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- Herausgeber: BrightSummaries.com
- Kategorie: Bildung
- Serie: BrightSummaries.com
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017
Unlock the more straightforward side of The Misanthrope with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!
This engaging summary presents an analysis of
The Misanthrope by Molière, a comedy of manners which satirises the hypocrisy and falseness of 17th-century aristocratic society in France. Alceste, the misanthrope of the title, prides himself on his total honesty and frankness, but this puts him at odds with the play’s other characters and the woman he loves, the beautiful but hypocritical Célimène. Although the play features many humorous situations, it also stands out for its more poignant elements and close attention to character development.
The Misanthrope is widely considered to be a masterpiece, and today is one of Molière’s best-known works. Molière, who also wrote
Dom Juan,
Tartuffe and
The Miser, among other works, is viewed as one of France’s greatest authors, and his plays are still performed today.
Find out everything you need to know about
The Misanthrope in a fraction of the time!
This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection
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Molière
French dramatist, actor and theatre troupe leader
Born in Paris in 1622.Died in Paris in 1673.Notable works:Dom Juan (1665), comedyThe Miser (1668), comedyThe Bourgeois Gentleman (1670), comédie-ballet (play featuring interludes with music and dance)Molière (real name Jean-Baptiste Poquelin) was born to a well-off middle-class family in Paris in 1622 and went on to become an author, director, theatre troupe leader and actor. He showed an early inclination for the theatre and founded a troupe called Illustre Théâtre with the actress Madeleine Béjart (1618-1672). After 12 years of travelling theatre in the provinces, he returned to Paris, where he caught the eye of Louis XIV (1638-1715), who took him into his service.
He mainly wrote comedies in which, under the cover of laughter, he exposed the flaws of his contemporaries (affectation, pedantry, greed, etc.) and criticised 17th-century society (authoritarian fathers, hypocritical religious devotees, fraudulent doctors, etc.). His many plays remain influential even today, and make Molière a key author of French classical theatre.
He died in Paris in 1673.
The Misanthrope
A criticism of court life
Genre: comedyReference edition: Molière (1965) The Misanthrope and Tartuffe. Trans. Wilbur, R. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.1st edition: 1666Themes: love, sincerity, customs, pretence, hypocrisy, indecisionThe Misanthrope, or the Cantankerous Lover is one of Molière’s many comedies. This five-act comedy was first performed at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in 1666, but was much less successful when it was first staged than it would later become. Indeed, the play has a dark side which is quite unlike what we might expect from a comedy by Molière. In it, the author depicts the most hypocritical aspects of social customs. In this context, the misanthropic protagonist Alceste fights to defend honesty and frankness.
Summary
Act I
Scene I
In the expository scene, Alceste is offended by the insincerity of his friend Philinte, who acts as though people he does not really like are his friends. This leads to a discussion about hypocrisy, in which Philinte speaks in favour of respecting the customs of the time, while Alceste advocates frankness in all situations. Philinte seizes the opportunity to point out the ridiculous situation Alceste finds himself in, as he swears by frankness alone but loves Célimène, a lady at court who is known for her insincerity.
Scene II
Oronte comes to see Alceste, who he treats very respectfully, in order to present a sonnet that he has written. Alceste refuses to be hypocritical and, unlike Philinte, openly criticises Oronte’s poem. In his opinion, the poem’s excessive digressions and stylistic effects move it away from the pure truth. The two men argue until Philinte intervenes.
