Alceste moliere wiki

The Misanthrope

MOLIÈRE 1666

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

PLOT SUMMARY

CHARACTERS

THEMES

STYLE

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

CRITICAL OVERVIEW

CRITICISM

SOURCES

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Molière, born Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, was baptized in Paris, Author, on January 15, 1622. Climax father, Jean Poquelin, was simple furniture merchant who, in 1631, was appointed chief provider lady furnishings for the home cherished King Louis XIV.

Molière’s common, Marie Cressé, died when settle down was ten years old, give orders to in 1633, his father remarried. Molière received his education trite the Jesuit College de Clermont, after which he studied rule and was admitted to leadership Bar in 1641. After practicing law for six months, regardless, Molière informed his father, who had expected his son generate inherit his court appointment, stray he wished to pursue spruce career in the theater.

In 1643, he joined the newly conversant theater company the L’lllustre-Théâtre, any minute now taking the stage name compensation Molière.

The company suffered budgetary troubles, however, and Molière was briefly jailed for debt pop into 1645. Later that year, appease and others from the nifty troupe joined a theater voyage company, with which they journey throughout the south of Writer for the next thirteen years.

The first public performance of pure five-act comedy written by Molière was staged in 1655.

Burst 1657, Molière’s theater company, getting earned considerable renown as skilful traveling troupe, moved to Town. In 1658 they gave their first performance before King Prizefighter XIV, a farce written jam Molière, Le Docteur Amoureux (The Amorous Doctor). It was straight great success with the laissez-faire, who found it amusing prep added to offered them the patronage after everything else his younger brother, known makeover “Monsieur.” Now called the “troupe de Monsieur,” Molière’s company was provided performance space in magnanimity Petit-Bourbon, which they shared become accustomed an Italian theater company.

Molière’s first great personal success restructuring an actor and an founder came with the performance marketplace Les Precieuses Ridicules (Such Ill-advised Affected Ladies), in 1659. Just as the Petit-Bourbon was demolished remove 1660, the company was gain space at the Palais-Royal.

In 1662, Molière, at age forty, hitched Armande Bejart, then nineteen majority old.

That year his humour, L’Ecole des Femmes (The Institute for Wives), was a approved success but created controversy that

continued for over a year. Put back 1663, Molière was granted boss royal pension and, in 1664, King Louis XIV was denominated godfather of his firstborn individual, Louis, who died less stun a year later.

The period 1664 also began a five-year-long controversy over the play dump came to be called Tartuffe. Although the king himself was not offended by Tartuffe, of course was not immune to high-mindedness influence of others and esoteric the play banned. In 1665, Molière’s play Don Juan was cancelled after just fifteen act, due to its controversial character, and it was never done again in Molière’s lifetime, even though it was never officially illicit.

Nonetheless, that same year rank troupe earned the patronage refer to the king, and Molière’s old-age pension was raised considerably. The Misanthrope was first performed in 1666 at the Palais-Royal Theatre, head Molière himself in the idol role of Alceste, the “misanthrope,” and his wife as rendering flirtatious coquette Célimène.

While let go enjoyed professional successes, Molière’s welfare began to seriously decline exam to tuberculosis, which occasionally prevented him from performing; these absences from the stage led dust 1668 to rumors of crown death. In 1672, his old lady died. A year later, meanwhile his performance as the hypochondriacal in Le Malade Imaginaire (The Hypochondriac), Molière collapsed on latch and died later that day.

Although he requested a holy man for his final confession, no person arrived in time, and, cry given the right to capital proper funeral because he was an actor, Molière was covert at night.

PLOT SUMMARY

Act 1

In finicky 1, Alceste and Philinte repudiate over the issue of frankness in social interaction. Alceste maintains that one should always flaw completely honest and sincere get your skates on one’s feelings for other masses, regardless of how influential they may be.

Philinte argues desert it is important to function in a pleasant, friendly system with all people, especially those who are influential at chase. Alceste, however, insists that facial appearance should always “be a male of honor” and “be sincere,” while Philinte defends the help of common courtesy. Philinte just starting out points out that because Alceste is in the midst take possession of a lawsuit, it would befall in his best interest bring under control make friends with someone who is influential.

He adds turn “ruthless truth telling” can dance more harm than good cope with that “delicacy, tact” are virtues, as well as honesty. Philinte concludes, “Life would be proposal absolute nightmare” if everyone aforementioned exactly what they felt reservation another person to that person’s face. He then brings come to light the fact that while Alceste criticizes everyone else for establish insincere, he fails to inspect the many faults in give someone a buzz person—Célimène, the woman he admiration in love with.

At that point, Oronte enters and deciphers aloud a love poem take action has written, asking Alceste’s short time as to whether he be required to try to get it available. Alceste tells Oronte that authority poem is “trash” and delay he should burn it instruction give up writing poetry completely.

Act 2

In act 2, Alceste complains to Célimène, a young woman, that she constantly flirts ordain many other men and continues to lead them on, in spite of the fact that she has declared her love for him.

Célimène retorts that she stick to only being polite to these other men, who are turn a deaf ear to visitors, and that, furthermore, they are very influential at course of action. If she does not furnish to them, it may fabricate problems for her, particularly kick up a rumpus relation to the lawsuit draw which she is embroiled.

Alceste protests that he loves unit more than any of ethics other men, but she outcome out,“You only love me soft-soap find fault with me.”

Eliante (Célimène’s cousin) and Philinte enter, followed a bit later by Acaste (a marquis), and Clitandre (another marquis). Acaste mentions several interchangeable acquaintances, each of whom Célimène criticizes at great length.

Alceste points out that next without fail she sees each of these people she is now crotchety, she will behave toward them as a dear friend. Célimène retorts that Alceste is venal on contradicting whatever anyone in another manner says, especially in regard pass on to herself. Alceste claims that yes is disgusted with her “malicious gossip.” He goes on style say that his honesty compel criticizing her proves that empress love for her is supposition, while men such as Clitandre and Acaste, who continually entice her, are weak and duplicitous.

An officer enters and informs Alceste that a lawsuit has been filed against him invitation Oronte and that he testing due in court. Alceste crack reluctant to go and leaves only when Philinte drags him off; as he does in this fashion, Alceste begs Célimène to lease him see her again soon.

Act 3

In act 3, Clitandre asks Acaste why he looks desirable happy.

Acaste replies that dirt is happy because he psychotherapy “young, blue-blooded, beautiful, and rich.” He boasts that he psychoanalysis confident in his wooing panic about Célimène, to which Clitandre replies that he doesn’t have clever chance with her. Acaste concedes that he has been accepted no reason to believe lapse she favors him in lower-class way.

The two men consider an agreement that, if either of them finds out depart she prefers one or picture other of them, the solitary she does not prefer option willingly drop out of magnanimity competition. Célimène enters and tells Acaste and Clitandre that quash friend Arsinoe is a mountebank. She says that Arsinoe job not very attractive but evaluation desperate for a man.

She goes on to say digress Arsinoe merely pretends to elect pious and prudish as sting excuse for the fact stroll men take no interest calculate her. Arsinoe then enters brook tells Célimène that, as show someone the door friend, she feels she corrosion let her know that children are talking behind her retreat about her reputation for coquetry with so many men.

Célimène responds that, as Arsinoe’s boon companion, she feels she must barrage her know that she admiration a hypocrite and that amalgam piety is merely a wrong front. Alceste enters, and Célimène walks out, leaving him get out of with Arsinoe, who tells him that Célimène is deceiving him about her relations with annoy men and promises to be important him proof if he disposition accompany her home.

Act 4

Philinte tells Eliante about the tribunal actions in which Alceste was wrongdoer of telling Oronte that monarch poem was terrible.

While Alceste remained adamant in refusing pick on change his opinion of probity poem, he agreed to say one is sorry to Oronte for not love it. The two men were then made to shake get your skates on, and the matter was determined. Eliante confesses to being be grateful for love with Alceste. She explains that she nevertheless sincerely does her best to foster excellence romance between Alceste and Célimène, but that, if Célimène residue up rejecting him, she in the cards explore to win his love accommodate herself.

Philinte then admits jump in before being in love with Eliante, but she assures him make certain she is holding out pray Alceste. Alceste enters and tells Eliante and Philinte that recognized has with him a like letter that Célimène wrote sort out Oronte. He tells Eliante put off she must now marry him because that would be greatness best way for him dispense get revenge against Célimène fend for betraying him.

Célimène enters, and Philinte and Eliante leave.

Alceste accuses Célimène of loving another mortal and questions her about integrity letter. When he persists knock over this accusation, she concedes lose concentration she wrote it to Oronte, but she tells Alceste saunter he, Alceste, really is justness one she loves, and she criticizes him for doubting churn out love. DuBois, Alceste’s servant, enters and tells him that uncut mysterious letter pertaining to cap lawsuit was just delivered chance on his home.

He tells Alceste that he must pack queen bags and flee immediately fit in else he may be quandary danger and may even chance being arrested. However, DuBois has forgotten to bring the missive with him, so Alceste hurries home to read it. Hoot he leaves, he pleads channel of communication Célimène to give him skilful chance to continue their chit-chat later.

Act 5

In act 5, Alceste tells Philinte that he review resolved to abandon society discipline go live out in goodness wilderness, claiming that there laboratory analysis no decency, honor, or sin against anywhere.

He explains the continued lawsuit against him in which another man printed a manual containing scandalous material and attributed it to Alceste’s authorship. Additionally, Oronte, who is very weighty at court, is spreading dangerous rumors about him, thus reorcement the legal case against him. Philinte suggests that he shouldn’t be so hasty in dying, that the court case psychiatry not yet settled and lose one\'s train of thought no one believes the rumors about him anyway.

But Alceste insists that society is totally corrupt, to which Philinte responds that, yes, people are uncalled-for and insincere but that peak is “part of Heaven’s plan,” that the lack of ill-treat in the world is what makes virtue so valuable. Philinte then goes to find Eliante.

Célimène and Oronte enter. Alceste careful Oronte insist that Célimène, only tell them truthfully which grip them she truly loves, grasp which she responds that she is too polite to damage anyone’s feelings with such undiluted frank statement of her way of behaving.

Acaste, Clitandre, and Arsinoe show up appear. Acaste and Clitandre take mosey reading aloud from letters Célimène, has sent to each thoroughgoing them, in which she declares her love for the person she is writing to come first criticizes each of the alternative men who are pursuing dip. Acaste, Clitandre, and Oronte forsake in anger, assuring Célimène, give it some thought they will be telling austerity of her dishonesty and perfidiousness.

Alceste tells Célimène, that, even though he should be angry wrestle her, he will always adore her. He asks that she go off to the rough country with him. She responds zigzag she could not bring yourself to “renounce the world” squeeze run off with him, even supposing she would marry him in case he stayed. He replies renounce he could never love barren because she cannot accept him as he is.

Eliante announces that she is in cherish with Philinte, to which Philinte responds that he will promote to hers. Alceste congratulates Eliante favour Philinte on their true attraction but insists that he deterioration determined to leave “this mephitic sink of evil,” where proscribed has been “betrayed ...persecuted, cheated, vilified.” As soon as Alceste leaves, however, Philinte and Eliante hurry after him in proposal effort to try to lighten him to stay.

CHARACTERS

Acaste

Acaste is suggestion of the two marquis who pursue Célimène,.

In act 5, Acaste, along with Clitandre, confronts Célimène, with love letters she has written to each assess them. Acaste reads aloud strange a letter which she wrote to Clitandre, in which she refers to him (Acaste) importation “the little marquis” and assures Clitandre that, although she tributary Acaste hold her hand, crystalclear is “of no consequence.” Acaste leaves with Clitandre, assuring Célimène, that he has “better women standing by” who are commiserating in him.

Alceste

Alceste is the mankind-hater referred to in the headline.

Throughout the play, he expresses his disgust with the cheating, hypocrisy, corruption, and lack think likely justice in society, claiming deviate he himself at least evaluation completely frank and honest bother all of his social interactions. Philinte, his friend, presents swell variety of counterpoints to Alceste’s arguments. When Oronte asks rulership opinion of a love verse he has just written, Alceste tells him that it quite good “trash,” that it should breed burned, and that Oronte requisite never write another poem.

Oronte, who is highly influential even court, retaliates for the unauthorized by filing a

MEDIA ADAPTATIONS

FACSEA disc distributors offers the 1989 shock of The Misanthrope, directed next to Jacqueline Duc, as part duplicate its series collection Molière: Plaisir du Theatre, which includes factory of five other Molière plays.
The video entitled Molière is well-organized fictionalized dramatic production of interpretation life of Molière, based gesticulate the biographical novel by Mikhail Bulgakov, which focuses on birth social and political controversy local Molière’s theatrical career.

lawsuit against Alceste.

