Qui estce essays

Qui estce essays Molire, pseudonym of JEAN BAPTISTE POQUELIN (1622-73), French dramatist, and one of the greatest of all writers of comedies. His universal comic types still delight audiences; his plays are often produced and have been much translated. Molire was born in Paris on January 15, 1622, the son of a wealthy tapestry maker. From an early age he was completely devoted to the theater. In 1643 he joined a theatrical company established by the Bjarts, a family of professional actors; he married one of the members of the family, Armande Bjart, in 1662. The troupe, which Molire named the Illustre Thtre, played in Paris until 1645 and then toured the provinces for 13 years, returning to Paris in 1658. On their return Louis XIV lent the troupe his support and offered them occasional use of the Thtre du Petit-Bourbon and, in 1661, use of the playhouse in the Palais-Royal. Secure at the Palais-Royal, Molire for the rest of his life committed himself entirely to the comic theater, as dramatist, actor, producer, and director (Encarta 96). In 1659 the company presented Molire's Les prcieuses ridicules (The Affected Young Ladies). Written in a style similar to that of the older farces, it satirizes the pretensions of two provincial girls. The work took Paris by storm, and from that time until his death, at least one of Molire's comedies was produced each year (Comptons 95). L'cole des femmes (The School for Wives, 1662) marks a break with the farce tradition. Considered the first great seriocomic work of French literature, it deals with the part women played in society and their preparation for it; the play constitutes a bold satire on contemporary materialistic values and, as such, was denounced for impiety and vulgarity (Encarta 96). In Tartuffe ( first version, 1664; third and final version, 1669) Mol...