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==Biography==
Named Jean Baptiste Poqulin, French playwright, actor and creator of French high comedy; his genius lay in exposing the hypocrisies and follies of his society through satire.The comic dramatist composed 12 satirical full length comedies of all time. Jean Baptiste was the leading French comic actor, stage director, and dramatic theoretician of the 17th century. He was born on January 15, 1622 to Marie and Jean Poquelin; his father was a Parisian furniture merchant and upholsterer to the king. As a young boy he watched comedians perform plays and farces in the streets. Jean Baptiste received his education at College de Clemoist, a Jesuit school, becoming a promising scholar of Latin and Greek. He received his law degree in 1642 but had another passion at heart. His true love was in theater, turning away from his legal profession and his fathers business at age 21 Jean Baptiste joined the Béjart troupe of professional actors. The little company, headed by Jean Baptist and called the Illustre Théâtre, settled in Paris in 1643. At roughly the same time he also acquired the pseudonym Molière. With Illustrate Theatre, Molière played an unsuccessful season in Paris and went bankrupt. Afterwards he left to tour provinces in South France from 1646-1658. In 1658 Jean Baptiste returned to Paris and played before Louis XIV. Under royal patronage this troupe, performing at the Palais Royal, enjoyed continuous success; it is known as the ancestor of the Comédie Française. Molière had, nevertheless, to contend with rivalry from the Hôtel de Bourgogne and with cries of impiety and slander from critics and other authors. The king’s brother became Moliere's patron and his colleagues were appointed official providers of entertainment to the Sun King himself. Two Precious Maidens Ridiculed,in 1659 established him as the most popular comic playwright of his day. Moliere became known as a writer whose best plays had the lasting impact of tragedies. "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." (The Walton Group) Madeleine Béjart was Jean Baptistes mistress for many years, but in 1662 he scandalized many by marrying Armande Béjart, who was either Madeleine's younger sister or her daughter. In the late 1660's Jean Baptiste developed a lung ailment. He collapsed February 17, 1673 after his fourth performance of the Imaginary Invalid and died. Church leaders refused to grant his body a formal burial. "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." (The Walton Group)
==List of Works==
==List of Works==
*[[A Jealous Husband.]]
*[[A Jealous Husband.]]
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* [[The Nuisances]] (1661).
* [[The Nuisances]] (1661).
* [[The School for Wives]] (1662).  
* [[The School for Wives]] (1662).  
* [[The School for Wives Criticized]] (1663).
* [[A Versailles Improvisation]] (1663).
* [[A Versailles Improvisation]] (1663).
* [[The Forced Wedding]] (1664).
* [[The Forced Wedding]] (1664).
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* [[Learned Ladies]] (1672).  
* [[Learned Ladies]] (1672).  
* [[The Hypochondriac]], or [[The Imaginary Invalid]] (1673).
* [[The Hypochondriac]], or [[The Imaginary Invalid]] (1673).
==Biography==
Jean Baptiste Poquelin was born in Paris, France, on January 15, 1622, to a prominent family.  His father, Jean Poquelin, held a distinguished title as valet de chambre and tapissier, or upholsterer, to King Louis XIII.  Jean Baptiste Poquelin was the eldest of six children, and held an apprenticeship to his father's business, but showed little interest in the trade.  His love for acting and theatre was inspired by his grandfather who would often take him to see productions at the Hotel de Bourgogne. 
Jean Baptiste Poquelin's education began with his mother, who was a fervid Catholic with a passion for reading.  He later attended one of the finest secondary schools in Paris known as the College de Clermont.  After finishing his studies at the College Clermont, he began studying law for a brief period before he inherited his father's title.  It was due to a romantic involvement with Madeline Bejart, a young actress who had a tremendous amount of influence on Poquelin, that Jean Baptiste formally renounced his title and gave up a highly respectable career in the King's court to pursue a theatrical career.  He later adopted the stage name Moliere out of respect for his father, who wanted to avoid being associated with the theatre, which was considerered to be opprobrious at the time.
With the help of Madelin Bejart and her family, Moliere established the Societe de l'Illustre Theatre, where Moliere acted and later became director and stage manager.  However, due to expenses, inexperience, and Moliere's particularly poor acting skills led to the collapse of the Societe de l'Illustre Theatre in July of 1645.  The collapse of the theatre led to Moliere being sued for bankruptcy and being temporarily imprisoned for the theatre's debts.  However, this was not a deterent to Moliere's theatrical ambitions.  He continued acting with Bejart and her family, touring provinces as strolling players.  It was during this thirteen-year period that Moliere wrote his first plays - ''La jalousie de Barbouille'' (''The Jealosy of Le Barbouille''), ''Le medecin volant'' (''The Flying Doctor''), and ''L'etourdi'' (''The Blunderer''). After returning to Paris in 1658, Moliere put on the production of Le depit amoureux (The Amorous Quarrel).  The play was greeted with unbridled enthusiasm and earned the favor of Louis XIV as well as allowing Moliere the opportunity of sharing a theatre with the renouned Italian performers of Scaramouche.  In 1659, ''Les precieuses ridicules'' (''The Affected Ladies'') earned Moliere lasting recognition as a playwrite.  ''The Affected Ladies'' is a one-act comedy about two bucolic women who foolishly imitate the spurious social mannerisms and overrefined elegancies of Parisian aristocracy.  Moliere's accurate portrayal of ostenation in high society enraged many aristocrats who believed that they were the targets of the parody.  Afterwards, Moliere and his plays were regularly the center of controversy. Moliere's irreverance for Parisan aristocracy peaked with the in 1664 with the production of one his best know works, ''Tartuffe''.  ''Tartuffe'', while widely popular with audiences as well as King Louis XIV, became the center of condemnation from religious groups.  In fact, the Archbishop of Paris issued a decree threatening excommunication to anyone who performed, attended, or even read the play.
After ''Tartuffe'', Moliere continued a prolific career in theatre.  Other plays he wrote include ''Dom Juan'' (''Don Juan''), ''Le misanthrope'' (''The Misanthrope''),  ''L'avare'' (''The Miser''), and his last work, ''Le malade imaginaire'' (''The Imaginary Invalid'').  During a production of ''Le malade imaginaire'', Moliere had already become extremely ill. It was during his fourth performance that he suddenly coughed up blood onstage and later died of pulmonary embolism.