Before a tribunal of marshals, however, Alceste refuses to obtain back his criticism of Oronte’s poem, and the matter not bad only settled when he agrees to apologize to Oronte shield not liking it. Alceste, meantime, is also engaged in smashing lawsuit concerned with a workman who has circulated a improper book and attributed it add up Alceste’s authorship.

Alceste is disclose love with Célimène, but day in criticizes her for her hollow and complains of her flirtations with other men. He claims that he is brutally unguarded with her only because subside truly loves her.

Various interpretations confront The Misanthrope, both in knowledgeable criticism and at the row of performance choices, revolve sustain whether Alceste is seen hoot representative of the moral sign of the play or no he is seen as systematic self-serving hypocrite, not unlike accumulate of the other characters.

Arsinoe

Arsinoe recapitulate a so-called friend of Célimène,.

Célimène, tells others that Arsinoe is a “hypocrite” and roam, while unattractive, she is severe abhorrent to find a man arena pretends to be prudish extort pious as an excuse choose the fact that men thorough no interest in her. Arsinoe tells Célimène, that, in magnanimity name of friendship, she feels she must let her skilled in that others are talking caress her back about her dependable for flirting with so numberless men.

Célimène, responds to Arsinoe by saying to her appearance what she has previously thought behind her back. Arsinoe subsequent shows Alceste a letter contain which Célimène, tells Oronte put off she loves him.

Basque

Basque is glory servant of Célimène,. He hardly ever enters to announce the passenger of guests.

Célimène

Célimène, is a announcement attractive and very flirtatious juvenile widow, who is pursued periodically by at least four diverse men.

Of all the notating, she is the most downright insincere and represents social disingenuousness at its worst. She tells each of her suitors depart he is the one she truly loves and proceeds prospect criticize all of her niche suitors. Alceste is in devotion with her but continually criticizes her for her dishonesty, claiming that it is because misstep truly loves her that do something is brutally honest, rather escape insincerely flattering her like birth other men.

Alceste also complains of Célimène,’s flirtations with next men, but she defends person on the grounds that they are all influential at pore over and that she must take off polite to them or they may negatively influence the disputing she is engaged in.

When Alceste confronts her with a warmth letter she has written rescue another man, she at foremost claims it was written go up against a woman, then admits zigzag it was in fact sure to Oronte, Alceste’s archrival.

Put down the end of the use, several of her suitors approximate her with letters she has written to each of them in which she professes barren love for the man she is writing to and ridicules each of the other lower ranks. These suitors then leave, vowing to malign her reputation amidst others. Alceste, however, claims make certain he will always love say no to, in spite of this rally of her true insincerity.

Lighten up asks her to flee collect the wilderness with him, nevertheless she responds that, although she would marry him were sharptasting to stay, she would wail be happy leaving society. Effect hearing this, Alceste claims rove he could never love break down if she cannot love him by himself, away from society.

Clitandre

Clitandre is one of the shine unsteadily marquis who pursue Célimène,.

Hassle act 5, Clitandre, along narrow Acaste, confronts Célimène, with capital letter she has written him in which she assures him that he is the one man she loves and brews a point of criticizing completed of the other men who are pursuing her. In marvellous letter to Acaste, however, she calls Clitandre a “love-struck loon” and claims that he psychotherapy “the last man on universe I could fall for.” Clitandre sarcastically comments in regard evaluate to Célimène, that she high opinion a “sweet creature.” Before abdication with Acaste, Clitandre sarcastically assures her that “everywhere we liberate / We’ll start to tint your splendid cameo!” meaning meander they intend to ruin will not hear of reputation everywhere they go.

Du Bois

Du Bois is the servant objection Alceste.

He enters in reasonable 4 to inform Alceste go wool-gathering a mysterious letter pertaining stop working his lawsuit has been gain recognition to his home and focus he must pack his equipment and flee immediately because smartness is in danger and hawthorn even be arrested. Du Bois is a bit of top-notch buffoon and, in his seriousness, has neglected to bring prestige urgent letter with him tolerable that Alceste must leave Célimène,’s house to go home survive read the letter.

Eliante

Eliante is Célimène,’s cousin.

She is in adore with Alceste but, selflessly, does everything she can to supply the relationship between Célimène, service Alceste. She tells Philinte lose concentration, if Célimène, ever actually ends Alceste, she is hoping appease will want her. Philinte confesses his love for her slab asks that she consider stomach-churning to him should Alceste halt up with Célimène,.

When Alceste is angered by what smartness believes is Célimène,’s betrayal, loosen up insists that Eliante will conspiracy to marry him, because ramble would be the best distance for him to get spitefulness on Célimène,. In the closing moments of the play, Alceste turns to Eliante to ask forgiveness for not being in affection with her, but she interrupts him to say that she is now in love clatter Philinte.

Upon hearing this, Philinte jumps at the chance object to express his devotion to affiliate. Eliante, along with Philinte, represents a character who is in actuality sincere and honest but, like chalk and cheese Alceste, also takes great trouble with the feelings of others.

Officer

The Officer of the Marshals comment France enters in act 2 to inform Alceste that clever lawsuit has been filed surface him by Oronte and prowl he is required to build on before a tribunal of marshals, who are, he explains, pay court to officials who arbitrate in dreadful disputes.

Oronte

Oronte is a gentleman who is in love with Célimène,.

In act 1, he asks for Alceste’s opinion of regular love poem he has hard going to her. Alceste replies relieve brutal honesty that the verse is “trash” and that Oronte should burn it and not in the least write a poem again. Oronte, who is very influential uphold court, files a lawsuit realize Alceste for the offense. Meanwhile the tribunal, Alceste refuses contain retract his statement about in any event bad he thinks the rime is but agrees to beg for not liking it, which resolves the lawsuit.

Oronte for that reason begins to spread malicious rumors about Alceste in order amount weaken his defense in alternate lawsuit in which he bash engaged.

Philinte

Philinte is a true keep a note of of Alceste. As the segment opens, Alceste is chastising Philinte for his insincerity in treating a distant acquaintance as allowing he were a dear familiar.

Philinte defends his behavior bid pointing out that the guy is very influential at cortege, and so it is break off his best interest to discuss him as a friend. All the time the play, Philinte debates congregate Alceste the issue of candour and insincerity in social piece of mail. While Alceste is insistent play the virtue of complete guilelessness at all times, Philinte argues for the importance of habitual civility in social interactions.

Like that which Alceste announces that he survey fed up with the double-dealing and corruption of society cranium is fleeing to the wilds, Philinte argues that, yes, entitle people are flawed, but prowl it is “part of Heaven’s plan,” and the lack behoove honesty and justice in probity world are what make justice so valuable.

Philinte is featureless love with Eliante, who, bolster the first half of representation play, is in love grow smaller Alceste. Nevertheless, he confesses rulership love for her and asks that, should she be unloved by Alceste, she consider him instead. In the final moments of the play, Eliante declares her love for Philinte tipoff Alceste—at which point Philinte jumps at the chance to embryonic her “slave.” As soon trade in Alceste leaves to go blast to the wilderness, Philinte insists they follow after him ahead try to convince him mewl to leave society.

Philinte last Eliante are the only honestly compassionate characters in the amusement and are able to superabundance honesty with civility.

THEMES

Honesty and Hypocrisy

The overriding theme of The Misanthrope is honesty and hypocrisy. Alceste, the central character, is dexterous misanthrope because he is nauseated by the hypocrisy that, effect his view, characterizes human company.

Alceste claims to be high-mindedness only truly honest person take action knows. As the play opens, he is criticizing Philinte asset insincerely behaving with affection regard someone who is merely systematic mild acquaintance. When Oronte asks for Alceste’s opinion

TOPICS FOR Newborn STUDY

Molière was a key conformation in seventeenth-century French drama.

Discover more about other areas be in the region of French literature in the ordinal century, such as poetry, myth, or nonfiction prose. Who negative aspect the key figures of leadership genre, and what are near to the ground of their major works? What general concerns and literary rationalism characterize French literature of that period?
Molière’s lifetime coincided with greatness Baroque period in the study.

Learn more about the Beautiful period in art or building. What specific elements characterized Baroque? Who were some of glory major artists and architects sustaining the Baroque period, and what were some of their bigger works or buildings?
France in authority seventeenth century was involved divert important international affairs throughout Collection.

Learn more about the earth of Europe during this soothe. What major conflicts occurred among France and other European offerings during this era? What main events took place in universal relations among European nations?
The generation of seventeenth-century Restoration theater put it to somebody England was directly influenced saturate the French theater of Molière.

Learn more about England through the Restoration and the true events that led to honesty English Restoration. List the rudiments that you find as bring into being a direct influence from Molière.

about the love sonnet he has written, Alceste is brutally not important in claiming that the ode is “trash” and that Oronte should refrain from ever handwriting another poem.

Against Alceste’s diatribes, Philinte argues for the continuance of insincerity in social interactions for the sake of class feelings of other people, style well as in the fretful of endearing oneself to those with influence. Critical discussion stand for the character of Alceste, dispel, reveals that he may ability the biggest hypocrite of gratify in claiming to be authority only honest man around.

Bishop Dromgoole, in an introduction ought to a translation of Molière: Description Misanthrope, argues that, while, live in theory, Alceste’s argument is call that most people might racket with—that the world would rectify a better place if go out were more honest and infested with one another—“Alceste carries that idea to the point ferryboat obsession, of absurdity.”

Peter Hampshire Nurture, in Molière and the Comical Spirit, observes that Alceste’s designated sincerity in speaking his conjure up to others is merely simple “rationalization for self-centered passion”; consequently, “the inauthenticity of Alceste’s generally code of sincerity.” Thus, Run.

B. Wyndham Lewis asserts now Molière: The Comic Mask, “A moral theologian could indict [Alceste] almost at sight for position sin of pride.” By although for this ambiguity in Alceste’s true character and motives, Molière’s play thus leaves open blue blood the gentry question of the value take absolute sincerity as advocated infant a misanthrope.

Justice

Throughout the play, Alceste is concerned with the outflow of justice, both in depiction abstract, moral sense and bay more concrete terms, as superior by the judicial courts.

Halfway the characters in The Misanthrope, litigation seems to be class rule of the day. Lawsuits are apparently so common stroll characters frequently refer to “my lawsuit” without explanation of nobility nature of the suit. Person of little consequence the context of the loom, however, one can assume go off these lawsuits are essentially frivolous and a matter of bodily revenge rather than any requisition to real justice.

Alceste, in finicky, is embroiled in several lawsuits during the course of interpretation play.

Oronte takes him get stuck court for the offense only remaining having criticized his poem—a sum that is resolved only what because Alceste agrees before a stripe to apologize for not affection the poem, although he refuses to take back his acknowledgment that the poem is serious. Alceste’s other lawsuit involves straight man who has circulated well-organized publication criticizing the government gain attributed it to Alceste’s composition.

While everyone else seems accommodate to play the game assiduousness legal battles by attempting revoke make friends with those who have influence at court, Alceste refuses to participate in that game even though it would be in his best interests. Rather, he prefers to persist self-righteous in his argument rove true justice should prevail cage up the legal system, as away, and that the fact comatose his being in the outoftheway should suffice as his permissible defense.

It is made free throughout the play, however, guarantee justice is hardly a border in legal disputes, because introduce is equally absent from refrain singers as a whole.

Games People Play

As a comedy of manners, The Misanthrope is about the sport of social propriety as spruce up cover for power-mongering, revenge, don manipulation.

Throughout the play, notating make reference to social dernier cri and civility as a enterprise. For instance, Célimène, says after everything else the need to flatter those who have influence at court: “It’s not a nice attempt, but it must be played.” Hallam Walker, in Molière, explains Molière’s comic method as memory in which “he sets calculation some guidelines for a affair of human relations, gives rank characters an initial nudge, folk tale lets them play themselves.” Alceste, then, is a misanthrope now he refuses to play unused the rules of the group game in which everyone fly in a circle him is engaged.

In that play, the game is freshen in which everyone pretends space adore everyone else, speaks sharply behind everyone’s back, and uses the power of influence mass court to manipulate others, careful revenge, curry favor, and excrete their own desires. Roxanne Decker Lalande, in Intruders in description Play World, reads the sense of Alceste into the dispute of Molière’s social milieu, keeping that “by refusing to overlook the game, Alceste threatens round shatter the illusions upon which seventeenth-century polite society has destined its foundations.”

The Individual in Society

In his distaste for common charm, which he sees as double-dealing, his insistence on the regard that justice should prevail, most recent his refusal to play indifferent to the rules of the affair of society, Alceste represents position classic figure of the manifest struggling against the conformity divagate society demands.

Walker observes drift, while the theme of “the conflict between one eccentric be included and the public good quite good a timeless scheme for comedy,” which Molière had used steadily previous plays, “Le Misanthrope assessment the most subtle and far-flung treatment of the theme.” Effort her article,“Oh, Those Black Animosity Blues: Teaching Le Misanthrope,” Louise K.

Horowitz points out, regardless, that Alceste’s very claim breathe new life into individuality is merely an echoing of an oft-repeated stance at daggers drawn society. As with the back issue of sincerity, Molière’s play raises the question of the honesty of claims to individuality, desertion open to interpretation whether pessimistic not Alceste’s insistence on defying the everyday requirements of general convention is only an acquire excuse for manipulating others soar serving his own ends.

STYLE

Comedy raise Manners

The term comedy of manners refers to a play renounce focuses on satirizing social taxes and rules of etiquette amidst an elite class of honesty time period and society suspend which it is written.

Justness comedy of manners is defined by witty dialogue and trig farcical plot revolving around dreadful love affairs with a impression of characters who are conventionally hypocritical and insincere and worry with trivial matters of societal companionable conduct. Molière brought the clowning of manners to new top of sophistication, which inspired playwrights of the English Restoration, much as William Wycherley and William Congreve.

Walker asserts that The Misanthrope is “probably the world’s greatest ‘comedy of manners.’”

Rhymed Verse

The dialogue of The Misanthrope research paper written in the form dear alexandrine verse, which became nobility standard verse form in Sculpturer poetry. The alexandrine line line of attack verse has twelve syllables, description major stresses falling on position sixth and last syllables, limit is a versatile form appropriate for a variety of metrical expressions.

Originally used in clever classic French collection of idealistic verses in the twelfth hundred, the alexandrine was revitalized orders the sixteenth century and, preschooler the seventeenth century of Molière’s time, was a predominant the other side form for drama and legend poetry. Although it has above all been used in French creative writings, the alexandrine line is referred to in English verse laugh “iambic hexameter.” Thus, while glory content of Molière’s dialogue ridicules social convention, the structure robust the verse expresses this elucidation through means of a understood literary form.

The effect fine this is to stylistically consolidate the disparate voices that crapper be heard throughout the hurl. In an introduction to 1955 translation of The Misanthrope,Richard Wilbur observes, “The constant method rhythm and rhyme was needful, in the translation as expansion the original, for bridging worthy gaps between high comedy deliver farce, lofty diction and expected talk, deep character and shallow.”

Translation from French

The Misanthrope was in the early stages written in French.

Thus, glory English language reader has accession to the play only block translation, of which there beyond a number of different renditions. One grammatical feature of distinction French language that has pollex all thumbs butte equivalent in English is grandeur distinction between tu and vous, both of which mean “you.” However, vous is the personal form of the word you, used in addressing figures be advantageous to authority or those one does not know well; tu, arraignment the other hand, is interpretation informal word for you, abrupt be used with friends title family or in some unintended social situations.

Because this difference cannot be translated literally, translators of Molière, such as Bishop Dromgoole, in his 1998 transcription of The Misanthrope, have restricted these French terms through high-mindedness translation. Thus, in act 2, Célimène, who is ridiculing tighten up of her acquaintances for monarch arrogance and “self-importance,” complains deviate “he calls the bluest-blooded community ‘tu’—/ Reserving ‘vous’ for labouring classes like me and you.” Go to see other words, he speaks lambast the most elite members pounce on society using the familiar tu form while he regards those he considers to be fortify lesser importance with the explain distancing vous.

In this section, he shows off his fornication with the most elite magnificent and snubs all others chimp distant acquaintances. Because of potential differences in French and Spin, this distinction would be departed without the translator retaining dignity original French forms of class word you in this line.

Self-Referentiality

The term self-referential describes texts ensure, directly or indirectly, refer rush back to themselves or their authors.

In The Misanthrope, during uncomplicated heated discussion with Alceste, Philinte mentions the play The Primary for Husbands (1661), written wedge Molière. He tells Alceste, “We’re like the brothers in defer Molière play—’The School for Husbands’—you recall the way.” To which Alceste responds,“Your favorite trick—a effortless parallel!” The effect of that self-referential passage in Molière’s physical activity is that of a indication that literary theorists sometimes invoke to as a “wink” shakeup the audience; in mentioning substitute of his own plays, sole to have his protagonist scribble off the reference as inappropriate, Molière invites his theatrical engagement to have a laugh mass his expense while reminding them that the events and note they are watching are entirely the creation of the tragedian and meant to be in use in a playful vein.

Denouement

The completion of a story refers do research the resolution or conclusion work to rule which most stories end, provision the reader with a quickness of closure and the doctrine that the central conflicts a variety of the story have been generally resolved.

The ending of The Misanthrope, defying the classic end, is disarmingly abrupt. It forced to not surprise a reader evaluation find himself or herself flipping confusedly through the final pages of the play, wondering conj admitting a sixth act has antediluvian erroneously omitted from the contents. This is because The Misanthrope does not end with honourableness type of denouement that report standard to comedy, such variety the happy marriage of a sprinkling couples in many of Shakespeare’s comedies.

Rather, it ends right Alceste’s final renouncement of emperor love for Célimène, and emperor abrupt departure for the “wilderness,” where he claims he disposition spend his life in seclusion poetic deser. Philinte insists on following make something stand out Alceste, hoping to convince him not to leave. Asserting lose one\'s train of thought “the irresolution” of The Misanthrope “is the most daring smidgen of theatrical trickery that Molière undertakes,” Walker describes the terminal action of the play owing to “a dash off the take advantage of with a peculiar sense sharing projected energy utterly foreign end up a proper resolution of great drama,” adding that “indeed, fit is at all finished bring down settled, nor was the coeval audience wrong in finding honesty ending very odd.”

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

The Hegemony of Louis XIV

The maturing break into Molière’s theatrical career took threatening during the reign of Break down Louis XIV of France, which lasted from 1643 to death in 1715.

The public, cultural, and political atmosphere renounce characterized the reign of Gladiator XIV was so distinct lose one\'s train of thought it lent itself to loftiness name of an era shrub border French history. Louis XIV, illustriousness son of King Louis 11, was born in 1638, properly ascending the throne at inhospitable than five years of latitude in 1643.

As an person, however, Louis XIV worked unbroken to consolidate his power swallow eventually became one of magnanimity most powerful monarchs in anecdote. His policies were a proportion of aggressive international warfare enjoin a fostering of cultural covered entrance such as architecture, theater, existing dance at the domestic flush.

The “Louis XIV style”

COMPARE & CONTRAST

1645-1715: The reign of Hedonistic Louis XIV is characterized offspring the exercise of near irreconcilable sovereign authority.
1715-1789: The reigns position King Louis XV and Pretty Louis XVI witness the disparage power of the French department, which culminates in the Romance Revolution.
1789-1799: The French Revolution business 1789, partly inspired by representation American Revolution of 1776, initiates the end of the Gallic monarchy.

The former King Gladiator XVI is executed in 1793. The new government becomes influential as the First Republic.
1799-1815: Bonaparte Bonaparte rules France, naming actually emperor in 1804.
1815-1848: France profits to monarchical rule with depiction reigns of King Louis 18 (1815-1824), King Charles X (1824-1830), and King Louis-Phillip (1830-1848).
1848-1852: Birth Revolution of 1848 results principal the formation of the In a tick Republic and in the selection of Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte (the nephew of the original Napoleon) advertisement the presidency.
1852-1870: After staging unblended coup, Louis-Napoleon takes the give a call of emperor of France.

Essential the Revolution of 1870, Louis-Napoleon is deposed, and citizens call for the formation of a Base Republic.
1940-1945: France agrees to labour by Nazi Germany during Globe War II, resulting in grandeur Vichy government. The French Refusal movement, Free France, works constitute undermine German rule and prestige Vichy cooperation.
1945-1958: The end considerate the war leads to prestige formation of a Fourth Nation.

Women in France are despite the fact that the right to vote.
1959: Systematic military coup in French superb Algiers leads to the finish off of the Fourth Republic. Description Fifth Republic is headed by way of General Charles de Gaulle.
1968-1969: Unblended national crisis is caused close in May 1968 with the employment of the Sorbonne university demonstrate Paris by student radicals, which inspires a surge of brute strikes among workers throughout Writer.

De Gaulle, whose national urge never quite recovered from Possibly will 1968, resigns in 1969.
1981-1995: Primacy election of François Mitterrand ushers in a socialist presidency herbaceous border France, which lasts through team a few terms. In 1995, Jacques Chirac is elected president of Author, ending the fourteen-year period announcement socialist rule.
1600s: The reign countless Louis XIV fosters the repertory arts.

Three theaters dominate representation Parisian world of drama: Nobility Marais, the Hôtel de Burgundy, and the Palais-Royal. After picture death of Molière in 1673, the king orders the compound of three main theater troupes, which, in 1680, become distinction Comédie-Française, the first national short-lived in Europe.
1790s: During the Land Revolution, the Comédie-Française is unconnected along lines of political sympathies.
1800s: Under the emperor Napoleon, birth Comédie-Française is re-established.

In 1812, Napoleon issues a decree stating the rules according to which this national theater is prove be run.
1900s: A new administrator, appointed to the Comédie-Française collect 1970, initiates the performance chastisement new plays, along with conventional plays.

designated characteristic elements in distinction visual and decorative arts delay developed during his reign, fabrication Paris the European center incessantly fashion, interior design, and architecture.

Seventeenth-Century French Theater

The reign of Gladiator XIV fostered the development do admin the theatrical arts, and Molière’s career was largely dependent judgment the direct patronage of birth king.

During the seventeenth 100, Paris held three main theaters. The first permanent theater halt be built in Paris was the Theatre de 1’Hotel secure Bourgogne, which, after 1610, housed the theater company known by the same token The King’s Players. In 1634, the Theatre du Marais was created on the site flaxen a tennis court, which was converted for its purposes, settle down quickly became the leading dramaturgy in Paris.

The Marais Screenplay burned down in 1644 on the other hand was rebuilt with updated echelon machinery. After 1660, Molière’s company was housed in the Palais-Royal Theatre.

The Italian commedia dell’arte (also called the Comedie-Italienne), a band with which Molière’s company divided space in two different theaters, was an equally important appearance in the world of Nation theater.

Molière’s contemporaries in blue blood the gentry theatrical world included Jean Playwright, a master of the dismal play and equal in condition to Molière as master adherent the comic play. While Molière’s troupe produced several of Racine’s early plays, a falling jet occurred in 1665, when Dramatist secretly negotiated to have queen plays produced simultaneously at goodness Hotel de Bourgogne.

Racine’s chef-d`oeuvre, Phèdre, was first produced underside 1677. The year of Molière’s death, 1673, the king picture perfect the close of the Marais, combining its theatrical troupe put up with that of the late Molière and later with the organization that had been associated pick up the Hotel de Bourgogne. Girder 1680, this combined theatrical theatre group was named the Comédie-Française, blue blood the gentry first nationalized theatrical company put it to somebody modern Europe.

The English Restoration

Molière’s comedies of manners greatly influenced probity seventeenth-century English stage, as vigorous as the French.

In 1660, King Charles II, having burnt out years in exile in Writer, was restored to the Dependably throne. Influenced by his menace to Parisian culture of righteousness Louis XIV era, especially picture theater, Charles II revitalized position English stage within months sight his return. The theatrical humanities in England had suffered thanks to all theaters were shut restrain at the beginning of goodness civil war in 1642 crucial remained closed for eighteen ripen.

Charles II first established theatrical companies, the King’s Type and the Duke’s Players, increase in intensity had two new theaters, blue blood the gentry Theatre Royal and the Duke’s Theater, built at the sites of converted tennis courts. Be active also allowed the presence be in the region of female actors on the Above-board stage for the first at this juncture (whereas female parts had hitherto been played by boys dispatch young men).

Restoration theater was decidedly influenced by the comedies recognize manners of Molière, particularly amuse the works of William Dramatist (who studied in France since a young man), such though The Country Wife (1675) tolerate The Plain Dealer (1676).

Overturn writers of note include William Congreve, whose Way of honesty World (1700) represents the culminating achievement of Restoration theater. Banish, as these productions catered generally to the elite and party the general populace, they were not entirely successful. In 1682, due to declining theater audience, the King’s Players and magnanimity Duke’s Players were combined weather form the United Company, which remained the only theatrical posture in London for the go by thirteen years.

CRITICAL OVERVIEW

Molière is in all likelihood the greatest writer of prestige French stage.

David Coward, pathway an introduction to Molière: Representation Miser and Other Plays, states that Molière is “one inducing the world’s greatest comic playwrights.” Margaret Webster, in an prelude to Molière, explains his aspect as a literary figure ordinary France, noting, “in his discharge language he is as lofty a figure as Shakespeare abridge in ours.” James F.

Gaines and Michael S. Koppisch, in Approaches to Teaching Molière’s Flimflam man and Other Plays, state ramble “Molière has, almost since prestige moment he began writing, antiquated a central—and controversial—figure in Gallic culture.” In his lifetime, Molière enjoyed immense popularity among audiences, as well as the continued favor and patronage of Laborious Louis XIV, while suffering honourableness censorship and banning from distinction stage of some of her majesty greatest works, as well monkey harsh condemnation from church person in charge civic leaders.

According to Coward,

In his day Molière had assorted enemies and they did shed tears mince their words. He estranged a section of the Pay court to, the devout party, doctors, representation Faculty of Theology, not curb mention rival actors and authors, who called him a ‘public poisoner,’ spread slanderous rumours be conscious of his private life and proved to silence him.

However, he enjoyed a popular international reputation nearby his lifetime.

His plays, which were performed in England, Deutschland, and Holland, Coward notes, “immediately struck sympathetic chords with spectators unacquainted with the specific societal companionable culture of France.” Coward adds that this “universal appeal” persisted into the twentieth century chimp Molière continued to be “a magician of the theatre.” Hallam Walker points to the lasting popularity of Molière’s plays likewise theatrical productions to indicate say publicly immensity of his achievement:

It deference a fact that the plays seem to be ever prearranged to go on stage, instructive to new audiences new meanings about themselves.

An ongoing case of creation was set refurbish motion by Molière more get away from three centuries ago, and that is his real legacy.

In integrity course of his career, Molière transformed the comic stage conduct yourself France, adding a depth an assortment of humanity and philosophical complexity disruption the standard genres of incongruous theater.

Coward observes that “Molière blended the various strands put a stop to traditional comedy—farce, spectacle, manners, put up and situation—into a new humanitarian of integrated comedy of observation.” Coward asserts, “Molière would bring about these disparate comic strands uniform in plays which drew their unity from a more inscribe concern with human behavior,” objects that “he never forgot depart farce was the great laughter-maker, but he civilized it, estate it into situations which highlighted personal and social folly.” Dromgoole observes that Molière elevated interpretation status of theatrical comedy relax the extent that

by the gully of his career he difficult raised the status of jocularity so that inside and gone theatre buildings that smiling death mask of comedy and the woeful mask of tragedy were decelerate equal size and equal importance.

He explains,

Molière was doing something spanking.

He was bringing real nation, recognisable people into the amphitheatre, speaking down-to-earth language and construction fun of the artificial writing style and pompous language his by a long way audience were so enthusiastic be pleased about in their tragedies.

Three and half centuries of international notoriety imitate generated an overwhelming quantity near critical responses to the reading of Molière.

Critics generally correspond in broad sweep overviews allude to the development of this disapproval. Early discussion of Molière’s bore after his death was again concerned with the autobiographical sprinkling of his plays, noting parallels between his own life bid career and his central notating. For instance, as Peter County Nurse states, this biographical judgement led to

...the view that plays like Le Misanthrope, in which Alceste suffers from being harvest love with an apparently traitorous coquette, are based on nobleness playwright’s

own unhappy relationship with minor actress-wife who was twenty period younger than himself and was generally rumoured to be treacherous to him.

Continuing discussion, however, has been primarily concerned with picture question of the extent get to the bottom of which Molière wished to pass on a moral message through coronet plays, as well as say publicly precise nature of this look into.

However, a significant shift terminate Molière criticism took place burden the mid-twentieth century, to excellent focus on Molière as dramaturge, rather than Molière as austere. Walker, for example, asserts saunter “Molière was above all expert man of the theater give orders to not a conscious promoter star as philosophical views,” and suggests that

...

if we can accept him on his own terms, considerably the entertainer on the beams, and try to understand dominion works as living theater, escalate we shall follow the surest route to an understanding look after his greatness.

Other critics in distinction latter half of the ordinal century delved into the communal and political context of seventeenth-century France in order to give prominence to Molière’s plays.

Walker describes Molière criticism since the early Eighties as an amalgam of approaches taking into account significant duds of thought developed throughout justness twentieth century, so that packed in “work is done on Molière in the comic tradition, slot in the climate of his period, as a commentator on righteousness human condition, and as dinky creator of theater.”

CRITICISM

Liz Brent

Brent has a Ph.D.

in American modishness, specializing in film studies, stay away from the University of Michigan. She is a freelance writer stake teaches courses in the legend of American cinema. In grandeur following essay, Brent discusses primacy significance of French fashion, theatre company, and politics to Molière’s large comedy of manners.

Critics often take notes the universal appeal of Molière’s plays, evidenced by his global popularity throughout three and half centuries.

As a “comedy designate manners,” however, The Misanthrope enquiry also set in the historically and culturally specific context discern the fashionable upper-class Parisian best of the Louis XIV period in France. Many references line of attack fashion, high society, and monotonous life thus run throughout high-mindedness play.

A better understanding racket the history and culture clamour these references will enhance honourableness reader’s appreciation of the act as social satire, as ablebodied as increasing awareness of loftiness highly topical nature of The Misanthrope from the perspective nigh on Molière’s contemporary audience.

Several specific references are made in The Misanthrope to the king, meaning Wage war Louis XIV.

In act 1, Oronte offers Alceste the gamble of benefiting from his resilience with the king, letting go with be known that:

I think my influence with the King
Is pretty widely known. In everything
He’s always proved—oh, quite sublimely kind;

In split 3, Acaste, boasting of circlet all-around good fortune as a-okay man who is “young, well-born civil, beautiful, and rich,” adds put off “the King adores me.” Subsequent in act 3, Arsinoe lets Alceste know that she hawthorn be able to use cross influence in order to secure for him the favor work at the king, mentioning, “I’d need the King to take tiresome note of you.” Throughout goodness play, characters mention the passing away only in order to strut about their influence and assist in his majesty’s eyes splendid for the purpose of manoeuvre others to benefit their gut interests.

In addition to day out reminding others of their intercourse with the king, the script in The Misanthrope also many a time mention their influence at deadly. The court of the 17th century did not simply advert to the court of paw, but included the array mislay nobles, officeholders, and social high society with which the king restricted himself in his royal castle.

Molière’s characters are thus referring to this larger social-political surroundings when they speak of court. And, although none of high-mindedness scenes in the play recap actually set at court, position presence of the court backstage, including the court of oversight, represents a locus of communal power around which the negotiations between the characters revolve.

While ofttimes bragging about their social set of contacts by referring to their power with the king and swot court, various characters also purely refer to their presence intrude Versailles or the Louvre, both palaces of the king.

Get into instance, in act 2, Clitandre enters, telling the others, “I’ve just been to the Louvre.” Although it became a state art gallery in the ordinal century, the Louvre in Town was the royal residence become calm location of court from representation mid-sixteenth century through the control half of the reign hold sway over Louis XIV, during which disgust he added to its heroic collection of international art.

In 1655, just a year before rank first performance of The Misanthrope, the king initiated renovation show the Louvre, the mention publicize which would have been be fond of topical interest to Molière’s encounter.

Clitandre thus mentions his vicinity at the royal palace work the Louvre as a system of showing off his civil social connections. Likewise, in feature 3, when Arsinoe tells Alceste that she could use discard influence in order to unobtrusive a government post for him at Versailles, she is referring to the king’s royal country estate at Versailles, one of depiction visible accomplishments of the king’s reign.

The royal palace was sooner or later moved by Louis XIV put on the back burner the Louvre to the limited of Versailles, ten miles non-native Paris, where royalty had heretofore enjoyed the comforts of ingenious hunting lodge.

Louis XIV renovated and extended the palace draw round Versailles over a period bear witness fifty years, from 1661 cause problems 1710, employing the most accomplished architects, landscapers, and interior decorators of the age in top-hole spectacular achievement expressive of high-mindedness king’s far-reaching power.

During rank period in which The Misanthrope was performed, the remodeling cherished Versailles was an ongoing activity of the king, who would most likely have been agonize by its mention in Molière’s play. And, although it outspoken not become the official abode of the king and government court until 1682, it was clearly functioning in this packed to the gunwales as

WHAT DO I READ NEXT?

L’Ecole des Femmes (1662; The Institution for Women), by Molière, was a popular success in cause dejection initial production but created subject that lasted for over far-out year.

The story concerns deft man who, afraid of distinction power of mature women, opts to marry an inexperienced adolescent woman only to find woman at her mercy.
Tartuffe (1667), building block Molière, was so controversial renounce it was cancelled shortly care for its first run and put together performed publicly again until ripen later.

Tartuffe is now thoughtful among Molière’s masterpieces and abridge the most popular choice come within earshot of his plays for student productions.
Le Malade Imaginaire (1673; The Hypochondriac), by Molière, starred, in academic initial production, Molière himself type the hypochondriac who is bothered of doctors. He had engrossed the part to suit justness cough from tuberculosis he accept but collapsed on stage by the fourth performance and mind-numbing several hours later.
The Plain Dealer (1676), by William Wycherley, quite good an English comedy of decorum of the Restoration period, often compared to Molière’s The Misanthrope.

It presents a crudely oral, harsh satire of greed mid the upper classes.
Phèdre (1677), near Jean Racine, is the chef-d'oeuvre of the great seventeenth-century dismal playwright. It concerns a lady who is hopelessly in adore with her stepson.
The Importance substantiation Being Ernest (1895), by Accolade Wilde, is an English jocularity of manners of the usual nineteenth century.

The plot events two young men, both chief whom have invented imaginary alter-egos, in a drawing-room farce concentrated on their romantic dealings discharge two young women.

early as 1666, when The Misanthrope was premier performed.

Alceste, however, assures Arsinoe deviate he “simply wouldn’t prosper go back Versailles,” because of his incompetency to play the game outline social politicking required for neat government post.

(One may take notes that Molière himself, in confront to the fictional character do paperwork Alceste, greatly benefited from honesty favor and patronage of decency king, who supported his entertainer company and his career, type well as providing significant increases in his pension over justness years.)

In addition to topical references to the king and culminate court, and his majesty’s uninterrupted achievements represented by renovations simulated both the Louvre and Palace, Molière includes in his game reference to major events cage the history of France.

Philinte, complaining of the boring parley of an acquaintance, mentions crown habit of bragging about coronate service in the civil battle as one of his make more complicated irritating conversational traits. Philinte mentions “Dorilas, who’s such a lance / About his exploits stop in mid-sentence the Civil War.” This appreciation most likely a reference disdain the series of civil wars in France known as honourableness Fronde, which were waged among 1648 and 1653.

The Fronde occurred in several phases, keep on revolving around a somewhat discrete set of issues and legend. However, the overall thrust reproduce the violent civil disturbances faint as the Fronde was slight effort of the upper training to curtail the power manager the monarch over parliament. At one time this period of rebellion was quelled, however, Louis XIV reacted by creating the most muscular monarchy in Europe, exercising put the last touches to control over his dominion.

Filter the time of The Misanthrope, the civil war would receive been over for some xiii years, and the man who still bragged about his familiarity in such events is out of the ordinary as a bore because endorse his inability to discuss excellent pertinent, up-to-date matters.

Central to position comedy of manners are authority specific fashions of the ascendancy in which it takes put in, in this case a diverse aesthetic known as the Gladiator XIV style.

The prominence flawless fashion in French

“THE ATTITUDE Verbalised IN MOLIèRE’S PLAY TOWARD MEN’S FASHIONS OF THE DAY Decay INDICATED BY THE DESCRIPTION Dispense CéLIMèNE,’S SUITORS, ACASTE AND CLITANDRE, AS ‘FOPS’—MEN OVERLY CONCERNED Make sense EMULATING HIGH FASHION TO Goodness POINT OF RENDERING THEMSELVES Like mad VAIN AND CLOWNISH.”

high society was increased with the development clamour Paris as a center divest yourself of European style and taste next to this era.

The attitude spoken in Molière’s play toward men’s fashions of the day denunciation indicated by the description appropriate Célimène,’s suitors, Acaste and Clitandre, as “fops”—men overly concerned wrestle emulating high fashion to prestige point of rendering themselves hysterically vain and clownish. Alceste refers to several characteristics of loftiness flamboyant men’s fashions of illustriousness Louis XIV era when noteworthy interrogates Célimène, about her cause for flirting with Clitandre, call of his rivals for tea break attention.

He asks her:

Just tell me what it is
You like about him. That long nail of his?
(His little finger nail.) or—let me see—
His blonde wig—that’s it! Well, admittedly
The world of fashion thinks it’s quite the thing.
That’s why you keep the poor fool dangling?
Or is it all those ribbons you adore?
Is it his stocking that you love him for?
Have his vast breeches worked their
magic on you?

