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1622 Born, son of Paris upholsterer in the service of the king 1643 Left home in 1643 and eventually joined Béjart family theatre company 1644 took stage name, Molière; Real name, Jean Baptiste Poquelin 1658 First performed for Louis XIV with Béjart company 1659 The Affected Young Ladies (Les Précieuses Ridicules) (also known as The High-Brow Ladies), Molière`s first success; about two provincial girls affecting elegance and wit. 1662 Married Armande Béjart 1662 The School for Wives (L`École des femmes), the first performance caused a great scandal; the pedantic Arnoplhe is afraid of women and decides to marry a girl without any experience of the world; the young woman`s natural intelligence and perceptiveness are used as a vehicle of Molière`s critical insights 1664 Tartuffe (Le Tartuffe ou l`imposteur; Tartuffe or the Impostor), originally a 3-act play, banned and later reissued in 5-acts in 1667 (also banned) and 1669 (current version); about a religious hypocrite and scoundrel who deceives the gullible Orgon, tries to seduce his wife, and takes possession of his house and property. 1665 Company adopted by the king as Troupe du roi 1666 The Misanthrope (Le Misanthrope), Alceste (originally played by Molière) has very high standards and finds fault with everyone but is in love with Célimène, a witty and worldly society lady. 1673 The Imaginary Invalid(Le Malade imaginaire), Molière`s last play; about a hypochondriac afraid of death and of doctors 1673 Collapsed on the stage, and later died, while performing his play, The Imaginary Invalid |
