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La Critique de L'École des femmes
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, dit MOLIÈRE, né à Paris, baptisé le 15 janvier 1622 et mort à Paris le 17 février 1673, est un dramaturge auteur de comédies, mais aussi un comédien et chef de troupe de théâtre français qui s'est illustré au début du règne de Louis XIV. Issu d'une famille de petite bourgeoisie parisienne (son père occupe la charge de « tapissier du Roi »), Jean-Baptiste Poquelin se consacre au théâtre à 21 ans après la rencontre de Madeleine et Joseph Béjart avec qui il fonde « l'Illustre Théâtre » et prend le pseudonyme de Molière. Après la faillite de la troupe, il quitte Paris et parcourt les différentes provinces de 1645 à 1658 en écrivant ses premières farces (« L'Étourdi » – « Le Dépit amoureux »). De retour à Paris en 1658, il obtient la protection du frère du roi : sa troupe prend le nom de «Troupe de Monsieur » et représente en particulier les tragédies de Pierre Corneille (« Nicomède » – « Cinna »). Sa carrière d'auteur dramatique commence vraiment avec « Les Précieuses ridicules » qui remporte un grand succès en novembre 1659. « Le Tartuffe » (1664). Comédie en vers, en cinq actes. La sérénité d´une famille est troublée par l´intromission d´un personnage hypocrite et faux dévot, qui progressivement accapare des parcelles d´influence et de pouvoir à cause de l´aveuglement de la grand-mère Pernelle et de son fils Orgon. Tartuffe est un génie de la pourriture, un germe de la pourriture qui réussit à abîmer, lentement mais inexorablement, la pomme entière.
106 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1663
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About the author
Molière
4,567 books1,501 followersSophisticated comedies of French playwright Molière, pen name of Jean Baptiste Poquelin, include
Tartuffe
(1664),
The Misanthrope
(1666), and
The Bourgeois Gentleman
(1670).
French literary figures, including Molière and Jean de la Fontaine, gathered at Auteuil, a favorite place.
People know and consider Molière, stage of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, also an actor of the greatest masters in western literature. People best know l'Ecole des femmes (The School for Wives), l'Avare ou l'École du mensonge (The Miser), and le Malade imaginaire (The Imaginary Invalid) among dramas of Molière.
From a prosperous family, Molière studied at the Jesuit Clermont college (now lycée Louis-le-Grand) and well suited to begin a life in the theater. While 13 years as an itinerant actor helped to polish his abilities, he also began to combine the more refined elements with ccommedia dell'arte.
Through the patronage of the brother of Louis XIV and a few aristocrats, Molière procured a command performance before the king at the Louvre. Molière performed a classic of [authore:Pierre Corneille] and le Docteur amoureux (The Doctor in Love), a farce of his own; people granted him the use of Salle du Petit-Bourbon, a spacious room, appointed for theater at the Louvre. Later, people granted the use of the Palais-Royal to Molière. In both locations, he found success among the Parisians with les Précieuses ridicules (The Affected Ladies), l'École des maris</i> (<i>The School for Husbands</i>), and <i>[book:l'École des femmes (The School for Wives). This royal favor brought a pension and the title "Troupe du Roi" (the troupe of the king). Molière continued as the official author of court entertainments.
Molière received the adulation of the court and Parisians, but from moralists and the Church, his satires attracted criticisms. From the Church, his attack on religious hypocrisy roundly received condemnations, while people banned performance of Don Juan . From the stage, hard work of Molière in so many theatrical capacities began to take its toll on his health and forced him to take a break before 1667.
From pulmonary tuberculosis, Molière suffered. In 1673 during his final production of le Malade imaginaire (The Imaginary Invalid), a coughing fit and a haemorrhage seized him as Argan, the hypochondriac. He finished the performance but collapsed again quickly and died a few hours later. In time in Paris, Molière completely reformed.
French literary figures, including Molière and Jean de la Fontaine, gathered at Auteuil, a favorite place.
