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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] Jean Moliere Biography MOLIERE, Jean Baptiste Poquelin. eminent dramatist, born in Paris, France, Jan. 15, 1622; died Feb. 17, 1673. His family name was Poquelin, and Moliere was assumed as the stage name. He descended from a family of tradesmen, received a liberal education, and, after studying law, gave up that profession to follow the career of an actor. His first efforts at Paris were unsuccessful, and accordingly he made an effort in the provinces, where he attained to much popularity. In 1658 he made a second venture at Paris, when he introduced several comedies and later established a theater. In the following year he wrote "Précieuses Ridicules," which embodies a fine satire on the language, dress, and thought of his time, and on the character of learned females. This not only added greatly to his reputation, but also was the cause of several reforms. Many of the plays given by the theatrical troupe under the direction of Moliere were prepared by Racine and Corneille, and he also drew inspiration for his own productions from the literature of Italy and Spain. There was not a year up to 1673 that he did not give to the world gems of literature of much value, some of which have survived and are still popular. In his "Tartuffe" he made an attack upon hypocrisy in connection with religious pretensions, and as a result it was forbidden to be presented for some years, a fact of which rival actors and enemies took advantage. Moliere was popular with Louis XIV. That sovereign selected his performances for royal company, and later also pensioned the director. Few names have a brighter luster in the literature of comedy than his. His productions are admired extensively, all of them possessing originality and studied design. He was at first refused burial by the archbishop of Paris because that official regarded him a reviler of the clergy, but permission was granted at the request of the king, and a century after his death a lifelike bust of him was placed in the French Academy. Among his most celebrated productions are "Festival of Peter;" "School for Women;" "Tartuffe;" "George Dandlin;" "Misanthrope;" "Learned Women;" "Le Malade Imaginaire," and "Don Juan." The Teachers' and Pupils' Cyclopædia, Vol. III (Kansas City: Bufton Book Co., 1909) 1180. |