"If everyone were clothed with integrity, if every heart were just, frank, kindly, the other virtues would be well-night useless, since their chief purpose is to make us bear with patience the injustice of our fellows." (from Le Misanthrope, 1666)

Molière was born Jean Baptiste Poquelin in Paris. The Poquelins were an old bourgeois family, perhaps originally of Scottish origin. Molière's father was a prosperous upholster, the descendant of a long line of Beauvais tradesmen. Molière's mother died when he was ten. He studied until 1639 with Jesuits at the Collège de Clermont, where he had a strict upbringing. In 1643 he abandoned his social class and family's plans for his future for the theatre. With his friend he founded the Illustre Théâtre. It lasted for over three years in Paris, and then moved to the provinces.

The theatre had sufficient success and it obtained the patronage of Philippe d'Orléans. After almost fifteen years experience of acting, managing, and writing, Molière returned to Paris. Little is know of his life in the provinces. In 1658 Molière performed before the King Louis XIV, and organized a regular theatre under the patronage of the brother of the king. After a difficult start, Molière's plays enjoyed popularity. Later in life Molière concentrated on writing musical comedies, in which the drama is interrupted by songs and dance or a combination of both. In 1662 he married nearly twenty years younger capricious, giddy Armande Bèjart, who may have been the illegitimate daughter of his former mistress, and who soon antagonized a number of his friends.

During his early years in Paris, among Molière's close friends were La Fontaine, Claude Chapelle, and Racine. Molière achieved fame with the prose comedy LES PRÉCIEUSES RIDICULES, first performed November 18, 1659 at the Théâtre du Petit-Bourbon. The author himself played successfully the Marquis de Mascarille, actually a disguised servant, and nearly adopted "Mascarille" as a new stage name. He soon had his own theatre, which was competing with Racine´s stage plays. The Shool for Wives from 1662 is generally regarded as the first of Molière's masterpieces. It poked fun at the limited education that was given to daughters of rich families, and reflected the Molière's own marriage. "It's an odd job, making decent people laugh," says Dorante in La Critique de l'école des femmes. Moliére was among the few contemporary writers who had maintained the connection with the folk poetry of the Middle Ages. His characters were conceived in the French classic tradition, and compared to Shakespeare's individuals, acting unexpectnessly, Molière misanthropes, servants, chambermaids, and imaginary invalids were incorporations of single passions and ideas.

"Man, I can assure you, is a nasty creature," wrote Molière in Tartuffe, ou L'imposteur (1664, Tartuffe, or the Impostor), which aroused the wrath of the Jansenists. The play was banned but Molière escaped further punishment thaks to the royal protection. Tartuffe has been taken to the home of credulous Orgon. He believes with his mother Pernelle, that Tartuffe's pious example will be good for the other members of the family. Orgon determines that his daughter Mariane, who loves a young man named Valère, shall marry Tartuffe. Orgon's wife Elmire begs Tartuffe to refuse Mariane's hand, and he attempts to seduce her. Orgon rejects the truth about his guest and signs over his entire property to him. Elmire devises a way to expose the hypocrite Tartuffe to Orgon, whose eyes are opened a little too late. Tartuffe turns the family out of the house, and tries to have his former host arrested. But by the order of the King, the arresting officer apprehends Tartuffe instead, and the impostor is hauled off to prison.

Although Moliére mocked the sly peasant and the vain bourgeois, he was careful not to attack the institution of monarchy and the authority of the Church. At that time art had become an instrument of the government. However, the King himself had not much time to think the artistic significance of his favorite, who enjoyed his protection from the attacks of the court. When the King once heard that Molière was the greatest writer of the century, he replied: "But I never knew that."

In 1664 Louis XIV became the godfather of Molière's first son Louis, who died in November, and his friend Racine wrote his play for a rival, older theatre. In this time Moliére started to suffer from bad health. DON JUAN, written in 1665 and based on plays of the same title by the actor-writer Dorimont and Claude Villiers, was banned. Molière was constantly working, writing plays and directing. Moreover, he nearly always acted in the lead role himself.

In February 17, 1673, Molière collapsed onstage during an early performance of his last play LE MALADE IMAGINAIRE, partly based on his own sad life and illness. He died ten o´clock at the same night. There having been no priest present, he was refused sanctified burial. After Molière's death, the theatre group Comédie Française was formed to promote his work. The publication of a plagiarized version of his play The Affected Ladies in 1659 forced Molière to begin publishing his own plays, and as a result his works have survived fairly well.