People know and consider Molière, stage of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, also an actor of the greatest masters in western literature. People best know l'Ecole des femmes (The School for Wives), l'Avare ou l'École du mensonge (The Miser), and le Malade imaginaire (The Imaginary Invalid) among dramas of Molière.
From a prosperous family, Molière studied at the Jesuit Clermont college (now lycée Louis-le-Grand) and well suited to begin a life in the theater. While 13 years as an itinerant actor helped to polish his abilities, he also began to combine the more refined elements with ccommedia dell'arte.
Through the patronage of the brother of Louis XIV and a few aristocrats, Molière procured a command performance before the king at the Louvre. Molière performed a classic of [authore:Pierre Corneille] and le Docteur amoureux (The Doctor in Love), a farce of his own; people granted him the use of Salle du Petit-Bourbon, a spacious room, appointed for theater at the Louvre. Later, people granted the use of the Palais-Royal to Molière. In both locations, he found success among the Parisians with les Précieuses ridicules (The Affected Ladies), l'École des maris</i> (<i>The School for Husbands</i>), and <i>[book:l'École des femmes (The School for Wives). This royal favor brought a pension and the title "Troupe du Roi" (the troupe of the king). Molière continued as the official author of court entertainments.
Molière received the adulation of the court and Parisians, but from moralists and the Church, his satires attracted criticisms. From the Church, his attack on religious hypocrisy roundly received condemnations, while people banned performance of Don Juan . From the stage, hard work of Molière in so many theatrical capacities began to take its toll on his health and forced him to take a break before 1667.
From pulmonary tuberculosis, Molière suffered. In 1673 during his final production of le Malade imaginaire (The Imaginary Invalid), a coughing fit and a haemorrhage seized him as Argan, the hypochondriac. He finished the performance but collapsed again quickly and died a few hours later. In time in Paris, Molière completely reformed.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 6, 2021
Here's metadrama, a play about plays. A slight work, of six scenes, though there's one more with ten lines, the "perfect end" to a comedy, according to the authoritative Urania. That end? Where the servant calls them to dine. Though slight, it takes on heft* as a sequel and companion piece to L'Ecole des F, especially since Moliere tells of his craft.. and an outspoken character, the Chevalier Dorante, is said in the play to know Moliere.
This sequel features criticisms of the recent play, for its frank discussion of gender roles, and for its salacious discussion of sexuality. Editor Maynial quotes LeMaitre in 1886 saying that L'Ecole approaches modern theater, because it affirms a thesis, a grave question whose solution affects the entire society (39). In La Critique we learn the play was loved by the "parterre," common people or "groundlings" --as called in Shakespeare, though perhaps by late 17C France, even those seated below paid more-- but not loved by the higher status audience in the higher, box seats. But Dorante asserts, "la différance du demi-louis d'or et de la pièce de quinze sols ne fait rien du tout au bon gout" the higher price and social status does not make for higher taste or judgement (120). The parterre may not have their superiors' blind prejudice (prévention aveugle), affected self-satisfaction, nor their ridiculous prudery ("délicatesse ridicule" and two pages later, "les grimaces d'une pruderie scrupuleuse").
The main critic here is the Marquis, reflecting the higher social status of the plays's critics. The play's main defender is Dorante, a mere Knight/Chevalier. When a playwright-poet arrives, they ask him his opinion, but he's cagey, "We authors speak of other writrs with circumspection"(124) The Marquis says that actors who've seen the plan think it's the worst. So Dorant observes, other "comédiens parlent sans interest"(125); surely actors from otehr plays wouldn't be competing.
The critics cite puns and the criticisms of women by Arnolphe, even how he calls women "des animaux"; but Urania points out, the character who says that is ridiculed. The Marquis especially revolts at women being called "tarte à la crème" which would have caused him to do what the commoners do when they disapprove, throw pommes onstage. Yikes, of course, we hope potatoes--recently introduced from S. America--were smaller in the Seventeenth Century.
