Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Penguin Classics (1984), Paperback, 288 pages
Description
The Misanthrope, Moliere's richly sophisticated comic drama is accompanied in this volume by The Would-be Gentleman, another tale of a dangerously deluded and obsessive hero. Tartuffe dares to take on the subject of religious hypocrisy. Also included are Such Foolish Affected Ladies and Those Learned Ladies, both newly translated for this edition. Finally, The Doctor Despite Himself is a hilarious example of Moliere's long-standing vendetta against the medical profession.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Devil_llama
Satirical plays by the French playwright who lived about a generation after Shakespeare. He uses stock characters, and places them in ridiculous situations, in order to mock the institutions of man. The church, the state, science, and the arts all get theirs sooner or later. This anthology contains
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five of his plays, including some of the better known such as The Misanthrope, The Imaginary Invalid, and Tartuffe. A prologue to The Imaginary Invalid (which I've never actually seen done in production that I can remember) is a tribute to King Louis XIV; an alternate prologue that actually relates to the play, is also supplied, so audiences that are no longer amazed by the feats of the King of France in 1673 can dispense with that prologue and perform the much shorter, more relevant prologue. It does serve to remind one of how tied to patrons (including kings) the arts were even back then, so that authors such as Moliere and Shakespeare had to couch any criticism of the state in careful language. Enjoyable reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member MarkKeeffe
My first exposure to Moliere. I wasn't sure what to expect but the fairly bawdy subject matter took me a little by surprise as did the common theme in all five plays of marrying off the daughter. I got some insights into the values and standards in French society of the 1600's but the themes were
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closer to the Carry On movies than Shakespeare. Show Less
Language
Original language
French
Original publication date
1666-06-04 The Misanthrope
Physical description
288 p.; 6.9 inches
ISBN
0140440895 / 9780140440898
Local notes
Sicilian or Love the Painter. Tartuffe or Impostor. Doctor in Spite of Himself. Imaginary Invalid