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The Flying Doctor
Val. Well, Sabine, what do you advise me to do?
Sab. I have really much to tell you. My uncle is bent upon marrying my cousin to Villebrequin, and things have gone so far, that I believe the wedding would have taken place to-day if you were not loved by her. However, as my cousin told me the secret of all the love she feels for you, and as we were almost driven to desperation through the avarice of our niggardly uncle, we thought of a capital device to prevent the at the present moment my cousin affects to be ill, and the foolish old man, who is easily deceived, has just sent me to fetch a doctor. Could you not find one, some friend of yours, who would be on our side, and order the invalid to go into the country for a change of air? The old man will be sure to send my cousin to live in the pavilion, which is at the bottom of our garden. In that way you will be able to see her, unknown to our uncle, and marry her; then let him and Villebrequin curse as much as they please.
Val. But what means have I of finding so suddenly the doctor I want, and who would risk so much to serve me? I tell you frankly I know of none.
Sab. Now I think of it, why don't you have your servant dressed up as a doctor? There is no one more easy to dupe than the old fellow.
Val. But Sganarelle is a blockhead who will spoil everything. However, as we have nobody else, we must make use of him. But where shall we find him?——Ah! here he is in the very nick of time. (Exit Sabine.)
Sab. I have really much to tell you. My uncle is bent upon marrying my cousin to Villebrequin, and things have gone so far, that I believe the wedding would have taken place to-day if you were not loved by her. However, as my cousin told me the secret of all the love she feels for you, and as we were almost driven to desperation through the avarice of our niggardly uncle, we thought of a capital device to prevent the at the present moment my cousin affects to be ill, and the foolish old man, who is easily deceived, has just sent me to fetch a doctor. Could you not find one, some friend of yours, who would be on our side, and order the invalid to go into the country for a change of air? The old man will be sure to send my cousin to live in the pavilion, which is at the bottom of our garden. In that way you will be able to see her, unknown to our uncle, and marry her; then let him and Villebrequin curse as much as they please.
Val. But what means have I of finding so suddenly the doctor I want, and who would risk so much to serve me? I tell you frankly I know of none.
Sab. Now I think of it, why don't you have your servant dressed up as a doctor? There is no one more easy to dupe than the old fellow.
Val. But Sganarelle is a blockhead who will spoil everything. However, as we have nobody else, we must make use of him. But where shall we find him?——Ah! here he is in the very nick of time. (Exit Sabine.)
24 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1645
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About the author
Molière
4,613 books1,502 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 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 30, 2022
I love reading plays, from the Greeks to the Romans, to Shakespeare and Ibsen. So I decided to try Moliere. This is the first play he wrote, way back in 1645 and which was not performed in Paris until 1659. Short play, simple plot of a father who wants to marry his daughter to an old nobleman, even though she is in love with a young nobleman her same age. The young nobleman, Valere, has his servant masquerade as a doctor and minister to the young lady (holed up insisting she is sick but merely heartbroken). We have a simple funny plot and the rather silly and funny servant who gets caught up being himself and the doctor. Good fun. And a really enjoyable read. Ah, if only they taught this stuff to the kids nowadays!!!
December 18, 2021
Molière's whole carrier was mocking everyone in his plays, and you know what, maybe that's a good carrier path 😩
December 31, 2023
VALÈRE.
- Ce n'est pas cela; c'est qu'il faut que tu contrefasses le médecin. (...)
SGANARELLE.
- Eh! mon Dieu, monsieur, ne soyez point en peine; je vous réponds que je ferai aussi bien mourir une personne qu'aucun médecin qui soit dans la ville.
- Ce n'est pas cela; c'est qu'il faut que tu contrefasses le médecin. (...)
SGANARELLE.
- Eh! mon Dieu, monsieur, ne soyez point en peine; je vous réponds que je ferai aussi bien mourir une personne qu'aucun médecin qui soit dans la ville.
May 14, 2015
Une petite comédie hilarante où on démontre la loyauté d'un valet ainsi que sa ruse, l'autorité d'un père et la misère de deux amoureux, un bon moment de détente!