The play's poet Lysidas, named like Milton's poem on shipwrecked poet friend Edward King (and Vergilian shepards), confides in the last scene that he doesn't consider comedies real plays: "il y a grande différence de toutes ces bagatelles à la beauté des pièces sérieuses"(128). The grands ouvrages (like Corneille's) are now less valued than "des sottises" in Paris; this is shameful for France, "honteux pour la France." Climène agrees, that "le goût des gens" this century has strangely "s'encanaille"--a neologism, which Élise immediately notes, "Est-ce vous qui l'avez inventé, Madame?" Editor M footnotes it, "précieux néologisme" (327).
Urania disagrees with the poet-playwright, saying both tragedy and comedy are equally difficult, while Dorante, the man who we find out knows Molière, avers comedy is more difficult. It's easier to confront Fortune:
"Je trouve qu'il est bien plus aisé de se guinder sur de grands sentiments, de braver en vers la Fortune, accuser les Destins, et dire des injures aux Dieux,"
Easier to complain of the gods injuries, than to render approved in the theater, everybody's defects:
"de rendre agréablement sur le théatre les défauts de tout le monde"(128).
Dorante adds that depicting heroes, you can say what you want, follow your imagination, forget truth to clothe marvels. But when you depict real humans, "il faut peindre d'après nature." You haven't done a thing if you can't make your audience recognize the people of your century.
Here Molière lets Dorante voice his own insights,
"En un mot, dans les pièces sérieuses, il suffit, pour n'etre point blâmé, de dire des choses qui soient de bon sens et bien écrites; mais ce n'est pas assez dans les autres, il y faut plaisanter; et c'est un étrange entreprise que celle faire rire les honnête gens"(129).
Tragedians need only good sense and good writing, while writers of comedy must delight to laughter, not easy among down to earth, sensible men. (To "honnête gens," the "honnête homme" being a staple of English Restoration comedy.)
*Two new word appears: Climene calls a phrase, "une obscénité" insupportable. Something said onstage
that should be said ob-scena, beside stage. Obscenity. Also, "s'encanaille," channeled down.
This sequel features criticisms of the recent play, for its frank discussion of gender roles, and for its salacious discussion of sexuality. Editor Maynial quotes LeMaitre in 1886 saying that L'Ecole approaches modern theater, because it affirms a thesis, a grave question whose solution affects the entire society (39). In La Critique we learn the play was loved by the "parterre," common people or "groundlings" --as called in Shakespeare, though perhaps by late 17C France, even those seated below paid more-- but not loved by the higher status audience in the higher, box seats. But Dorante asserts, "la différance du demi-louis d'or et de la pièce de quinze sols ne fait rien du tout au bon gout" the higher price and social status does not make for higher taste or judgement (120). The parterre may not have their superiors' blind prejudice (prévention aveugle), affected self-satisfaction, nor their ridiculous prudery ("délicatesse ridicule" and two pages later, "les grimaces d'une pruderie scrupuleuse").
The main critic here is the Marquis, reflecting the higher social status of the plays's critics. The play's main defender is Dorante, a mere Knight/Chevalier. When a playwright-poet arrives, they ask him his opinion, but he's cagey, "We authors speak of other writrs with circumspection"(124) The Marquis says that actors who've seen the plan think it's the worst. So Dorant observes, other "comédiens parlent sans interest"(125); surely actors from otehr plays wouldn't be competing.
The critics cite puns and the criticisms of women by Arnolphe, even how he calls women "des animaux"; but Urania points out, the character who says that is ridiculed. The Marquis especially revolts at women being called "tarte à la crème" which would have caused him to do what the commoners do when they disapprove, throw pommes onstage. Yikes, of course, we hope potatoes--recently introduced from S. America--were smaller in the Seventeenth Century.
The play's poet Lysidas, named like Milton's poem on shipwrecked poet friend Edward King (and Vergilian shepards), confides in the last scene that he doesn't consider comedies real plays: "il y a grande différence de toutes ces bagatelles à la beauté des pièces sérieuses"(128). The grands ouvrages (like Corneille's) are now less valued than "des sottises" in Paris; this is shameful for France, "honteux pour la France." Climène agrees, that "le goût des gens" this century has strangely "s'encanaille"--a neologism, which Élise immediately notes, "Est-ce vous qui l'avez inventé, Madame?" Editor M footnotes it, "précieux néologisme" (327).
Urania disagrees with the poet-playwright, saying both tragedy and comedy are equally difficult, while Dorante, the man who we find out knows Molière, avers comedy is more difficult. It's easier to confront Fortune:
"Je trouve qu'il est bien plus aisé de se guinder sur de grands sentiments, de braver en vers la Fortune, accuser les Destins, et dire des injures aux Dieux,"
Easier to complain of the gods injuries, than to render approved in the theater, everybody's defects:
"de rendre agréablement sur le théatre les défauts de tout le monde"(128).
Dorante adds that depicting heroes, you can say what you want, follow your imagination, forget truth to clothe marvels. But when you depict real humans, "il faut peindre d'après nature." You haven't done a thing if you can't make your audience recognize the people of your century.
Here Molière lets Dorante voice his own insights,
"En un mot, dans les pièces sérieuses, il suffit, pour n'etre point blâmé, de dire des choses qui soient de bon sens et bien écrites; mais ce n'est pas assez dans les autres, il y faut plaisanter; et c'est un étrange entreprise que celle faire rire les honnête gens"(129).
Tragedians need only good sense and good writing, while writers of comedy must delight to laughter, not easy among down to earth, sensible men. (To "honnête gens," the "honnête homme" being a staple of English Restoration comedy.)
*Two new word appears: Climene calls a phrase, "une obscénité" insupportable. Something said onstage
that should be said ob-scena, beside stage. Obscenity. Also, "s'encanaille," channeled down.
April 13, 2022
FRANÇAIS: Le succès et les attaques contre L'Ecole Des Femmes: Comedie En 5 Actes, En Vers... incitent Molière à écrire une courte pièce en un acte pour défendre son œuvre. Six personnages mènent un débat, dans lequel quatre d'entre eux l'attaquent, tandis que deux la défendent. Molière utilise l'ironie, prétendant qu'aucun des deux camps n'a gagné, alors qu'en réalité ceux qui l'attaquent se sont ridiculisés.
ESPAÑOL: El éxito y los ataques a L'Ecole Des Femmes: Comedie En 5 Actes, En Vers... impulsó a Molière a escribir una obrita en un solo acto para defender su obra. Seis personajes llevan a cabo un debate, en el que cuatro de ellos la atacan, mientras dos la defienden. Molière utiliza la ironía, haciendo ver que ninguna de las dos partes ha vencido, cuando en realidad los que le atacan se han puesto en ridículo.
ENGLISH: The success and attacks on L'Ecole Des Femmes: Comedie En 5 Actes, En Vers... prompted Molière to write a short one-act play to defend himself. Six characters carry out a debate, in which four of them attack the play, while two speak in its defense. Molière uses irony, pretending that neither side has won, when in fact those who attack him have made fools of themselves.
ESPAÑOL: El éxito y los ataques a L'Ecole Des Femmes: Comedie En 5 Actes, En Vers... impulsó a Molière a escribir una obrita en un solo acto para defender su obra. Seis personajes llevan a cabo un debate, en el que cuatro de ellos la atacan, mientras dos la defienden. Molière utiliza la ironía, haciendo ver que ninguna de las dos partes ha vencido, cuando en realidad los que le atacan se han puesto en ridículo.
ENGLISH: The success and attacks on L'Ecole Des Femmes: Comedie En 5 Actes, En Vers... prompted Molière to write a short one-act play to defend himself. Six characters carry out a debate, in which four of them attack the play, while two speak in its defense. Molière uses irony, pretending that neither side has won, when in fact those who attack him have made fools of themselves.
