Introduction

Molière (1622-1673)

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (later known as Molière) was baptised in the St Eustache Church, Paris, on 15 January 1622, but the precise date of his birth is not known. Both his parents were in the upholstery business, enjoying considerable success and wealth. Between 1633 and 1639 Molière was educated at the Jesuit Collège de Clermont, now the Lycée Louis-le-Grand. In 1642, he was a law student in Orléans, and in the following year he renounced his succession to his father astapissier du Roi (upholsterer-royal), preferring instead to join the newly-formed Illustre Théâtre company in Paris. In 1644, he adopted the name Molière, and this marks the beginning of his celebrated career as actor-manager-playwright. His first full-length play,The Scatterbrain, was put on in 1655.

The company at first toured the provinces, then returned to Paris in 1658 and shared the Petit-Bourbon theatre with the Italiancommedia dell’arte players. Molière also received the patronage of the King’s brother, Philippe d’Orléans. 1659 saw the great success ofThe Pretentious Ladies. In 1661, the company was forced to move to a different theatre, the Palais-Royal. In 1662, Molière married Armande Béjart, then aged around 20. She was either the daughter or the sister of Madeleine Béjart, with whom Molière had set up the Illustre Théâtre some twenty years before. Molière’s acutely pertinent and highly successfulThe School for Wives was given later in 1662. The next year, he was granted a royal pension of 1,000 livres, and in February 1664 the King himself acted as godfather to his first child, Louis. In May of the same year, the first version ofTartuffe was given privately before the King, but was immediately banned for public performance.

In 1665, Molière’s company became the Troupe du Roi, and his annual royal pension was raised to 6,000 livres. In the early part of 1666, Molière became seriously ill with pneumonia and had to give up acting for many