June 18, 2020
Alors on continue dans ma lancée dans le pièces de théâtres et quoi d mieux que de lire du Molière qui plus est une toute petite pièce de théâtre de trente pages 📖
Mais franchement, ce n'est pas pour autant que je n'ai pas aimé ! 💓
Déjà de base j'adore les pièces de théâtres de Molière sur le thème de la médecine, car il dénonce ce métier est c'est clairement trop drôle les mises en scènes et tout le reste 😂👌
Et du coup, le fait que ce soit le valet qui trompe le maître de l'amante de son maître (oui oui c'est compliqué 🧠) c'est d'autant plus marrant ! 🤭
J'ai adoré le personnage de Sganarelle même si on n'a pas vraiment le temps de s'attacher aux personnages vu que la pièce est assez courte 👀 mais la façon dont il trompe tout le monde et tient bien son rôle 👍🤡 même si on se doute bien qu'il va peut-être être découvert... 🤫
Bref, j'aime toujours autant Molière et j'ai vraiment aimé ! 💓 comme d'habitude je conseille à tout le monde ces pièces car c'est une valeur sûre ! Un ⭐⭐⭐⭐,25/5 pour celle la ! 💕
Mais franchement, ce n'est pas pour autant que je n'ai pas aimé ! 💓
Déjà de base j'adore les pièces de théâtres de Molière sur le thème de la médecine, car il dénonce ce métier est c'est clairement trop drôle les mises en scènes et tout le reste 😂👌
Et du coup, le fait que ce soit le valet qui trompe le maître de l'amante de son maître (oui oui c'est compliqué 🧠) c'est d'autant plus marrant ! 🤭
J'ai adoré le personnage de Sganarelle même si on n'a pas vraiment le temps de s'attacher aux personnages vu que la pièce est assez courte 👀 mais la façon dont il trompe tout le monde et tient bien son rôle 👍🤡 même si on se doute bien qu'il va peut-être être découvert... 🤫
Bref, j'aime toujours autant Molière et j'ai vraiment aimé ! 💓 comme d'habitude je conseille à tout le monde ces pièces car c'est une valeur sûre ! Un ⭐⭐⭐⭐,25/5 pour celle la ! 💕
March 9, 2025
J'ai vraiment adoré cette pièce, très courte et vraiment sympa.
Sganarelle s’introduit chez le bourgeois Gorgibus, et se fait passer pour un médecin. Comme Gorgibus le rencontre par hasard un peu plus tard sans son habit de médecin, il s’invente un frère jumeau et doit par la suite jouer les deux personnages devant le bourgeois, en passant rapidement d’un rôle à l’autre.
Sganarelle s’introduit chez le bourgeois Gorgibus, et se fait passer pour un médecin. Comme Gorgibus le rencontre par hasard un peu plus tard sans son habit de médecin, il s’invente un frère jumeau et doit par la suite jouer les deux personnages devant le bourgeois, en passant rapidement d’un rôle à l’autre.
November 8, 2019
The book is good but easily predictable. A classic love story drama. It's easy on mind and heart. Recommended for beginners.
December 19, 2020
Funny. Reminds me of the Waldorf Salad episode from Fawlty Towers.
July 28, 2022
Très investi le sganarelle
Read
December 30, 2024lu pour préparer une séquence sur le théâtre et la ruse en 6e
April 19, 2025
un classique
October 20, 2025
Gee whiz ! Ain’t this a hoot !
September 11, 2024
The valet pretending to be two people just to spite the oppressive father and help young lovers is very on-brand for the author and also incredibly funny. This is his twin brother, but has anyone ever seen them in one room?
December 23, 2024
comedy aside, I really loved this play. looking forward to his other, longer stuff!
February 13, 2013
in my studies of restoration and 18th century lit, I have spread our to the rest of Europe to find Moliere. one of his first works. the writing and speech so closely resemble modern thought that it is difficult to imagine the Victorians are still more than a century away. I mention that because I think that the writing was simplified between Shakespeare and the Romantics started to elevate it again, but then the Victorians came along and demanded elevated stylistic prose that did not overly demonstrate the trappings of the Romantics or the Renaissance. This is all speculation and hasn't been studied, but reading the Flying Doctor gives me an idea as to how pared down language was in these odd inbetween years.
I truly loved this quick play and wish I had spent more time reading and appreciating these when I was younger.
I truly loved this quick play and wish I had spent more time reading and appreciating these when I was younger.
December 24, 2016
Awesome and humorous.
Read for 10th grade Honors English in a textbook called World Drama, containing the plays Antigone, Medea, Atsumori, The Flying Doctor, A Doll's House, The Proposal, The Spy, The Jewels of the Shrine, The Man Who Turned into a Dog, and A Solid Home.
Read for 10th grade Honors English in a textbook called World Drama, containing the plays Antigone, Medea, Atsumori, The Flying Doctor, A Doll's House, The Proposal, The Spy, The Jewels of the Shrine, The Man Who Turned into a Dog, and A Solid Home.
February 25, 2016
Es una obra bastante curiosa! Una crítica a los doctores y a la medicina, igual que a la sociedad que todo se cree solo porque alguien tiene una bata y dice ser doctor jajaja, muchos estereotipos pero que están ahí para cumplir su función.
Me ha gustado mucho!
Me ha gustado mucho!
April 22, 2012
I see much here used in the play "Is There a Doctor in the House?"
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews