Molière revolutionized French comedy, blending wit and social critique. His plays satirized human folly and societal flaws, using stock characters and clever wordplay to expose hypocrisy and challenge norms.

Molière's impact on theater was profound. He elevated comedy as a respected genre, introduced naturalistic acting, and popularized satire. His influence continues to shape modern comedy and social commentary.

Molière's Comedic Style

Satirical Portrayals and Stock Characters

• Molière's comedies feature satirical portrayals of social types and behaviors using exaggeration and caricature to highlight human folly and hypocrisy
• His plays frequently employ stock characters, such as the miserly old man (Harpagon in "The Miser"), the young lovers (Valère and Mariane in "Tartuffe"), and the clever servant (Toinette in "The Imaginary Invalid"), who drive the plot and humor
• These stock characters serve as recognizable archetypes that audiences can easily identify and relate to, allowing Molière to quickly establish the comedic tone and social commentary of his plays
• The exaggerated traits and behaviors of these characters create a sense of absurdity and humor, while also exposing the flaws and vices of the social groups they represent

Wit, Wordplay, and Physical Comedy

• Molière's comedic style relies heavily on witty dialogue, wordplay, and verbal sparring between characters to create humor and reveal their true natures
• Characters engage in clever repartee, puns, and double entendres, showcasing their intelligence, deception, or foolishness through their use of language (Célimène and Alceste's verbal duels in "The Misanthrope")
• Physical comedy, including slapstick and farcical elements, is often used to heighten the comedic effect and engage the audience
• Exaggerated gestures, pratfalls, and chase scenes add a visual dimension to the humor, making the plays more accessible and entertaining to a broad audience (Monsieur Jourdain's fencing lesson in "The Bourgeois Gentleman")

Classic Structure and Dramatic Irony

• Molière's plays typically follow a classic comedic structure, with a series of complications and misunderstandings leading to a resolution that restores social order and punishes vice
• The plays often begin with a conflict or problem that disrupts the status quo, followed by a series of humorous obstacles and reversals that the characters must navigate (the exposure of Tartuffe's hypocrisy in "Tartuffe")
• The resolution of the play typically involves the triumph of virtue, the punishment of vice, and the restoration of social harmony, often through the intervention of a higher authority or the revelation of hidden truths
• The use of dramatic irony, where the audience knows more than the characters, is a key technique in Molière's comedies, creating humor and suspense
• Audiences derive pleasure from watching characters act on incomplete or incorrect information, leading to misunderstandings and humorous situations (Orgon's blind trust in Tartuffe despite evidence of his hypocrisy)

Molière's Contributions to French Comedy

Elevating Comedy and Popularizing Satire

• Molière is considered one of the greatest French playwrights and a master of comedy, known for his ability to blend humor with social criticism
• His works helped to elevate comedy as a legitimate and respectable genre in French theatre, moving away from the prevailing notion that tragedy was the highest form of dramatic art
• Molière's plays popularized the use of satire as a tool for exposing and critiquing societal flaws, hypocrisy, and human weaknesses
• His comedies demonstrated that humor could be used to address serious social issues and provoke reflection, paving the way for future generations of satirists and social critics

Naturalistic Acting and Lasting Influence

• Molière introduced a more naturalistic style of acting and dialogue in his comedies, moving away from the stylized and declamatory approach prevalent in earlier French theatre
• He encouraged his actors to deliver their lines in a more conversational and expressive manner, emphasizing the importance of timing, inflection, and physical gestures in conveying character and humor
• Molière's influence can be seen in the works of later French playwrights, such as Marivaux (The Game of Love and Chance) and Beaumarchais (The Barber of Seville), who continued to explore social satire and complex character development in their comedies
• His comedic style and techniques have had a lasting impact on European and world theatre, inspiring countless adaptations, translations, and imitations, from the works of Richard Brinsley Sheridan (The School for Scandal) to modern-day sitcoms and sketch comedy

Social Commentary in Molière's Works

Critiquing Religious Hypocrisy and Social Pretensions

• "Tartuffe" (1664) satirizes religious hypocrisy and the manipulation of piety for personal gain, reflecting the tensions between the Catholic Church and the French monarchy during Louis XIV's reign
• The play exposes the dangers of blind faith and the ease with which religious authority can be abused, as exemplified by the character of Tartuffe, who uses his feigned piety to manipulate and deceive others
• "The Bourgeois Gentleman" (1670) mocks the social aspirations and pretensions of the rising middle class, exposing their attempts to imitate aristocratic manners and tastes as ridiculous and futile
• The protagonist, Monsieur Jourdain, goes to great lengths to acquire the trappings of nobility, such as learning to fence and dance, but ultimately fails to gain acceptance into aristocratic circles, highlighting the rigidity of the social hierarchy

Exposing Greed, Superficiality, and Medical Charlatanism

• "The Miser" (1668) lampoons the obsession with wealth and the miserly behavior of the bourgeoisie, highlighting the detrimental effects of greed on family relationships and personal happiness
• The central character, Harpagon, is so consumed by his love of money that he neglects his children and is willing to sacrifice their happiness for financial gain, ultimately leading to his downfall
• "The Misanthrope" (1666) critiques the superficiality and insincerity of French aristocratic society, contrasting the protagonist's brutal honesty with the social niceties and deception of his peers
• Alceste's uncompromising commitment to truth and his disdain for the hypocritical flattery of the salon culture alienate him from society, exposing the tension between individual integrity and social conformity
• "The Imaginary Invalid" (1673) satirizes the medical profession and the gullibility of patients, reflecting the public's growing skepticism towards the effectiveness and ethics of contemporary medical practices
• The protagonist, Argan, is so obsessed with his imagined illnesses that he falls prey to the schemes of unscrupulous doctors and apothecaries, who exploit his fears for financial gain, highlighting the need for a more rational approach to healthcare

Challenging Social Hierarchy and Conventions

• Molière's comedies often challenge the rigid social hierarchy and conventions of 17th-century France, advocating for a more rational and egalitarian approach to human relationships and societal norms
• His plays frequently feature characters from different social classes interacting and challenging the established order, such as the clever servants who outwit their masters (Scapin in "Scapin's Deceits") or the young lovers who defy parental authority to pursue their own happiness (Mariane and Valère in "Tartuffe")
• By exposing the absurdities and injustices of the social system through humor and satire, Molière encourages his audiences to question the status quo and consider alternative ways of organizing society based on merit, reason, and individual freedom