach at the Lyceum. But Poquelin became neither a teacher, nor a lawyer, nor an upholsterer. He had a different fate. He loved theater!
Life and death on stage
Due to his passion for the theater, Jean Baptiste gathered a small troupe of friends-actors. The troupe was called “The Brilliant Theater”. Not finding popularity in Paris, the actors travel to the provinces. Thirteen years of travel has provided Poquelin with a theatrical and life experience.
Taking a pseudonym, Poquelin became Moliere. Due to the lack of a new repertoire, the young actor begins to write plays on his own. In 1656 the troupe returned to the capital. Soon Louis XIV saw Moliere’s play Doctor in Love. The king was delighted and provided the actors with a court theater and his patronage.
The talented comedian married at the age of forty. His chosen one was twenty-year-old actress Amanda Bejart. In this marriage, three children were born, two of them died before living a year. Louis XIV was the godfather of Moliere’s first child. How!
Moliere was a virtuoso playwright and a wonderful actor. On February 17, 1673, he became ill on stage. But in order not to disrupt the play “The Imaginary Sick”, he presented the onset of convulsions as a game. He was later taken home and died soon after.
Moliere’s work (briefly)
His plays, written in a cutesy and courtly manner under Louis XIV, remain modern without losing meaning and significance. The genius playwright was witty to such an extent that his satire has not lost its strength to this day. A century later, already under Louis XVI, Pierre de Beaumarchais became a worthy successor to Moliere.
Moliere wrote 41 plays, 8 of which have not survived. In addition, Moliere wrote the poem “Glory of the Cathedral of Val-de-Gras”, poems, sonnets and poetry dedication. For 370 years, his immortal plays have been included in the repertoire of many theaters around the world:
“Bourgeois in the nobility”
The main theme of the comedy is the attempt of the bourgeois to leave his class and join the “upper circle”. About the ignorance of the protagonist and the ridiculous imitation of an alien culture.
Tartuffe
The criticism is directed against the clergy, the image of a hypocrite priest. Feigned piety, concealing selfish worldly aspirations and sensual impulses under the guise of religion.
Misanthrope
Exposure of social vices: hypocritical friendship, flattery, gossip, unfair sentences.
“The Imaginary Sick”
The topic of the decomposition of society at that time on the example of a single family, about the greed of doctors.
“Don Juan”
This comedy was banned after several screenings and was not shown in the French theater for 200 years. The main character is an egoist who does not want to know anything but his pleasure, does not recognize any obligations.
“Stingy”
A play about the vice of avarice. The avaricious Moliere is ridiculous and pathetic. He is rich but greedy. He loves no one and nothing but his money.
“Scapin’s Tricks”
Exposing social vices, making fun of stupid and frivolous gentlemen, Scapen knows how to defend his human dignity.
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