== Influences on Moliere ==
== Influences on Moliere ==
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                                        Work Cited


“Fabliau.” Columbia Encyclopedia. 2005 edition.                                               
 
== Historical context ==
'''Fronde'''
 
 
The fronde, which took place during the reign of Louis XIV from 1648-1653, was a series of revolts caused by the
parliament over limiting the power of the monarchy.  “ It began in Paris in May 1648, when the sovereign judicial courts of the capital led by the Parlement met in joint session to present twenty-seven reform demands
to the king and his government”  ([http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&an=8940647/ Kettering 412)].
The result of the disagreements between the parliament and the nobles spilled over into the provinces and caused civil wars between the government and the nobles who controlled large regions of land. “Although 1661 [was] the beginning of Louis XVI personal rule, France contained anarchic elements that threatened the stability of the political order” ([http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&an=4864232/ Treasure 412)]whom his mother Anne of Austria acted as his agent.  Patronage was very important to the Crown during the fronde because of the threat of removing the monarchy from power.  These bonds of patronage relied on a relationship of favor and reward meaning in return for support, the patron would be rewarded.  “The strengths of patronage loyalties and interests are motives for political action…also reinforced by shared political opinions or beliefs, which helped to forge long-lasting patron-client relationships during the fronde"([http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&an=8940647/ Kettering 432)].
 
==External Links concerning Molière==
 
[http://www.theatredatabase.com/17th_century/moliere_001.html Theatre Database]
 
[http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Theatre/Moliere/moliere.shtml Biography of Molière]
 
[http://www.site-moliere.com/ Site-Molière]
 
[http://www.bartleby.com/65/mo/Moliere.html The Columbia Encyclopedia Entry on Molière]
 
[http://www.theatrehistory.com/french/moliere006.html Jean Baptiste Poquelin de Molière]
 
[http://www.malaspina.org/home.asp?topic=./search/details&lastpage=./search/results&ID=163 Malaspina Great Books entry on Molière]
 
[http://www.miracosta.cc.ca.us/home/darnaud/moliere.htm Théâtre de Poche Entry on Molière]
 
[http://endeavor.med.nyu.edu/lit-med/lit-med-db/webdocs/webdescrips/moliere1420-des-.html Molière: The Imaginary Invalid]
 
==Work Cited==
 
*[http://www.jeancocteaurep.org/education/moliereworks.asp?n=1 List of Works]
 
*[http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/LitRC?vrsn=3&OP=contains&locID=maco12153&srchtp=athr&ca=1&c=2&ste=6&tab=1&tbst=arp&ai=62807&n=10&docNum=H1410000044&ST=Moliere&bConts=16047  Moliere], in Literature Resource Center. (An introduction to the author's life and works)
 
