Editing Molière (section)

===Height of fame===
Despite his own preference for tragedy, which he had tried to further with the Illustre Théâtre, Molière became famous for his farces, which were generally in one act and performed after the tragedy. Some of these farces were only partly written, and were played in the style of Commedia dell'arte with improvisation over a [[canovaccio]] (a vague plot outline). He began to write full, five-act comedies in verse (''L'Étourdi'' (Lyon, 1654) and ''Le dépit amoureux'' (Béziers, 1656)), which although immersed in the [[lazzi|gags]] of contemporary Italian troupes, were successful as part of Madeleine Béjart and Molière's plans to win aristocratic patronage and, ultimately, move the troupe to a position in a Paris theater-venue.<ref>On ''L'Étourdi'' and his theatrical accomplishments in this and other early plays, see e.g. Stephen C. Bold, "'Ce Noeud Subtil': Molière's Invention of Comedy from ''L'Étourdi'' to ''Les Fourberies de Scapin''", "''The Romanic Review'' 88/1(1997): 67-85; David Maskell, Moliere's ''L'Etourdi'': Signs of Things to Come", ''French Studies'' 46/1 (1992): 13-25; and Philip A. Wadsworth, "Scappino & Mascarille", in ''Molière and the Comedy of Intellect'' (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1962), 1-7.</ref> Later Molière concentrated on writing musical comedies, in which the drama is interrupted by songs and/or dances, but for years the fundamentals of numerous comedy-traditions would remain strong, especially Italian (e.g. the semi-improvisatory style that in the 1750s writers started calling [[commedia dell'arte]]), Spanish, and French plays, all also drawing on classical models (e.g. Plautus and Terence), especially the trope of the clever slave/servant.<ref>Richard F. Hardin, ''Plautus and the English Renaissance of Comedy'' (London: Rowman & Littlefield, 2017), esp. 73 and 134; {{ISBN|1683931297}}</ref><ref>Philip Wadsworth, ''Molière and the Italian Theatrical Tradition'' (Birmingham AL: Summa, 1987), 7; {{ISBN|9780917786709}}</ref>

''Les précieuses ridicules'' won Molière the attention and the criticism of many, but it was not a popular success. He then asked Fiorillo to teach him the techniques of Commedia dell'arte. His 1660 play ''Sganarelle, ou Le Cocu imaginaire'' (''[[The Imaginary Cuckold]]'') seems to be a tribute both to Commedia dell'arte and to his teacher. Its theme of marital relationships dramatizes Molière's pessimistic views on the falsity inherent in human relationships. This view is also evident in his later works and was a source of inspiration for many later authors, including (with different effect), 20th century [[Nobel Prize]] winner [[Luigi Pirandello]]. It describes a kind of round dance where two couples believe that each of their partners has been betrayed by the other's and is the first in Molière's "Jealousy series", which includes ''Dom Garcie de Navarre'', ''L'École des maris'' and ''L'École des femmes''.
[[Image:WorksMoliere1739Vol01.jpg|thumb|300px|First volume of a 1739 translation into English of all of Molière's plays, printed by John Watts.]]

In 1660, the Petit-Bourbon was demolished to make way for the eastern expansion of the Louvre, but Molière's company was allowed to move into the abandoned [[Théâtre du Palais-Royal (rue Saint-Honoré)|theatre in the east wing of the Palais-Royal]]. After a period of refurbishment they opened there on 20 January 1661. In order to please his patron, Monsieur, who was so enthralled with entertainment and art that he was soon excluded from state affairs, Molière wrote and played ''Dom Garcie de Navarre ou Le Prince jaloux'' (''[[The Jealous Prince]]'', 4 February 1661), a heroic comedy derived from a work of Cicognini. Two other comedies of the same year were the successful ''L'École des maris'' (''[[The School for Husbands]]'') and ''[[Les Fâcheux]]'' (''The Bores''), subtitled ''Comédie faite pour les divertissements du Roi'' (a comedy for the King's amusements) because it was performed during a series of parties that [[Nicolas Fouquet]] gave in honor of the sovereign. These entertainments led [[Jean-Baptiste Colbert]] to demand the arrest of Fouquet for wasting public money, and he was condemned to life imprisonment.<ref>Jacob Soll, ''The Information Master: Jean-Baptiste Colbert's Secret State Intelligence System'' (Ann Arbor: Univ. of MI Press, 2009), 43-52.</ref>

On 20 February 1662, Molière married [[Armande Béjart]], whom he believed to be the sister of Madeleine. (She may have been her illegitimate daughter with the [[Duke of Modena]].) The same year, he premiered ''L'École des femmes'' (''[[The School for Wives]]''), subsequently regarded as a masterpiece. It poked fun at the limited education that was given to daughters of rich families and reflected Molière's own marriage. Both this work and his marriage attracted much criticism. The play sparked the protest called the "Quarrel of L'École des femmes". On the artistic side he responded with two lesser-known works: ''La Critique de "L'École des femmes"'', in which he imagined the spectators of his previous work attending it. The piece mocks the people who had criticised ''L'École des femmes'' by showing them at dinner after watching the play; it addresses all the criticism raised about the piece by presenting the critics' arguments and then dismissing them. This was the so-called ''Guerre comique'' (''War of Comedy''), in which the opposite side was taken by writers like [[Donneau de Visé]], [[Edmé Boursault]], and [[Antoine Jacob|Montfleury]].

However, more serious opposition was brewing, focusing on Molière's politics and his personal life. A so-called ''parti des Dévots'' arose in French high society, who protested against Molière's excessive "[[Literary realism|realism]]" and irreverence, which were causing some embarrassment. These people accused Molière of having married his daughter. The Prince of Conti, once Molière's friend, joined them. Molière had other enemies, too, among them the [[Jansenist]]s and some traditional authors. However, the king expressed support for the Molière, granting him a pension and agreeing to be the godfather of Molière's first son. [[Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux|Boileau]] also supported him through statements that he included in his ''Art poétique''.

Molière's friendship with [[Jean-Baptiste Lully]] influenced him towards writing his ''Le Mariage forcé'' and ''[[La Princesse d'Élide]]'' (subtitled as ''Comédie galante mêlée de musique et d'entrées de ballet''), written for ''[[Les Plaisirs de l'Isle enchantée]]'', royal "''divertissements''", at the [[Palace of Versailles]].

''[[Tartuffe]], ou L'Imposteur'' was also performed at Versailles, in 1664, and created the greatest scandal of Molière's artistic career. Its depiction of the hypocrisy of the dominant classes was taken as an outrage and violently contested. It also aroused the wrath of the Jansenists and the play was banned.

Molière was always careful not to attack the institution of monarchy. He earned a position as one of the king's favourites and enjoyed his protection from the attacks of the court. The king allegedly suggested that Molière suspend performances of ''Tartuffe'', and the author rapidly wrote ''[[Dom Juan|Dom Juan ou le Festin de Pierre]]'' to replace it. It was a strange work, derived from a work by [[Tirso de Molina]] and rendered in a prose that still seems modern today. It describes the story of an atheist who becomes a religious hypocrite and, for this, is punished by God. This work too was quickly suspended. The king, demonstrating his protection once again, became the new official sponsor of Molière's troupe.

With music by [[Jean-Baptiste Lully|Lully]], Molière presented ''[[L'Amour médecin]]'' (''Love Doctor'' or ''Medical Love''). Subtitles on this occasion reported that the work was given "par ordre du Roi" (by order of the king) and this work was received much more warmly than its predecessors.

[[Image:Jean-Léon Gérôme - Louis XIV and Moliere.jpg|thumb|400px|[[Louis XIV]] invites Molière to share his supper—an unfounded Romantic anecdote, illustrated in 1863 painting by [[Jean-Léon Gérôme]]]]

In 1666, ''[[Le Misanthrope]]'' was produced. It is now widely regarded as Molière's most refined masterpiece, the one with the highest moral content, but it was little appreciated at the time. It caused the "conversion" of Donneau de Visé, who became fond of his theatre. But it was a commercial flop, forcing Molière to immediately write ''[[Le médecin malgré lui]]'' (''The Doctor Despite Himself''), a satire against the official sciences. This was a success despite a moral treatise by the Prince of Conti, criticizing the theatre in general and Molière in particular. In several of his plays, Molière depicted the physicians of his day as pompous individuals who speak (poor) Latin to impress others with false erudition, and know only [[enema|clyster]]s and [[bleeding]]s as (ineffective) remedies.

After the ''Mélicerte'' and the ''Pastorale comique'', he tried again to perform a revised ''Tartuffe'' in 1667, this time with the name of ''Panulphe'' or ''L'Imposteur''. As soon as the King left Paris for a tour, [[Guillaume de Lamoignon|Lamoignon]] and the archbishop banned the play. The King finally imposed respect for ''Tartuffe'' a few years later, after he had gained more power over the clergy.

Molière, now ill, wrote less. ''Le Sicilien ou L'Amour peintre'' was written for festivities at the [[castle of Saint-Germain-en-Laye]], and was followed in 1668 by ''[[Amphitryon (Molière)|Amphitryon]]'', inspired both by [[Plautus]]' work of the same name and Jean Rotrou's successful reconfiguration of the drama. With some conjecture, Molière's play can be seen to allude to the love affairs of Louis XIV, then king of France. ''[[George Dandin ou le Mari confondu|George Dandin, ou Le mari confondu]]'' (''The Confounded Husband'') was little appreciated, but success returned with ''L'Avare'' (''[[The Miser]]''), now very well known.

With Lully, he again used music for ''Monsieur de Pourceaugnac'', for ''Les Amants magnifiques'', and finally for ''[[Le Bourgeois gentilhomme]]'' (''The Middle Class Gentleman''), another of his masterpieces. It is claimed to be particularly directed against Colbert, the minister who had condemned his old patron Fouquet. The collaboration with Lully ended with a ''tragédie et ballet'', ''[[Psyché (play)|Psyché]]'', written in collaboration with [[Pierre Corneille]] and [[Philippe Quinault]].

In 1672, Madeleine Béjart died, and Molière suffered from this loss and from the worsening of his own illness. Nevertheless, he wrote a successful ''[[Les Fourberies de Scapin]]'' ("Scapin's Deceits"), a farce and a comedy in five acts. His following play, ''La Comtesse d'Escarbagnas'', is considered one of his lesser works.

''Les Femmes savantes'' (''[[The Learned Ladies]]'') of 1672 is considered another of Molière's masterpieces. It was born from the termination of the legal use of music in theatre, since Lully had patented the [[opera]] in France (and taken most of the best available singers for his own performances), so Molière had to go back to his traditional genre. It was a great success, and it led to his last work, which is still held in high esteem.

In his 14 years in Paris, Molière single-handedly wrote 31 of the 85 plays performed on his stage.