moliere and others

1. French Theatre
Influenced by Spanish.
Confraternity of Passion
Held the monopoly of acting in Paris. Forbidden to perform in the religious plays
that had been so popular.
This allowed commercial theatre to develop. A commercial theatre that was
professional.
New plays and playwrights.
Alexandre hardy first professional French playwright.
Parisian theatres were never outdoors.
They developed theatres like the Italian indoor theatres.
The plays were remnants of the old Mysteres and Morality plays and new drama.
Farces were still much produced.
Three unities were followed.
Corneille wrote Le Cid, which inaugurated France’s greatest dramatic era.
Chronicled the exploits of a great Spanish hero. Violated three unities.
Andromede is his other famous play.
Racine. Phedre. Based on Euripedes. Lyrical beauty of the dialogue. Abandoned
his writing at the height of his powers to take a position at court.
Simple plot complex character. Inner struggle duty and desire.
Held fast to neo-classical rules.
Moliere.
Moliere was a renowned 17th century French dramatist, actor, director and all-around artist known for his
innovative stage comedies.
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière (/moʊlˈjɛər/;[1]
French: [mɔ.ljɛːʁ]; 15 January 1622 – 17 February 1673), was a French playwright and

2. actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western
literature.[2] Among Molière's best known works are The Misanthrope, The School for
Wives, Tartuffe, The Miser, The Imaginary Invalid, and 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.[3]
Through the patronage of 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, The Doctor in Love,
Molière was granted the use of salle du Petit-Bourbon near the Louvre, a spacious room
appointed for theatrical performances. Later, Molière was granted the use of the theatre in
the Palais-Royal. In both locations he found success among Parisians with plays such as
The Affected Ladies, The School for Husbands and The School for Wives. This royal
favour 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.[4]
Though he received the adulation of the court and Parisians, Molière's satires attracted
criticism from moralists and the Catholic Church. Tartuffe and its attack on perceived
religious hypocrisy roundly received condemnations from the Church, while Don Juan
was banned from performance. Molière's hard work in so many theatrical capacities took
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, 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.[4]
In June 1643, when Molière was 21, he decided to abandon his social class and
pursue a career on the stage. Taking leave of his father, he joined the actress
Madeleine Béjart, with whom he had crossed paths before, and founded the Illustre
Théâtre with 630 livres. They were later joined by Madeleine's brother and sister
Though conventional thinkers, religious leaders, and medical professionals in
Molière's time criticised his work, their ideas did not really diminish his widespread
success with the public. Other playwrights and companies began to emulate his
dramatic style in England and in France. Molière's works continued to garner
positive feedback in 18th century England, but they were not so warmly welcomed
in France at this time. However, during the French Restoration of the 19th century,
Molière's comedies became popular with both the French public and the critics.
portrayed. 20th century scholars have carried on this interest in Molière and his
plays and have continued to study a wide array of issues relating to this playwright.
Many critics now are shifting their attention from the philosophical, religious, and
moral implications in his comedies to the more objective study of his comic
technique.[13]

3. Five acts
exaggerated characters full of eccentricities
slapstick
deus ex machine
wrote and directed for his company
raised French comedy to the level of tragedy
Comedie Francaised 1680 built to house the French National theatrr
List of major works
 Le Médecin volant (1645)—The Flying Doctor
 La Jalousie du barbouillé(1650)
 L'Étourdiou Les Contretemps (1655)—The Blunderer
 Le Dépit amoureux (16 December 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 (18 November 1659)—The Affected Young
Ladies
 Sganarelleou Le Cocu imaginaire (28 May 1660)—Sganarelle, or the
ImaginaryCuckold
 Dom Garcie de Navarre ou Le Prince jaloux (4 February 1661)—Don
Garcia of Navarre or the Jealous Prince
 L'École des maris (24 June 1661)—The School for Husbands
 Les Fâcheux(17 August 1661)—The Mad
 L'École des femmes (26 December 1662; adapted into The Amorous
Flea, 1964)—The School for Wives
 La Jalousie du Gros-René (15 April 1663)
 La Critique de l'école des femmes (1 June 1663)—Critique of the
School for Wives
 L'Impromptu deVersailles (14 October1663)
 Le Mariageforcé (29 January 1664)—The Forced Marriage
 Gros-René, petit enfant (27 April 1664; now lost)
 La Princesse d'Élide (8 May 1664)—The Princess of Elid
 Tartuffe ou L'Imposteur (12 May 1664)—Tartuffe
 Dom Juan ou Le Festin de pierre (15 February 1665)

4.  L'Amour médecin (15 September 1665)—Love Is the Doctor
 Le Misanthropeou L'Atrabilaire amoureux (4 June 1666)—The
Misanthrope
 Le Médecin malgré lui (6 August 1666)—The Doctor in Spite of
Himself
 Mélicerte (2 December 1666)
 Pastorale comique (5 January 1667)
 Le Sicilien ou L'Amour peintre (14 February 1667)—The Sicilian, or
Love the Painter
 Amphitryon (13 January 1668)
 George Dandin ou Le Mari confondu (18 July 1668)—George
Dandin, or the Abashed Husband
 L'Avare ou L'École du mensonge (9 September 1668)—The Miser
 Monsieur de Pourceaugnac (6 October1669)
 Les Amantsmagnifiques (4 February 1670)—The MagnificentLovers
 Le Bourgeois gentilhomme (14 October1670)—The Bourgeois
Gentleman
 Psyché (17 January 1671)—Psyche
 Les Fourberies de Scapin (24 May 1671)
 La Comtesse d'Escarbagnas (2 December 1671)
 Les Femmes savantes (11 March 1672)—The Learned Ladies
 Le Maladeimaginaire (10 February 1673)—The ImaginaryInvalid
Cardinal Richileau - built theatres esp. Palais Cardinal which was based on
It. Type of proscenium
1645 Torelli came to France and redid the Petit Bourbon into an Italianate
system of chariot and pole.