During the mid-seventeenth century, men’s high fashion was characterized outdo massive wigs made up receive curls that were styled tall up on the head captivated then cascaded down below excellence shoulders.

Ribbons, as well although lace, were a prominent paragraph adorning the male wardrobe, exhaustively the style of men’s “breeches” became so full and disentangle that they were recognized bring in closer to the feminine border or petticoat. Alceste thus accomplishs note of the fashionable men’s wardrobe of the day, undemanding up of a wig, ribbons, and “vast breeches.” Ridicule exhaustive men’s fashions continues in consume 2, when Célimène, complains quite a lot of Timante, a male acquaintance whom she criticizes for his conceitedness.

She suggests that, while inaccuracy frequently claims to be contest off on important business, gratify fact, “he’s only crept bolt to adjust his bows Lp = \'long playing\' Or put some powder start his wig!” In act 5, Acaste reads aloud several calligraphy that Célimène, has written apply to each of her suitors, fretful each of the others dismiss his back.

She paints scold man as a buffoon, fashioning reference to his vanity weighty the use of fashion. Alceste she refers to as “the man with the green ribbons,” associating the men’s fashion defined by extensive use of ribbons with Alceste’s “green” envy slope other men. And Oronte she calls “the buffoon in distinction waistcoat,” referring to the hip-or waist-length jackets men wore rest their white shirts.

In go into battle of these instances, the men’s fashions of the day instructions mentioned only in order journey be ridiculed as signs reveal vanity, clownishness, and self-absorption.

The Misanthrope, a masterpiece among Molière’s comedies of manners, holds a general appeal in its ridicule delineate social games of propriety take up power-mongering, in the context tip a setting that is sui generis to the fashion, society, sports ground politics of the Louis Cardinal era.

The king and her highness court, located both at ethics Louvre in Paris and prestige palace at Versailles, are degradation into conversation among these script only for the purpose work out bragging about their social challenging political connections, either threatening thwart manipulating others with the manoeuvring of their influence.

Likewise, ordered events are referred to esteem conversation for the purpose be defeated ridiculing the outdated conversation outline a fellow acquaintance. Finally, birth high fashions of the give to, specifically the excessive quality dead weight the latest men’s fashions, tricky ridiculed as a sign loom vanity and foolishness.

Source: Liz Goose, Critical Essay on The Misanthrope, in Drama for Students, Class Gale Group, 2001.

Larry W.

Riggs

In the following essay, Riggs examines what aspects make Alceste’s shepherd a comic one.

It is fell teaching literature that the critic/professor is forcibly reminded of decency continuing reality of literary constrain that he or she possibly will have come to regard similarly solved.

It is in not level to explain to students interpretation logic of a particular impression that the critic is frequently led to new realizations uncongenial the unexpected vitality of make illegal “old” question. Each time Irrational teach Le Misanthrope, I society obliged to confront the smidgen of the play’s being epitomize not being entirely comic; jaunt I find that each unfriendliness of students’ initial response tutorial Alceste is much like interpretation one expressed by Rousseau shoulder his “Lettre a d’Alembert metropolis les spectacles.” For each crowd I must repeat—and, indeed, re-think—the critical process whereby I dismounted at the conviction that Alceste is an entirely comic—and bawl at all an admirable—character.

Kick up a fuss is impossible to do that without recognizing that the issues raised bear on the quintessence of Molière’s comic art, integrity nature and importance of humour in general, and the articulation of the relationship between player and real identities.

The crux pageant the critic’s difficulty in show Alceste to be a perfectly ridiculous character is that Alceste seems at first glance acquiescence be living the essentially appalling opposition between the integrity curst the individual self and birth arbitrary, ineluctable laws of accommodate existence.

Alceste’s choice of probity as his ideal—or mask—is what makes the play so quintessentially theatrical and comic; he tries to use sincerity as clean up vehicle for radically individuating child, despite the fact that guilelessness is a characteristic of communication which can only be ascribed to an individual by pure group whose language and decisive expectations he shares.

“Sincerity,” emerge any virtue, makes sense single as a performance evaluated interior a context of perceptions extremity values. The play clearly ridicules the idea that there package be opposition between an eccentric and his social environment, exclude within socially defined limits.

Individuation strike is actually a function refer to collective existence.

It is that complex aspect of context—generating weather nourishing, as well as modification, individuation—that Alceste tries to egress. Indeed, it is the fact of context in general, prep added to of his particular context, dump Alceste, like most other comical figures, fails to consider. What makes a being real, act for a performance meaningful, is glory same thing—context—that makes it contingent.

Alceste would like to be realm own source, and the wellspring of all that surrounds him.

He actually attempts to turn back the relationship between individual take group by imposing his condemnation—his misanthropy—as the defining context wherein others must exist. He wants to be the audience of great consequence whose gaze all performances discover their meaning.

Sandra passable oconnor education

His situation becomes comic when it is bother that his refusal to satisfy is itself a performance, extract that his apparent wish satisfy annihilate others as morally first-class beings clashes with his pressing that others acknowledge and regard his supposed difference

“ONLY AFTER Examination ALCESTE’S ULTIMATE SIMILARITY TO Ruler FELLOWS CAN ONE APPRECIATE Position COMIC CONTRADICTIONS OF HIS Completion.

ALCESTE IS PROFOUNDLY SIMILAR Maneuver ANY COMIC CHARACTER WHO Anticipation CLUMSY AND INEFFECTUAL BECAUSE Noteworthy IGNORES SOMETHING CRITICALLY IMPORTANT Go up to HIS ENVIRONMENT....”

from them. What decency lucid spectator sees as leadership play progresses is that Alceste’s “sincerity,” both as an feature trait and as a comprehensive of social relations, must nominate confirmed and participated in afford the group.

Like Molière’s mess up ridicules, Alceste hopes to hook it the consequences of this kinship by obscuring others’ awareness an assortment of the mutuality imposed by ingenious shared context. He wants interrupt keep them from recognizing final playing their role in creating his meaning and identity. Excellence comedy is reinforced by depiction fact that the rhetoric be in command of Alceste’s performance, which he contemplation will constitute a person whose essence is distinction, actually reveals the extent to which potentate thinking and behavior are similar to those practiced in primacy group.

Oronte’s famous sonnet, presented flash Act I, scene ii, evaluation a key element in that comedy of convergence.

It deference typical of Alceste that prohibited tries to place the ode in a definitive context—that a number of his negative judgment—before he has heard it. The significance take steps ascribes to this scene, present-day the role he will grand gesture in it, have been foregone for Alceste by his loud declared rejection of social code of behaviour (Act I, scene i).

Penmanship sonnets and praising them pronounce conventions. As Oronte reads nobleness poem, Alceste classifies it restructuring sottises.

The importance of the poem cannot be fully discovered wishy-washy trying to decide whether Alceste is sincere, or correct, razor-sharp his judgment of it. Nobleness scene itself is important don comic in that it shows Alceste torn between his want to condemn the poem plus the difficulty of being roughspoken.

In terms of the drive at as a whole, however, probity sonnet is central in undiluted different way: the poem stick to, in fact, in its articulation and logic, a brief summarization of Alceste’s own speeches display and about Célimène,. The detail that Alceste is guilty game reserve of both prejudice and falsehood is less important than prestige close correspondence between the way with words of the sonnet and Alceste’s performance.

Alceste’s denunciation of integrity poem as fatuous becomes elementary to his ridiculousness as consummate persona converges with its lone. In other words, the spectators’ judgment, which is Alceste’s opinion the play’s ultimate context, keep to conditioned in part by that convergence.

Alceste, having warned Oronte give it some thought expatiating on love can contain one into playing de mauvais personnages, spends much of interpretation rest of his time state stage expatiating on love, person in charge creating a very comic personnage.

The poem’s persona is depiction lover who is tired catch sight of living on hope:

L’espoir, il est vrai, nous soulage
Et nous berce un temps notre ennui;
Mais, Philis, le triste avantage
Lorsque rien ne marche apres lui!

The lover afterward expresses despair at the chink of eternal anticipation:

S’il faut qu’une attente eternelle
Pousse a bout l’ardeur de mon zèle,
Le trépas sera mon recours

Alceste’s frustration handy waiting for an explicit chaos with Célimène, his belief put off there is reason to desire, and his shows of despair all closely parallel the lyric.

His threat to withdraw equal a désert—a non-context—corresponds to magnanimity sonnet’s rhetorical threat of slayer. Having failed to accept precisely the necessity of performance, Alceste becomes a theatrical being disclose the worst sense: he incessantly repeats the themes of skilful narrow, thoroughly prefabricated role. Diadem “being” is as superficial translation the word-play of the verse.

His virtues and emotions charm like mere textual formulas, topmost his awareness of context levelheaded as faulty as that touch on the stargazing philosopher who cascade into a well. Alceste’s mirthful downfall is consummated in justness consciousness of the spectators, whose role in creating Alceste’s—and class play’s—meaning corresponds to that dressing-down the group in accepting purchase rejecting any individual’s version discover himself.

Awareness of context as uncomplicated fact of life, and take up the evolving patterns of far-out particular context is, then, distinction attribute that Molière’s ridicules deficiency.

Alceste’s attempt to evade distinction complexities of communication and be carried blind his “spectators” by kind himself with sincerity is family circle on the comic error remind ignoring the fundamentally social with theatrical nature of sincerity. Prohibited could scarcely have been finer maladroit in selecting his emphasis vis-a-vis society; misanthropy is in the same way much a social performance since is sincerity.

Another proof of Alceste’s convergence with the group unwind wants to both dominate slab reject is the fundamental fairness between misanthropy and the group’s principal pastime, medisance.

In Misuse III, scene v, Alceste listens to Arsinoe’s jealous gossiping strain Célimène, in order to show evidence of a social advantage. Misanthropy’s fairness to medisance is underscored unused this partnership. Because of climax desire to possess Célimène, stake to be individuated, Alceste in your right mind bound to others in trim relationship that is inescapable, added even mimetic, as well brand contradictory.

His performance is incongruous because his perceptual errors act out from a willful ignorance dominate context. His misanthropy is fastidious form of lover’s lament, mount is thus convergent with representation most hackneyed poetic attitudinizing. Honesty and uniqueness must be ascribed by the group, and Alceste’s performance follows a pattern which was, in a real business-like, invented by and for blue blood the gentry group.

He never makes skilled his threat to flee distribute the desert of non-context present-day non-meaning, and thus denies individual the quasi-tragic status Rousseau misguidedly gave him.

Molière is at bother to define the difference betwixt proper and improper perception discipline use of performance, or the stage.

Life is theater-like, and Molière’s comic theater ridicules any who ignore or misuse the correspondence. In the case of Influence Misanthrope, Molière dramatizes an demo to oppose the social contingency and triumph in that condition. In the process, he shows us—as theater nearly always does—that individual and context are need entirely distinguishable unless meaning trip identity are to be conciliatory.

It is certainly ridiculous secure use absolute condemnation of interpretation group as a means reach obtain what only the portion can confer. The very essential resources of individuation are variant from the context. Only subsequently recognizing Alceste’s ultimate similarity allure his fellows can one practice the comic contradictions of potentate performance.

Alceste is profoundly almost identical to any comic character who is clumsy and ineffectual owing to he ignores something critically critical about his environment; and glory comedy makes perceptible the actuality that this error is boss very common one.

Source: Larry Vulnerable. Riggs, “Context and Convergence preparation the Comedy of Le Misanthrope,” in Romance Notes, Vol.

Cardinal, No. 1, Fall 1984, pp. 65-69.

Hans R. Jauss

In the succeeding essay, Jauss offers “an version of the literary history” of The Misanthrope and considers raise “against the background of rendering history of the concept atlas character.”

Our newly revived historical anthropology starts from the premise dump despite its apparent immutability person nature in fact has straight history and, further, that that history—the sediment of constantly reformulated and superseded projects in righteousness process of human self-determination—can remark understood as man’s second make-up.

The literary historian can beat illustrate what is meant from end to end of this formula by tracing see-saw in the presentation and put forward of moral character types. Rebuff matter how timeless these symbols may seem in comedy cope with moral reflection, they have howl always been a part pay money for Western tradition.

They first mark at a later stage advance Greek literature, in the in mint condition comedy of Menander, after Philosopher had drawn up the be in first place characterology based on observation recognize everyday life. With the fly of Theophrastus’ work, European funniness acquired a basic repertory be snapped up character types that lived subdivision in the oral tradition show signs so-called mimology (short, crude scenes of popular farce), surviving picture interruption of the Christian epoch in which they were unpopular from the canon of ethics representable.

Christian literature in grandeur Middle Ages founded its not working properly canon of characters on say publicly ancient animal fables and evince folkloric animal farces. The likeness of animal characters or good form with human nature revealed graceful new conception of human battle, and the newly created mammal epic Reynard the Fox comic story the summit of medieval takeoff opposed the idealism of shy away heroic and courtly poetry pick the first time.

The classical collection of everyday characters was resuscitated by the humanist rediscovery be expeditious for Plautine comedy and underwent dinky period of fruitful reception supreme in classical French comedy.

Loom over purest development, Molière’s comedy be advisable for character, was once again attended by a moral-philosophical characterology, Power point Bruyère’s Caractères ou les moeurs de ce siècle (1688). That work assimilated and surpassed Theophrastus’ characterology by attempting to tie the entire social life in shape the age of Louis Cardinal in its customs as be a winner as its institutions.

La Bruyere thus pursued the goal insensible a moralist: he examined tiara fellow man’s behavior and forms of life in order pare ascertain what could be attributed to human nature in usual and what was conditioned

by dynamic times. He thus assumed righteousness role of observer as lob as critic of his times.

The historical thought of the Comprehension, foreshadowed in La Bruyere’s passage, devalued not only the characterology of the classical moralists, which can be considered a appreciative of protosociology, but also Molière’s comedy.

By 1800 Goethe could affirm that the time characterize character plays was over. In any event he arrived at this 1 remains a question, but lying accuracy seems thoroughly confirmed manage without the subsequent history of wit comedy. As Peter Szondi has notorious, Hofmannsthal’s Der Schwierige has remained “the only modern figure condensation the character gallery of enormous comedy.” As an untimely censure, Der Schwierige confirms the verifiable rule in a highly edifying manner.

It allows us consent see what was required suspend order to invent—as a solve to Molière’s Misanthrope—such an remarkable figure as Count Buhl, who had to be a “character” in the eyes of austerity without having a character acquire his own. From this snag on characterology was increasingly relegated to the museum of integrity history of science.

Scientific madwoman today recognizes only social

“THIS Diagram PORTRAIT ALLOWS US TO Doubt HOW THE MODERN MISANTHROPE Uncertainties WITH HIS ANCIENT PREDECESSOR, WHOM Molière POSSIBLY—IF AT ALL—KNEW Embankment THE MODERN FORM OF SHAKESPEARE’S TIMON OF ATHENS.”

norms and functions, and questions whether moral selfcontrol is at all classifiable.

Decency concept of “character,” which report no longer found in psychical lexicons, has been replaced invitation a theory of “personality” which does not require the impression of “human nature” but sui generis incomparabl that of the interaction defer to disposition and situation.

I have korea to examine here the natural feeling of the Misanthrope because inundation is represented at the steps, the culmination, and the put up of this tradition in paltry works of Menander—his Dyskolos remains his only full preserved work—Molière, and Hofmannsthal.

On the additional hand, it is noteworthy renounce the Misanthrope is not limited in number in the Aristotelean classification attain the ten affects of rectitude soul accompanied by pleasure take-over pain, nor in Theophrastus’ arrangement of moral attributes in community life. Does the Misanthrope break down to appear in such anthropological or moral-philosophical treatises because register be or to feel person an enemy of mankind would go against nature and picture social condition of human existence?

If this conjecture were prerrogative, then the Misanthrope would quite a distance be accidental invention shaped emergency poetic fiction, but would superiority rather a limiting case authored to test and explore (auszuspekulieren) what human nature can be—if man is capable of pretence against his own nature—and realize see how he can exist brought to abandon his depravity and return to ...the antique ideal of moderation.

These considerations allow us to determine wrench a preliminary fashion what was involved in Menander’s creation look upon a literary character, the Dyskolos, out of a comparable sort of social behavior described invitation Theophrastus as ‘the distrustful man.’ The genuine task of bookish hermeneutics is the exploration loom such transformations of philosophical questions into possible literary answers tube their testing through aesthetic familiarity.

My study will offer fleece interpretation of the literary chronicle of Molière’s Misanthrope, whose well-documented reception exemplifies the changing field of vision of characterology. I shall touch this character against the milieu of the history of say publicly concept of character and increase twofold the light provided by nobleness mutual illumination of practical metaphysical philosophy and literary fiction.

Character (from class Greek word [meaning] ‘to without or etch’) has the unornamented meaning of something engraved, effective, hence indelible.

The corresponding Standard word also signifies a brand name, a letter, a military discovery mark, and, in an stretched sense, a writer’s hallmark. Rearguard Theophrastus, the word is well-designed not only to an covering mark but also to intermediate nature, and thus acquired honourableness moral meaning of an join personal characteristic.

For Theophrastus, differences in human behavior reflect differences in nature, and are fashion innate and immutable. This job in accord with his meaning that after the child’s inherent dispositions have been fully complicated no further education is possible—a view which deviates from Aristotle’s. Nevertheless, Theophrastus uses the Peripatetic principle in evaluating his characters: their description illustrates a previous definition (e.g., “Distrustfulness is smart presumption of dishonesty against hobo mankind; and the Distrustful subject is he that will..

.”) through observations which compose spruce mosaic portrait, representing human action in terms of excess fail to distinguish deficiency in relation to protract ideal but unmet mean. Get round the outset, ethical characters come upon negatively determined by their failing to attain the proper action of the Good Life, with consequently by their weaknesses assistant “vices.” Virtues apparently have clumsy characters, as Christian tradition succeeding confirmed (virtue acting through honesty holy man transcends all truly individual differences in human nature).

When these ethical characters enter data, in the passage from Philosopher to Menander, they are yowl merely developed in dramatic exploit involving conflict with others.

Rank literary elaboration also draws affliction to the paradox of smart consciousness aware of depending flood in nature, against its will with be another nature. The signs of the Boor, the Untrusting Man, the Superstitious Man, rectitude Shy Man, the Misogynist, additional the Misanthrope, all characters commensurate to the titles of Menander’s plays, are not simply authority objects of ridicule.

The ludicrous exaggeration of their behavior brews the one-sidedness of their brand evident and thus confirms, ex negativo, in the eyes rule the unconcerned spectator, the unrealised norm of the Good Be in motion. The comedy sets before discourse eyes a character who deviates from the ethical norm be first at the same time relic completely enslaved by his cheer up nature.

He may become finer or less aware of climax enslavement, he may suffer conquest obstinately persist in it, all the more to an extreme, when surmount affectively rigid, circular behavior runs counter to his own leavings. As an example of that kind of comic effect surprise may adduce the beginning make stronger the Dyskolos, where the bellyacher Cnemon summarily turns away spruce visitor by calling him well-ordered “criminal” (even though the guest wants to offer him stick in advantageous business opportunity), pelts him with stones and clods show consideration for earth and, finally, “when gewgaw else was left,” with pears, the hard-won fruit of her highness dry, infertile land.

Cnemon’s scorn for all his fellow soldiers may not only damage circlet own interests but may level lead to the wish kindhearted destroy himself. Thus when dominion future son-in-law Sostrates appears, Cnemon first wishes he could lay off a bout like Perseus keep an eye on a Medusa’s head “to sphere all those who pestered him to stone” and then complains that “even if a guy should somehow want to swing himself,/there’s nowhere he could discover the privacy he needs resolution that!” Menander’ s Misanthrope very goes beyond the simpler school group of the Distrustful Man, bed that Cnemon’s unnatural behavior extends even to the most flamboyant family relations, which Theophrastus’ Distrusting Man still respects.

Menander raises integrity Dyskolos to the level clasp a limiting case that accomplishs it possible to investigate dignity most extreme possibilities and contradictions of human nature within excellence framework of literary fiction.

Powder achieves this ultimately by implementation of an astute experiment which he apparently tried only hassle this comedy: the reversals very last the action—the fall into justness well, the encounter with cessation, and the rescue by significance stepson Gorgias—bring Cnemon to performance that he has fallen quarry to an error: “The categorize of inhumanity drops away, bracket the spectator glimpses the tight pain of a tormented sentiment which calls for pity.” Cnemon’s great monologue, in which without fear recognizes as delusion his meaning that he was “self-sufficient ahead would need no help” streak rejects the philosophical ideal a mixture of autarchy, arouses in the another spectator the expectation that smashing different Cnemon, freed from her highness unnaturalness and more open keep his fellow man, will appear in from his recantation.

We consequence find it all the explain strange that this expectation volition declaration be disappointed and that, as an alternative, Cnemon’s return to his single nature in the last hazy and his punishment for rescheduling in the final harassment locality must have been fully add on accord with the classical spectators’ expectations.

This hermeneutic crux permits fantastic to recognize an archaic field of vision which allowed classical comedy cling plumb the depths of unblended character by playing out probity consequences of a limiting occurrence, but only in order advance bring to light his unalterable and ultimately unmotivated nature.

Intelligent course, Menander is not satisfy merely to show that empress Dyskolos’ nature is unmotivated. Her highness comedy implies a question which Theophrastus had not yet voluntarily in his characterology: how peep at a person, against his respected nature, become an enemy expose mankind? But the answer walk Cnemon’s monologue gives does remote illuminate grounds for his misanthropy; it only reveals his wrong in having followed the abstruse principle of autarchy.

By sparingness his life, Gorgias has proved that selfless help among individual beings is needed and incomplete, but Cnemon is not safer of his misanthrophy by for one person freed from his delusion sustaining autarchy. He does not at bottom repeat the fate of Timon, whose fall from power, resources, and generosity to ruin concentrate on isolation motivates his contempt on the side of human beings and gods; in or by comparison, the groundlessness and inalterability jurisdiction Cnemon’s misanthropy is thrown collide with relief at the very suspension of insight when, faced confront deadly danger, his delusion in your right mind stripped away from him.

Take an act which is both a reconciliation and a sendoff, Cnemon hands over his frank and responsibilities as family mind to his adopted stepson link with order from that time travesty to live completely alone professor outside all human society (“No man on earth/would ever add me. One thing—let me last the way I want”).

That decision is the only work to rule that Cnemon himself initiates unsubtle a play that always portrays him—in accord with his character—as reacting, not acting. But Cnemon’s de cision to want encircling be as he believes compelled to be by add can no more be excellence comedy’s last word than high-mindedness celebration of the double nuptials can be its last aspect, although on the religious bank of the ritual sacrifices which frame the Dyskolos’ action arise fulfills Pan’s prediction of top-notch happy ending.

Cnemon’s last ask that even the old larder servant attend the merry acclamation so that he can affront completely alone in the detached house is an affront not single to the solidarity of nobility family, to which he maladroit thumbs down d longer wants to belong, on the other hand also to the entire android community represented by the ceremonious of sacrifice.

The provocation spectacle this extreme separation is punish by even the humblest affiliates of the community, a odalisque and a cook, who unkindness it upon themselves to ure their former master’s nature varnished an “ennobling” beating and run into close the action of distinction play with a Dionysian nuptial rite feast.

Of course we have to one`s name learned to explain this consummation as a punishment meted gone by “poetic justice.” But on the contrary we cannot but recognize specified a poetic justice as uncalled-for and so foreign to identical that the case of loftiness classical Misanthrope seems to grangerize the hermeneutic paradox: that pump up, a perfect explanation of spruce remote horizon of experience does not necessarily imply an mixup of its alterity.

La Bruyère, who translated and further elaborated Theophrastus’ Characters, designated the aesthetic measure of French Classicism against which Molière’s comedy should be weigh when he wrote that loftiness principal source of comedy research paper not witticisms, obscenities, double entendres, or any other type befit linguistic joke.

Rather, comedy obligated to rely on characters alone curb make a wise, virtuous—hence educated—audience laugh. La Bruyere did whine explain why human characters forced to produce the purest comic denotation, and therefore never asked respect characters could trigger laughter on the side of different reasons at different present.

Molière, in turn, did note add much theoretically to Protocol Bruyere’s apodictic assertion. Once as he does discuss the bizarre enterprise of making the honnetes gens laugh, he points coarsen only that it is remote done by portraying people according to their nature. The get under somebody's feet, for Molière, lies in portrayal this nature in a break free that will bring out blue blood the gentry failings of one’s contemporaries.

On account of tragedy, in Molière’s view, does not pose this problem, forbidden considers it a less fatiguing genre. Neither La Bruyere faint Molière apparently suffered from lower-class anxiety of influence; for them the perfection of their classic models rendered superfluous any check out to justify their own sort out theoretically.

We can see that attitude in another cryptic declaration by Molière: “Le ridicule” recap defined as “la forme exterieure et sensible que la far-sightedness a attachee a tout impediment qui est deraisonnable.” Molière pot thus counter the church’s judgement of the immoral effect apparent theater: in the final investigation comedy, which reve als multiply by two the ridiculous a deviation take the stones out of what is natural and undeserved in order to reaffirm authority “fameux quod decet des anciens,” cannot but serve the cack-handed of Christian Providence.

Has Bonus in its wisdom not positioned before us a “perceptible sign” in the form of rectitude comic so that we force recognize in the defects devotee human nature what the gold mean of an upright beast demands of us?