August 7, 2023
The most entertaining way to learn about discussions on a play I have ever come across. Many of the critiques and defenses work for more than just The School for Wives, and gives the reader something to think about.
March 14, 2020
After reading Moliere's The School for Wives, I decided to read his critique of his play. I posted below an introduction to "Critique of The School of Wives" in my Delphi edition of his works, I did not read this edition.
"THE SCHOOL FOR Wives criticised was first brought out at the theatre of the Palais Royal, on the 1st of June, 1663. It can scarcely be called a play, for it is entirely destitute of action. It is simply a reported conversation of “friends in council; but we cannot be surprised that it had a temporary success on the stage. It was acted as a pendant to The School for Wives, and the two were played together, with much profit to the company, thirty-two consecutive times. Molière, in the Preface to The School for Wives, mentions that the idea of writing The School for Wives criticised was suggested to him by a person of quality, who, it is said, was the Abbé Dubuisson, the grand introducteur des ruelles or, in other words, the Master of the Ceremonies to the Précieuses. Our author had also just been inscribed on the list of pensions which Louis XIV. allowed to eminent literary men, for a sum of a thousand livres."
"Boursault believed, or affected to believe, that Molière intended to pourtray him, and hence replied in the Portrait du Peintre which was performed at the hôtel de Bourgogne. Tradition mentions that the Duke de la Feuillade took other means to avenge himself. He one day met Molière in one of the galleries of the Palace of Versailles. Pretending to be very polite and courteous, he ran towards him, smiling, and whilst embracing him, and rubbing all the while the actor’s face against the metal-worked buttons of his coat, he shouted out, “Cream-tart, Molière! Cream-tart!” It is said that Louis XIV. banished the Duke from the Court for some time for this offence, and that he ordered Molière to take anew vengeance upon his enemies. There can be no doubt about the order, for Molière states so expressly in The Impromptu of Versailles."
I enjoyed "The School for Wives"and found this critique interesting. This was Moliere's response to the critics both professional and the public who had criticized his play. Interesting the part where Arnolphe questions Agnes about how far Horace was intimate with her. Her mention of "the" was seen as having sex of some sort by the lady of morals. One would need to read "The School for Wives" to understand much of the exchange because it is about his play.
I thought it worthy of the read and I concur with the above, "entirely destitute of action". What could one do in those days of yore that where void of the Internet and Twitter.
"THE SCHOOL FOR Wives criticised was first brought out at the theatre of the Palais Royal, on the 1st of June, 1663. It can scarcely be called a play, for it is entirely destitute of action. It is simply a reported conversation of “friends in council; but we cannot be surprised that it had a temporary success on the stage. It was acted as a pendant to The School for Wives, and the two were played together, with much profit to the company, thirty-two consecutive times. Molière, in the Preface to The School for Wives, mentions that the idea of writing The School for Wives criticised was suggested to him by a person of quality, who, it is said, was the Abbé Dubuisson, the grand introducteur des ruelles or, in other words, the Master of the Ceremonies to the Précieuses. Our author had also just been inscribed on the list of pensions which Louis XIV. allowed to eminent literary men, for a sum of a thousand livres."
"Boursault believed, or affected to believe, that Molière intended to pourtray him, and hence replied in the Portrait du Peintre which was performed at the hôtel de Bourgogne. Tradition mentions that the Duke de la Feuillade took other means to avenge himself. He one day met Molière in one of the galleries of the Palace of Versailles. Pretending to be very polite and courteous, he ran towards him, smiling, and whilst embracing him, and rubbing all the while the actor’s face against the metal-worked buttons of his coat, he shouted out, “Cream-tart, Molière! Cream-tart!” It is said that Louis XIV. banished the Duke from the Court for some time for this offence, and that he ordered Molière to take anew vengeance upon his enemies. There can be no doubt about the order, for Molière states so expressly in The Impromptu of Versailles."
