Moliere Playwright
- Gender: Male
- Citizenship: France
- Born: Jan 15, 1622
- Died: Feb 17, 1673
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 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, 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.
Through the patronage 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.
Love is often the fruit of marriage.
marriage
The duty of comedy is to correct men by amusing them.
men
Books and marriage go ill together.
marriage
The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.
greatness
One should eat to live, not live to eat.
food
Writing is like prostitution. First you do it for love, and then for a few close friends, and then for money.
money
We die only once, and for such a long time.
time
A wise man is superior to any insults which can be put upon him, and the best reply to unseemly behavior is patience and moderation.
best, patience & wisdom
There are pretenders to piety as well as to courage.
courage
A lover tries to stand in well with the pet dog of the house.
pets
He who follows his lessons tastes a profound peace, and looks upon everybody as a bunch of manure.
peace
The trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.
best & nature
Ah! how annoying that the law doesn't allow a woman to change husbands just as one does shirts.
change
I want to be distinguished from the rest to tell the truth, a friend to all mankind is not a friend for me.
truth
If you suppress grief too much, it can well redouble.
sympathy