For further reading: The Life of Molière by H. Trollope (1905); Molière: His Life and His Work by B. Matthews (1910); Molière by J. Palmer (1930); Molière: Sa vie dans ses oeuvres by P. Brisson (1942); New Light on Molière by J. Cairncross (1957); Molière: A New Criticism by W.G. Moore (1962); Men and Masks by L. Grossman (1963); Molière: A Collection of Critical Essays, ed. by J. Guicharnaud (1964) History of French Dramatic Literature in the Seventeeth Century by Henry C. Lancaster (1966); Molère by A. Tilley (1968); Molière: Traditions in Criticism, 1900-1970 by E. Romero (1974); From Gesture to Idea by Nathan Gross (1983); The Happy End of Comedy by Zvi Jagendorf (1984); The Life of Monsieur De Molière by Mikhail Bulgakov and Mirra Ginsburg (1986); Molière by Hallam Waller (1990); Molière's Theatrical Bounty by Albert Bermel (1990); Molière: The Theory and Practice of Comedy by Andrew Calder (1993); Rereading Molière by James Patrick Carmody and Jim Carmody (1993); Approaches to Teaching Moliere's Tartuffe and Other Plays, ed. by James F. Gaines and Michael S. Koppisch (1995); Intruders in the Play World: The Dynamics of Gender in Molière's Comedies by Roxanne Decker (1996); La Carriere de Molière by C.E.J. Caldicott (1998); The Public Mirror: Molière and the Social Commerce of Depiction by Larry F. Norman (1999) - See also: Isaiah Berlin - Suom.: Moliérilta on suomennettu lukuisia muita näytelmiä, mm. Scapinin vehkeilyt, 1901 (suom. Jalmari Finne), Lannistettu aviomies, Oppineita naisia,Väkinäinen naiminen sekä valikoimat Komedioja 1-2.

Selected works:

• LA JALOUSIE DE BARBOUILLÉ, 1645/50 (attributed to Molière, prod. before 1655) - The Jealousy of Le Barbouillé (tr. Charles Heron Wall, in The Dramatic Works of Molière, Vol. 1, 1876-77)
• LE MÉDECIN VOLANT, 1645/50 - The Flying Doctor (tr. Charles Heron Wall, in The Dramatic Works of Molière, Vol. 1, 1876-77) - Lentävä lääkäri (suom. Raoul af Hällström, 1963)
• LES PRÉCIEUSES RIDICULES, 1660 (prod. 1659) - The Affected Ladies (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Moliere, 1714) / The Conceited Young Ladies (tr. 1762) / The Affected Misses (tr. Curtis H. Page, 1908) / The Ridiculous Précieuses (tr. Donald M. Frame, in Tartuffe and Other Plays, 1967) - Sievistelevät hupsut (suom. Otto Manninen, teoksessa Komedioja 2, 1959)
• SGANARELLE, OU LE COCU IMAGINAIRE, 1660 (prod. 1660) - The Imaginary Cuckold (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714) / The Picture (tr. 1745) / Sganarelle or The Imaginary Cuckold (translated by Richard Wilbur, 1993)
• DOM GARCIE DE NAVARRE; OU, LE PRINCE JALOUX, 1661 (prod. 1660, in Oeuvres posthumes, 1684) - Don García of Navarre (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714) - Don Garcia Navarralainen (suom. Esko Elstelä, 1975)
• L'ECOLE DES MARIS, 1661 (prod. 1661) - A School for Husbands (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Moliere, 1714) / The School for Husbands (by Richard Wilbur, 1992)
• LES FÂCHEUX, 1662 (prod. 1661) - The Impertinents (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714)
• L'ÉTOURDI; OU, LES CONTRE-TEMPS, 1663 (prod. 1655?) - The Blunderers (tr. 1762) / The Bungler (translated by Richard Wilbur, 2000)
• LE DÉPIT AMOUREUX, 1663 (prod. 1656) - The Amorous Quarrel (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714) / The Lover's Quarrel (tr. Richard Wilbur, 2005)
• L'IMPROMPTU DE VERSAILLES, 1663 (prod., in Oeuvres posthumes, 1684) - The Impromptu of Versailles (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714) / The Versailles Impromptu (tr. Donald M. Frame, in Tartuffe and Other Plays, 1967) - Versailles´n impromptu (suom. Helvi Nurminen, 1965)
• L´ÉCOLE DES FEMMES, 1663 (prod. 1662) - The School for Wives (translators: Donald M. Frame, in Tartuffe and Other Plays, 1967; Richard Wilbur, 1971; Ranjit Bolt, 1994) / Let Wives Tal Tent (tr. Robert Kemp, 1983) - Naisten koulu (suom. Otto Manninen, 1931) / Vaimojen koulu (suom. Esko Elstelä, 1975)
• LA CRITIQUE DE L'ÉCOLE DES FEMMES, 1663 (prod. 1663) - The School for Women Criticised (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Moliere, 1714) / The Critique of the School for Wives (tr. Donald M. Frame, in Tartuffe and Other Plays, 1967)
• LE MARIAGE FORCÉ, 1664 (prod. 1664) - The Forced Marriage (tr. 1762) - Väkinäinen naiminen (suom. Aug. Ahlqvist, 1860)
• LES PLAISIRS DE L'ÎLE ENCHANTEE, 1664 (prod. 1664) - The Pleasures of the Inchanted Island (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Moliere, 1714)
• L'AMOUR MÉDECIN, 1666 (prod. 1665) - The Quacks (tr. 1705) / Doctor Love (tr. 1915) / Love is the Best Doctor (tr. H. Van Laun, in The Dramatic Works of Molière, 1875-1876)
• LE MISANTHROPE, 1667 (prod. 1666) - The Misanthrope (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714) / The Man-Hater (tr. 1770) / The Misanthrope (translators: Richard Wilbur, 1955; Joachim Neugroschel, 1966; Donald M. Frame, 1968; John Wood, 1959; Tony Harrison, 1973; Martin Crimp, 1996) - Ihmisvihaaja (suom. Otto Manninen, 1929; Esko Elstelä, 1977; Markku Hoikkala ja Otso Kautto, 2002)
• LE MÉDECIN MALGRÉ LUI, 1667 (prod. 1666) - The Dumb Lady (tr. 1672) / Love's Contrivance (tr. 1703) / The Forced Physician (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714) / The Mock Doctor (1732) / The Doctor in Spite of Himself (tr. by Barrett H. Clark; S.H. Landes) / Forced to Be a Doctor (English version by George Gravely, 1956) - Lääkäri vastoin tahtoansa (suom. Oskar Vilho, 1899) / Lääkäri vastoin tahtoaan (suom. Maija Lehtonen)
• LA PASTORALE COMIQUE, 1667 (prod., music by Lully, in Théâtre, 1888-93) - The Comic Pastoral (tr. Henri Van Laun, in The Dramatic Works, Vol. 4, 1875-76)
• LE SICILIEN,OU L'AMOUR PEINTRE, 1668 (prod. 1667) - The Sicilian (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714)
• AMPHITRYON, 1668 (prod. 1668) - Amphitryon (tr. 1690; other translations: Richard Wilbur, 1995) - Amphitryon (suom. Otto Manninen, 1929)
• GEORGES DANDIN; OU, LE MARI CONFONDU, 1669 (prod. 1668) - George Dandin (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714) / George Dandin; or, The Husband Defeated (tr. 1732)