*[http://lionreference.chadwyck.com/searchFulltext.do?id=BIO008635&divLevel=0&trailId=1087DCE7105&area=ref&forward=critref_ft Moliere], in Literature Online Refereence Edition
 
*[http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/LitRC?vrsn=3&OP=contains&locID=maco12153&srchtp=athr&ca=1&c=1&ste=6&tab=1&tbst=arp&ai=62807&n=10&docNum=H1200011031&ST=Moliere&bConts=16047 Molière], in Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 268: Seventeenth-Century French Writers. A Bruccoli Clark Layman Book. Edited by Françoise Jaouën, Yale University. The Gale Group, 2002, pp. 239-263.
 
*“Fabliau.” Columbia Encyclopedia. 2005 edition.                                               
<http://www.encyclopedia.com/htmlfl/fabliau.asp.>
<http://www.encyclopedia.com/htmlfl/fabliau.asp.>


Bellinger, Martha. A short history of Drama. New York : Henry Holt and Company,  
*Bellinger, Martha. A short history of Drama. New York : Henry Holt and Company,  
1927 pp153-157.
1927 pp153-157.


<http://www.theatrehistory.com/italian/commedia_dell_arte_001.html>
<http://www.theatrehistory.com/italian/commedia_dell_arte_001.html>


I.R.F. Gordon, Emiertus Angelia Polytechnic University, “Neo-classicism,  
*I.R.F. Gordon, Emiertus Angelia Polytechnic University, “Neo-classicism,  
Neoclassicism.”  The Literary Encyclopedia. 11 Apr. 2005. The Literary Dictionary Company.  
Neoclassicism.”  The Literary Encyclopedia. 11 Apr. 2005. The Literary Dictionary Company.  


<http://litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=767>
<http://litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=767>


Seidel, Micheal. “European Authors.” Moliere Vol 3 pages 101-124. Literature Resource Center. GALILEO. Georgia Perimeter College Library, Clarkston,GA.  
Kettering, Sharon. “Patronage and Politics during the Fronde.” French Historical Studies Vol. 14 no. 3 (1986): 409-440
http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&an=8940647
 
*Seidel, Micheal. “European Authors.” Moliere Vol 3 pages 101-124. Literature Resource Center. GALILEO. Georgia Perimeter College Library, Clarkston,GA.  
30 Jan 2006.
30 Jan 2006.


<http://www.galileo.usg.edu.>
<http://www.galileo.usg.edu.>


==Links to other sites concerning Moli&egrave;re==
*Treasure, Geoffrey. “The FRONDE, Part I: The Revolt of the Lawyers.” History Today Vol.28 no. 6 (1978): 353-363
 
http://www.theatredatabase.com/17th_century/moliere_001.html
 
http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Theatre/Moliere/moliere.shtml
 
http://www.site-moliere.com/
 
http://www.bartleby.com/65/mo/Moliere.html
 
http://www.theatrehistory.com/french/moliere006.html
 
http://www.malaspina.org/home.asp?topic=./search/details&lastpage=./search/results&ID=163


==Works Cited==
http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&an=4864232
[http://www.jeancocteaurep.org/education/moliereworks.asp?n=1 List of Works]


[http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/LitRC?vrsn=3&OP=contains&locID=maco12153&srchtp=athr&ca=1&c=2&ste=6&tab=1&tbst=arp&ai=62807&n=10&docNum=H1410000044&ST=Moliere&bConts=16047  Moliere], in Literature Resource Center. (An introduction to the author's life and works)


[http://lionreference.chadwyck.com/searchFulltext.do?id=BIO008635&divLevel=0&trailId=1087DCE7105&area=ref&forward=critref_ft Moliere], in Literature Online Refereence Edition
*The Walton Group and Ian C. Mills. " MOLIERE- French Dramatist " Moliere 1997 http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Theatre/Moliere/moliere.shtml


[http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/LitRC?vrsn=3&OP=contains&locID=maco12153&srchtp=athr&ca=1&c=1&ste=6&tab=1&tbst=arp&ai=62807&n=10&docNum=H1200011031&ST=Moliere&bConts=16047 Molière], in Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 268: Seventeenth-Century French Writers. A Bruccoli Clark Layman Book. Edited by Françoise Jaouën, Yale University. The Gale Group, 2002, pp. 239-263.
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