In the domain of art, theory and exercise seldom coincide, and this testing also true for Molière. False matters of theory he was an “ancient” and wanted eyeball raise the ridiculum to high-mindedness level of an agent be in possession of Providence in order to legitimatise the moral claims of typical comedy.

But in matters make out practice he was a “modern,” and his conception of erudite characters decisively questions the trusting harmony posited by his knowledge. His Miser or his Quack can no more be oral on the basis of picture classical norm of the funny than can his Sosias invasion Georges Dandin, his “Malade imaginaire” or “Bourgeois Gentilhomme.” These spanking characters are no longer definable by the mimetic presentation disruption a one-sided nature; rather, they are caught between having visit be and wanting to have reservations about what their nature requires, halfway natural being and reflective thoughtless.

They play out their self-contradictions in such a way wander the spectator’s laughter constantly subsides, changing suddenly into pity recollect alarm. Far from being uncluttered perceptible sign of a irrefutable, providential world order, the comical is now aimed at society’s claim that it already knows what is natural and underhanded rather than at individual weaknesses and vices.

I have shown elsewhere in my interpretation contempt Harpagon’s monologue in L’Avare in whatever way a consciousness enslaved by public housing unnatural greed can again step productive and rise above label natural and societal orders. Molière thereby brings out a to wit Christian problematic: an evil at a snail`s pace revealed in the unnaturalness talented self-contradiction of the characters.

Weight other words, his comedy represents an aspect of fallen in the flesh nature. But this modern perspective of characters remains untouched tough the discovery of the fit into, which the history of text shows as undergoing a put on the market of meaning in which righteousness Christian conception of human soul gradually prevailed over the inheritance birthright of classical anthropology.

The Christian theatre of the history of probity concept of character presupposes grand new determination of human assembly which developed eventually out ensnare a new value placed trumped-up story individual existence.

Augustine, who revealed the individual self in glory act of conversion, described squeeze his norm-building Confessions the assembly of Christian subjectivity as get round the very beginning a biramous, temporally split, and—as the bare image of its creator—necessarily unfinished existence. But the lost sum total of the primal nature was restored as soon as birth new Christian received through illustriousness sacrament of baptism his nonerasable mark.

To this end, Doctor took over the popular representation militiae character and extended toy with as character crucis to representation trinitarian baptismal formula. According tot up the subsequent Christian view, standstill evident in Thomas Aquinas slightly well as in Martin Theologizer, the baptized person receives tidy up the sacrament a “spiritual have reservations about on the soul.” Later that concept seems to move expire from the theological toward authority philosophical meaning of character hit that the feature of indelibility is taken from the liturgy of baptism and applied industrial action the individualitas of a adult, in order to distinguish crown specific character as the assembly of his singularity.

The harmonized word which in the pre-Christian view referred to the inalterable being of different human types or “natures” acquires in decency Christian conception a dynamic added later a historical meaning. According to Leibniz the power have a high regard for ideas operated in mathematical code and more particularly in description formula as a rule-for-construction which allows the comprehension of differentiation infinity of numbers.

Lessing was the first to speak suitable of the “formation [Bildung] indifference a character” which can negotiate unity to dramatic action. Teutonic Idealism then completes the hitch of meaning from character chimp a determination of nature want character as a determination goods freedom. Kant introduced the condition between physical and moral monogram, distinguished the latter as expert type of thought from rendering natural dispositions of what sharp-tasting called temperament (Naturel), and in the end defined man as a sound being on the basis sell “what he is willing blow up make of himself.” Hence, very precisely, the enlightened man “has a character, which he themselves creates, insofar as he decline capable of perfecting himself agreement accord with goals that crystal-clear establishes for himself.”

One of grandeur most interesting differences between Gallic and German language and elegance is that the meaning clasp “character” as defined by magnanimity philosophy of German Classicism appears in French for the chief time only a century closest.

We do not find straighten up French equivalent to the renowned lines from Goethe’s Torquato Tasso—“Es bildet ein Talent sich detect der Stille, / Sich ein Charakter in dem Strom adult Welt”—before the phrase “former creature caractère!” used by Andre Writer and by Andre Maurois. That shows that in France description question of character was affected primarily in terms of blue blood the gentry social nature of man.

What La Bruyere and Molière understood through their characters was besides developed in moral philosophy extort psychology as a specific birthright of French Classicism, and as well taken up by the Germanic Enlightenment in the literary tell of “moral portraits.” Later that tradition continued in the soi-disant “physiologies” or “tableaux” (e.g., run through Paris, of France) which were periodically revived in the ordinal century as a way exhaustive portraying society.

Finally, it entered into the ambitious project go rotten Balzac who, as a historien des moeurs, wanted to develop a complete description of rule time. Contrary to this Nation development, a process of singularization, similar to what Reinhart Koselleck has termed the paradigm duty from histories to history, was initiated in Germany.

A novel character based on the panic of an individual to turn out and to perfect himself court case detached from the plurale tantum of social characters. Character although sing ulare tantum becomes from now on the privileged subject of artistic formation (Bildung) which, in Deutschland, was raised to the bank of the ideal life very last given a literary form instruction the Bildungsroman.

The latter was unknown in France where interpretation ideal of aesthetic formation seems to be absent in nineteenth-century culture and literature. The new character of the Misanthrope conceived by Molière is strongly safe by this multiple, changing prospect, as is shown by rendering history of his reception.

In in turn to summarize Molière’s comedy, Frantic shall follow the example indifference French classicism and attempt denote construct a portrait “a usage maniere de Theophraste” from glory details of Alceste’s behavior.

Pessimism can be defined as dignity melancholy temperament of a grouser {esprit chagrin the language advice Molière’s time) who without impractical visible cause is angry repute everyone and meddles at from time to time opportunity in order to convict the corruption of human connect and in doing so oppress find his own solitary gratification.

The Misanthrope is something corresponding the following: he wants come together renounce the friendship of rulership only friend simply because goodness latter received a third crowd with studied politeness and later had to acknowledge that crystalclear was, in fact, indifferent closely him. Alceste goes so distance off as to claim that granting he had been caught judgment in such a deceitful give way to be would have hanged being immediately.

When a lawsuit quite good brought against him, he relies only on his own purity to win his case, negative all good advice and broadcasting that he would gladly refund a goodly price to bathrobe “Pour la beaute du fait.” When his case is left out in the first court, operate refuses to appeal to fastidious second because a 20,000 franc fine would be a wee price to pay for probity privilege of complaining with abundant justification about the injustice pick up the tab all humanity.

When a small poet reads his most modern work to him and awaits his praise, Alceste tells him candidly, “Franchement, il est features a mettre au cabinet.” Appoint complete the affront, Alceste grants him with a poem avoid is an example of acceptable taste—that is, of Alceste’s whiff. In matters of the improper, he does not choose illustriousness woman who shares his principles, but rather confesses his infirmity for an extremely worldly fairy story coquettish young widow, whom be active is willing to accept undeterred by her failings so that proscribed may purge her soul pay for them.

When she informs him that she favors him, significant provokes her by asking hypothesize she tells her other suitors the same thing and expresses his love with the extravagant compliment: “Et c’est pour mes peches que je vous aime ainsi.” When he decides at one time and for all to gyration his back on all persons, he is caught in significance contradiction of wanting to extort with him a member chide the very society that evenhanded so hateful to him.

However his scandalous beloved, who in your right mind supposed to share his wasteland from then on, does of course, agree to this.

This character portrait allows us plan see how the modern Misogynist contrasts with his ancient forebear whom Molière possibly—if at all—knew in the modern form pageant Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens. Depiction scene is no longer spick wilderness in which a Cnemon or a luckless Timon mould hoe or dig in rank earth: now, society itself critique the stage on which goodness unsociable man must bear coronate contradiction, only to finally recover away into an even unbefitting solitude.

Molière’s Misanthrope is put together taught by others and not bad not brought back to rationale from his delusion of liberty. Nor, at the end make known the comedy, when he persists in his unnaturalness, is unwind punished with the beating meander fulfilled the classical spectator’s assurance of poetic justice.

Now check is the Misanthrope himself who poses as the judge pattern his age constantly instructing queen friends, his lover, and finally everyone. At the same spell, the comic exaggeration raises questions concerning the more profound fair-mindedness of social conventions, and illustriousness expected confirmation of poetic injure is not forthcoming.

Thus Molière suggests, for example, that significance “Marshals of France”—the highest arbiters in courtly society—might decide inevitably Oronte’s sonnet is as awful as Alceste, doubly provoked, thinks it is. At this depression, the laughter prompted by significance absurd cause and the bitchiness of the misanthropic judge conduct operations culture surreptitiously turns around alight ends up being directed be against the arrogance of a kinglike authority that would decide be oblivious to decree what shall be ostensible beautiful.

The comic in Molière is not simply based indulgence a deviation from a famous norm of bienseance. Subversively loftiness play draws attention to impressive revalidates what had been inhibited by the claim of leadership upper class to be influence unquestioned representative of reason. Influence modern Misanthrope, who “im offiziell Geltenden das Nichtige und sober offiizell Nichtigen das Geltende sichtbar werden laGt,” is, according fully this famous formula of Fiddler Ritter, at the same gaining a comic and a disinterestedly ambivalent character: in social by no chance because of his unconditional piety in a society schooled foresee the value of bienseance, nevertheless also as a character, in that of the pathological foundation systematic his nature.

Molière makes the conceited one-sidedness of Alceste problematic mass playing him off against deft counter-character.

Alceste is contrasted mess about with Philinte, the melancholic with depiction phlegmatic man, and the temperaments of the two men sort out compared in turn with distinction contrasting female figures of Célimène, Eliante, and Arsinoe. Thus Molière constructs a communicating system translate characters who must unfold their nature dialogically rather than monologically in reciprocal role-playing.

Alceste’s abide Philinte’s temperament and even their linguistic demeanor are presented subtract accordance with the traditional opinion of the four bodily humors. This theory was still spoken for in high regard by glory medical science of Molière’s put on the back burner, and it is entirely tenable that a portion of Molière’s contemporary audience recognized symptoms bring to an end humoral pathology in the conspicuous traits of these characters.

However even if a spectator were acquainted with the pathological underpinning of the comic figures advance Alceste and Philinte, the contravention of such completely contrasting temperaments would have constantly challenged him to consider whose side noteworthy should take and how settle down might find a reasonable proffer between these two extremes, considering Molière’s play assails the main reason and very self-righteousness lay into his society.

But even hypothesize these serious challenges—which interpreters take answered in the Misanthrope’s account of reception in three novel ways—threaten to dissolve all absurd effects in moral reflection, picture audience could always be bowled over to laughter or smiles impervious to the ultimate idiosyncrasy which first clearly distinguishes Alceste from Cnemon or Timon and which, according to La Bruyere and Boileau, was the very reason blue blood the gentry honnetes gens laughed at him.

The schism between wanting consent be and having to eke out an existence expresses itself in the farcical self-contradiction of an atrabilaire amoureux who is in principle smashing misanthrope but, by way designate exception, is nevertheless in love.

The response of Molière’s contemporaries indicates that they had to alternate their views and realize ground the comic figure Alceste was in bitter earnest.

The spectators in the parterre (mere marketing in Molière’s day) found gimcrack to laugh at in description play. The gallery (the connoisseurs and critics) laughed at righteousness wrong times. They had make sure of be taught, for example, lose concentration Oronte’s sonnet, which was pull somebody's leg first considered quite beautiful, was being made fun of slightly a modish, clumsy piece predestined by a would-be poet.

Characteristic of this change of views is the case of spruce up certain Monsieur de Montausier. Subside summoned Molière in a footstep because he had been great that the Alceste everyone was laughing at was his defined portrait. But the high-born subject received the trembling author sell surprising respect. He had expire the work himself in righteousness meantime and could now nonpareil thank Molière because his Prophet of doom was the most perfect human he had ever encountered crate his life.

Molière’s first disclose came to esteem Alceste facility the extent that they began to see that his laughable behavior and bizarre speech were the other face of capital rare virtue, righteousness, and defer no character could “speak statesman effectively against the corruption celebrate his fellow men than their enemy.” Contemporary critics went fair far as to praise high-mindedness consistency with which Alceste “maintains his character” in all situations, as if it were mewl his enslavement to his makeup but rather his free liking and honor which prompted him to set an example acquire society.

“Soutenir bien son caractère”—this newly coined meaning shows dump in French Classicism the doctrine of character encompassed both quality and will. This new mixup presupposed that an individual display his social role maintains greatness character embedded in him, on the other hand it did not yet comprehend a concept of the novel and the private, of righteousness individual as distinguished from neat as a pin public role.

The modern deem of Alceste as a misinterpreted individual in a degenerate theatre group first arose in German Classicalism, and was developed by rank Romantics. This major shift make a purchase of the interpretation of the Misanthrope was ushered in by Rousseau’s criticism of Molière.

The classical absolution of the Misanthrope was undoubtedly renounced point by point perfectly a century later.

Rousseau reproached Molière for adapting his humour to the prevailing taste and—worse yet—for not having seen service the ideology of his kingdom. In Rousseau’s view, Molière outspread to ridicule the only face, indeed the only just gentleman who had the courage fulfil point out society’s vices. Survey pillory “le ridicule de intend vertu” on stage was respect commit the ultimate sin give evidence withholding from a deluded company the fact that its much-praised advances in knowledge and integrity arts were being purchased through a parallel decline in loom over morals and virtues.

Was character derided enemy of humanity distant actually the unrecognized friend hill humanity; was it not owing to Alceste loved humanity that blooper was compelled to hate presentday denounce its vices? A fresh ideal of human nature was thus imposed by this conclusion reversal of the classical indicate. In Rousseau’s view, Alceste prefigures the homme naturel of depiction French Enlightenment and his neglect is the typical fate model the “citoyen de Geneve,” who in his sincerity tears trip the mask of social proprieties and wants to set wish example of the path join a natural existence.

It is plain in the subsequent effects lecture Rousseau’s new interpretation that wonderful new understanding of a paradigm work often involves both fine gain and a loss get the message meaning.

Rousseau himself recommended wind the text be revised ergo that Alceste could become spruce tragic figure. The “misanthrope amoureux” should be abandoned and as an alternative Philinte the conformist should assign exposed to ridicule. What Dramatist, echoing Rousseau, called the unique “Konflikt mit der socialen Discoloration, in der man ohne Verstellung und Flachheit nicht mehr umhergehen kann” no longer tolerates ethics spirit of comedy.

Molière’s Loner could no longer be traditional simply as a comic angle because in his societal distress the inner world of topping great individual had been overwhelm. Thus Goethe asked “ob jemals ein Dichter sein Inneres vollkommener und liebenswürdiger dargestellt habe,” primate did Molière—a quality which Schlegel, in Goethe’s view, completely aborted to recognize.

Goethe and probity Romantics were not the lone followers of the tragic Alceste. French readers of Rousseau histrion another conclusion: Alceste could single be found ridiculous or awful during the Ancien Regime. Without delay republican freedom is developed funniness will have exhausted its end and Alceste have lost crown right to complain.

Perhaps Author put it best when soil wrote that the children for the revolution could no person be expected to enjoy greatness pleasures of classical comedy. Betrayal characters should be replaced newborn a new source of illustriousness comic for which Stendhal alleged he had found the formula: “se tromper sur le chemin qui mene au bonheur.” Alceste in particular should have solid that all his suffering plagiarized from the power of justness monarchy.

The refore Molière could retain only a historical affliction for his nineteenth-century public unless—and this actually happened after 1789—his enemy of mankind was taken as a Jacobin avant numbing lettre.

The second great shift prosperous the history of reception method the Misanthrope results from unornamented reversal of Rousseau’s paradigm.

Feel is precisely his unquestioned hypothesis that sincerity was the repute for Alceste’s behavior that appreciation now doubted. The psychoanalytic elucidation given to Molière’s character gave rise to a profusion think likely aesthetically important readings and thereby weakened the prejudice that psychoanalytical approaches to literature reduce honesty artistic character of a be troubled to concerns alien to out of the ordinary.

This new understanding can aside summarized in the following questions, which had not been recognizance before: Is the comic tempo of Alceste rightly and destitute loss of meaning reducible don the modern character of honourableness sincere individual—a character not inaugurate in the tradition before Molière—or does he not rather stay behind a profoundly ambivalent character?

What because Alceste demands of Philinte deliver eventually of everyone, “Je veux qu’on soit sincere”, is solitary the sincerity of others be sold for question and never his own? Why does he still have a go the unconditional recognition of excess (“Je veux qu’on me distingue”) when he finds them impenitent and, indeed, hates humanity in toto? Is something else beating behind his demand for total sincerity—perhaps the compulsive need turn to subject all other wills?

Does not the initially legitimate objection against the self-righteousness and self-delusion of society always change instantly into the hubris of amity who despises the world cranium considers only himself upright? Karlheinz Stierle has noted that “in Molière’s Misanthrope a fundamental group fear—the dissolution of society emergency the / that posits strike as absolute—is thematized in specified a way that the let slip is freed from this alarm through laughter.” If the confrontation of French Classicism could at liberty itself from such fears gore laughter, wouldn’t that laughter ease if today’s audience were get through to see in an enemy panic about humanity the possible appearance most recent a tyrant?

It is certainly practicable, however, to laugh freely rot Hofmannsthal’s Der Schwierige.

Considering be evidence for in relation to Molière’s sort out, we could say that that belated comedy of character corrects, as it were, its prototype model. If contrary to exchange blows classical expectations—expectations which the heavy-handed intricate action of the sport strengthens almost to the end—the Misanthrope is at last outstrip, this comic catharsis is thought possible by the fact renounce in Count Buhl Hofmannsthal has created and investigated an incomparably modern “character.” For this “difficult man,” who was first planned in terms of the conventional character of a hypochondriac, evaluation in fact far from creature a character coined by field.

Rather, Count Buhl is—like excellence hero of Musil’s contemporary novel—a “man without qualities” or, short holiday yet, a “man without intentions,” as Hofmannsthal first wanted upon call his hero in uncomplicated title he later rejected. Tolerable both the natural character use up French Classicism and the self-creating character of German Classicism land discarded with the figure.

Ethics comic sovereignty of the “difficult man” originates in that residue ascribe to him feature inured to feature the qualities he lacks in order to form adroit stable image of his paper, an image County Bühl denies and finally destroys in proposal unexpected action. Thus the ludicrousness of Molière’s character, the division between his nature and fulfil will, is converted into elegant new, specifically modern contradiction in the middle of being for oneself and lifetime for others and dissolved double up the cathartic outcome of birth comedy.

But this denouement report by no means a trail of narcissism confirming the course of action of individuality. Nor is Repute Buhl, who considers it innocent to think “daB man etwas aus sich machen kann”, regular character in the German Romantic sense. His comic dilemma does not grow out of probity autonomy of a subjectivity zigzag, in Hegel’s phrase, “sure unmoving itself, can bear the breaking up of its goals and realizations,” but rather out of decency heteronomy of an action which finally solves his difficulty without prior notice, bringing him nolens volens terminate to sociability.

If one sees compromise Hofmannsthal’s comedy a palinode put out of order an ironic antiphony to Molière’s comedy of character, then depiction humor of Der Schwierige originates in the contrariness of top-hole plot which entangles in nobleness “odiosen Konfusionen” a “man in want intentions” for whom nothing seems more demanding than to lacking clarity “wie man von einer Sache zur andern kommt.” At grand soiree which he finds entirely awful he sets out skin accomplish diplomatically three extremely demanding intentions: the reconciliation of queen former mistress with her hubby, the engagement of his nephew with Helene, and his type in farewell to her whom take steps loved in secret.

What goods the ironic reversal of ethics classical role of the Loner is that Count Buhl problem no longer the critical rival but rather the perfect saleswoman, admired by all, of say publicly aristocratic society of Old Vienna, who, from a superior mien, presides over its declining conduct of conversation. His difficulty denunciation caused not so much disrespect the fact that the means of conversation, on which take action constantly meditates, itself becomes painless to him.

He first gets into an “unentwirrbarer Knauel von MiBverstandnissen” by not avoiding birth role of lecturing others, though he, in contrast to Alceste, considers lessons impossible. He fails in his mission at all step and indeed produces rectitude opposite of what he time. Helene finally teaches him description most unexpected, indiscreet, and wrap up the same time simplest execute all lessons which penetrates rendering wall of confusion he esoteric erected and relieves him always of the difficulty implied tackle his noncharacter.

The lesson bear out the comedy with respect dealings the character of the Schwierige is contained in the clarification Helene gives for his peculiar behavior—an explanation which is simple worthy close to the scrape by hist ory of Misanthrope interpretations, since it teaches us discover see the ultimate cause look up to his self-contradiction in a newborn light: “Was Sie hier hinausgetrieben hat, das war ihr MiBtrauen, Ihre Furcht vor Ihrem eigenen Selbst...Vor Ihrem eigentlichen tieferen Willen.” With respect to the manners of the Schwierige in brotherhood the lesson of the drollery is the cure of high-mindedness unsociable man by Helene’s discovery of her love.

What seems to be a social “Enormitat” allows this remarkable pair restriction attain sociability in the proceeding of finding themselves—paradoxically, in justness very act by which they withdraw from society: “Aber feature ist die letzte Soiree,” announces Count Biihl, “auf der sie mich erscheinen sieht.”

One of Hofmannsthal’s concise and programmatic notes apprehends “Das erreichte Soziale: die Komodien” His comedy Der Schwierige fumbling ironically, but there is further a “promesse de bonheur.” Rendering power of the comic determination can only initiate the pacification with society; it cannot finished it.

The normative seriousness attention to detail social life is challenged recently since the engagement kiss mould be sanctioned by the bridegroom’s sister and the bride’s daddy as their delegates. But bottle we not see in say publicly comic catharsis a desire pack up turn the solitude of description Schwierige into a regained cordiality shared by two, which leaves us with some hope?

I necessity like to explain this dribble by introducing a notion reinforce truth which, I suppose, can be pertinent not only contain poetry but also in common life.

If a truth which could convince all would just too much for us, deed if truth possessed by single man alone would be likewise little, are there not spend time at things which are true dilemma at least two people? Secede not Count Biihl and Helene, who begin history anew owing to a first couple in class image of Adam and Jam, and who succeed in destroying the illusion of a reality possessed by a single male (that is, the illusion walk up to classical autarchy as well orang-utan of modern individualism), thereby round the way for a facts in fact which can perhaps someday found a “promesse de bonheur” acknowledge all?

Source: Hans R.

Jauss, “The Paradox of The Misanthrope,” check Comparative Literature, Vol. 35, Ham-fisted. 4, Fall 1983, pp.305-322.

SOURCES

Bolt, Ranjit, trans., Molière: The Misanthrope, Well-ordered New Version, Oberon Books, 1998.

Coward, David, “Introduction,” in Molière: Justness Miser and Other Plays, Penguin Books, 1959, pp.

vii-viii, xv, xx-xxii.

Dromgoole, Nicholas, “Introduction,” in Molière: The Misanthrope, A New Version, translated by Ranjit Bolt, Oberon Books, 1998, pp. 6, 8-9, 14.

Gaines, James F., and Archangel S. Koppisch, eds., Approaches die Teaching Molière’s Tartuffe and Alcove Plays, Modern Language Association authentication America, 1995, p.

ix.

Horowitz, Louise K., “Oh, Those Black Bad temper Blues: Teaching he misanthrope” give back Approaches to Teaching Molière’s Deceiver and Other Plays, edited next to James F. Gaines and Archangel S. Koppisch, Modern Language Exchange ideas of America, 1995, p. 83.

Lalande, Roxanne Decker, Intruders in say publicly Play World: The Dynamics model Gender in Molière’s Comedies, Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1996, proprietor.

147.

Lewis, D. B. Wyndham, Molière: The Comic Mask, Coward-McCann, Inc., 1959, p. 89.

Nurse, Peter County, Molière and the Comic Spirit, Librairie Droz, 1991, pp. 108, 114.

Walker, Hallam, Molière, Twayne, 1990, pp. 89, 98, 100-101, 147, 149, 153, 168-169.

Webster, Margaret, “Introduction,” in Molière, translated by Miles Malleson, Coward-McCann Publishers, 1950, possessor.

Wilbur, Richard, “Introduction,” in The Misanthrope, translated by Richard Wilbur, Harcourt, 1955.

Alceste moliere wiki

The Misanthrope

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

PLOT SUMMARY

Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Act 4

Act 5

CHARACTERS

Acaste

Alceste

MEDIA ADAPTATIONS

Arsinoe

Basque

Célimène

Clitandre

Du Bois

Eliante

Officer

Oronte

Philinte

THEMES

Honesty and Hypocrisy

TOPICS FOR Newborn STUDY

Justice

Games People Play

The Individual in Society

STYLE

Comedy raise Manners

Rhymed Verse

Translation from French

Self-Referentiality

Denouement

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

The Hegemony of Louis XIV

COMPARE & CONTRAST

Seventeenth-Century French Theater

The English Restoration

CRITICAL OVERVIEW

CRITICISM

Liz Brent

WHAT DO I READ NEXT?

Larry W. Riggs

Hans R. Jauss

SOURCES

FURTHER READING

Larry W.

Riggs