• TARTUFFE; OU, L'IMPOSTEUR, 1669 (prod. 1664, rev. version, prod. 1664, 1667) - Tartuffe (tr. Matthew Medbourne, 1670) / Tartuffe; or, The Hypocrite (tr. Henri Van Laun, in The Dramatic Works, 1875-76) / Tartuffe, or The Impostor (translated by Christopher Hampton, 1984) / Tartuffe (tr. Haskell M. Block, 1958; Richard Wilbur, 1963; Joachim Neugroschel, 1967; Donald Frame, 1967; Ranjit Bolt, 1997) - Tartuffe (suom. Otto Manninen, 1920; Esko Elstelä, 1973) / Tartuffe, eli, Teeskentelijä (suom. Arto af Hällström)
• L´AVARE, 1669 (prod. 1668) - The Miser (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714; other translations: Henri Van Laun, 1875-76; Miles Malleson, 1950; George Graveley, 1956; Wallace Fowlie, 1959; Ranjit Bolt, 1995; J.J. Mills, 2009) - Saituri (suom. 1907; Lauri Hirvensalo, 1946)
• MONSIEUR DE POURCEAUGNAC, 1670 (prod. 1669) - Monsieur de Pourceaugnac (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714) / The Cornish Squire (tr. 1734)
• LE BOURGOIS GENTILHOMME, 1670 (prod. 1670) - The Citizen Turned Gentleman (tr. 1672)/ / The Middle-Class Gentleman (tr. by Herma Briffault, 1957) / The Bourgeois Gentleman (Bernard Sahlins, 2000; J. Miller, 2001; H. Baker, 2001) - Porvari aatelismiehenä (suom. Sulevi ja Otto Manninen, teoksessa Komedioja 2, 1959)
• PSYCHE, 1671 (with Pierre Corneille and Philippe Quinault, music by Lully, prod. 1671) - Psiche (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714) / Psyche (tr. Henri Van Laun, in The Dramatic Works, Vol. 5, 1875-76)
• LES FOURBERIES DE SCAPIN, 1671 (prod. 1671; two scenes was based on Cyrano de Bergerac´s play Le Pédant Joué, 1654) - The Cheats of Scapin (tr. 1677; John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714) / Scapin (tr. by Albert Bermel, in The Actors Molière, 4 vols., 1987) - Scapinin vehkeilyt (suom. 1910) / Scapinin kujeet (suom. Toini Havu, 1949)
• LES FEMMES SAVANTES, 1673 (prod. 1762) - The Female Virtuosos (tr. 1693) / Blue Stockings (tr. 1884) / The Learned Ladies (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714; other translators: Renée Waldinger, 1957; Richard Wilbur, 1978) - Oppineita naisia (suom. Otto Manninen, 1905)
• LA MALADE IMAGINAIRE, 1673-74 (prod. 1673) - The Hypocondriack (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714) / Doctor Last in His Chariot (tr. 1769) / The Imaginary Invalid (translators: Henri Van Laun, in The Dramatic Works, 1875-76; Kenneth Weston Turner, 1939; Merritt Stone, 1939; Miles Malleson, 1959; Bert Briscoe, 1967; John Wood, 1968; James Magruder, in Theater, Volume 34, Number 1, 2004) - Luulosairas (suom. Arto af Hällström)
• LA PRINCESSE D'ÉLIDE, 1674 (prod. 1664) - Pricess of Elis (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Moliere, 1714)
• ŒUVRES, 1682 (8 vols.)
• LA COMTESSE D'ESCARBAGNAS, 1684 (prod. 1671, published in Oeuvres posthumes, 1684) - The Countess of Escarbagnas (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714)
• LEAS AMANTS MAGNIFIQUES, 1684 (prod. 1670, published in Oeuvres posthumes, 1684) - The Magnificent Lovers (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714)
• MÉLICERTE, 1684 (prod. 1666, published in Oeuvres posthumes) - Melicerta (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714)
• DOM JUAN; OU, LE FESTIN DE PIERRE, 1683 (prod. 1665) - Don John (tr. John Ozell, in The Works of Monsieur de Molière, 1714) / Don Juan (translators: George Gravely, 1956; Donald M. Frame, 1967; Christopher Hampton, 1984; Richard Wilbur, 1998) - Don Juan (suom. Tyyni Tuulio) / Don Juan eli Kivinen illallisvieras (suom. Esko Elstelä, 1971)
• The Works of M. de Molière, 1714 (6 vols., tr. John Ozell)
• The Works of Molière, French and English, 1739, 1748, 1755 (10 vols., tr. H. Baker and J. Miller, reprint 1929, 2 vols.)
• ŒUVRES, 1765, (6 vols., ed. by Voltaire)
• The Dramatic Works of Molière, 1875-76 (6 vols., tr. Henri van Laun)
• OEUVRES COMPLÈTES, 1873-1900 (14 vols., ed. by E. Despois and P. Mesnard)
• The Dramatic Works of Molière, 1876-1877 (3 vols., ed. Charles Heron Wall)
• The Affected Misses, 1908 (2 vols., tr. Curtis H. Page)
• The Kiltartan Molière, 1910 (tr. Lady Augusta Gregory Dublin)
• Works, 1926 (8 vols., trans. A.R. Waller)
• COMEDIES, 1929 (2 vols.)
• Four Molière Comedies, Freely Adapted for the English Stage, 1931 (tr. F. Ansley)
• ŒUVRES COMPLÈTES, 1956 (2 vols., ed. Maurice Rat, rev. by Georges Coutlin, 2 vols. 1971)
• Six Prose Comedies of Molière, 1956 (tr. G. Gravely)
• The Misanthrope and Other Plays, 1959 (tr. John Wood)
• ŒUVRES COMPLETES, 1962
• Five Plays, 1963 (tr. John Wood)
• The Misantrope and Other Plays, 1967 (tr. D.M. Frame)
• MOLIÉRE, OEUVRES COMPLÉTES, 1971 (ed. by G. Couton)