I enjoyed "The School for Wives"and found this critique interesting. This was Moliere's response to the critics both professional and the public who had criticized his play. Interesting the part where Arnolphe questions Agnes about how far Horace was intimate with her. Her mention of "the" was seen as having sex of some sort by the lady of morals. One would need to read "The School for Wives" to understand much of the exchange because it is about his play.
I thought it worthy of the read and I concur with the above, "entirely destitute of action". What could one do in those days of yore that where void of the Internet and Twitter.
September 17, 2022
based molijer
December 25, 2021
Fais une piece sur les rageux qui te taillent et bim ça fait des chocapics (et un manifeste sur l'art de faire des pieces)
July 20, 2023
“qu'il y a des personnes qui se rendent ridicules, pour vouloir avoir trop d'honneur (…) celles qui, étant sur le retour de l'âge, veulent remplacer de quelque chose ce qu'elles voient qu'elles perdent, et prétendent que les grimaces d'une pruderie scrupuleuse leur tiendront lieu de jeunesse et de beauté.”
October 26, 2021
In this play Molière attacks the critics who defamed his previous work: ‘L’école des femmes’. In fact, through comedy and his astute use of characters, he voices a countercriticism and scorns at the unreasonable critics. The play presents a plethora of characters who converse and share their opinions about ‘L’école des femmes’ following their attendance of this debated play. Opinions are split between enthusiasts and detractors with the latter being rebuffed for the futility of their criticism. Behind such competing adversaries Molière jousts at the intellectual elite of his time and has some scores to settle.
May 23, 2024
Pour mon cours d'histoire de la littérature française. Pas fini la critique parce que j'étais pas à fond dedans mais la pièce en elle-même était divertissante ! Peut-être que sans le rush de lecture pour ce cours, j'aurais pû y faire plus attention...
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Read
September 13, 2022pkd binge pt.2
based moliere
based moliere
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2023
J'ai lu cette pièce séparément de la critique de l'école des femmes et j'ai quand même bien compris
September 24, 2025
Je me suis régalée et le dossier est passionnant et instructif.
December 1, 2024
Conceptually interesting, factually pervy. Very Lolita-esque at times, or I guess the other way around. The title is knowingly suggestive, although the content is much less so. I was happy with a good ending, but the plot does fall into the Molierian standard trope of an evil old man, an arranged marriage, and a triumph of the young.
The Critique was much more interesting to a modern reader, seeing as we can infer the public response to the play from it. Eh?
The Critique was much more interesting to a modern reader, seeing as we can infer the public response to the play from it. Eh?
May 18, 2023
This play, A Criticism of The School for Wives, is basically a group of people discussing the writer's own play, The School for Wives. It ends with everybody saying if this discussion were a Moliere play it would have to end on some arbitrary event to wrap everything up...
Galopin: Dinner is served.
Dorante: Ah, that's just the ending we were looking for, we couldn't have dreamed of anything more natural. They'll have a lively, outspoken debate on both sides, just as we've been doing and nobody will give way. A little page-boy will come in and say dinner is served, and they'll all go off to eat.
Uranie: Let's leave it at that, I couldn't think of a better way to end the play.
Galopin: Dinner is served.
Dorante: Ah, that's just the ending we were looking for, we couldn't have dreamed of anything more natural. They'll have a lively, outspoken debate on both sides, just as we've been doing and nobody will give way. A little page-boy will come in and say dinner is served, and they'll all go off to eat.
Uranie: Let's leave it at that, I couldn't think of a better way to end the play.
November 17, 2024
Franchement, c'est agréable de découvrir un auteur qui fait partie des "piliers" de la littérature française et de l'apprécier. Je ne vais évidemment pas prétendre que j'ai saisi tous les éléments de ces deux pièces (heureusement que les notes de bas de page étaient là pour m'apporter un coup de pouce), mais j'ai ri. C'est agréable de rire en lisant du Molière, ça donne envie de sortir de sa zone de confort pour explorer les classiques.
June 9, 2021
Molière answers his critics and slays.
February 16, 2022
Delightfully meta.
Does not overstay its welcome.
Does not overstay its welcome.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews