Moliere Essay -- Biography Bio Biographies Jean-Baptiste Poquelin

Moliere is undoubtedly one of the most interesting and famous French writers ever. His comedic plays capture the reader with a a perfect blend of intelligent and slap stick jokes. He mastered the "strange enterprise of amusing decent people"(Guicharnaud, 2) with this simple philosophy: "Nothing is more effective(in making people laugh) then holding up the mirror to nature."(Guicharnaud, 21) Jean-Baptiste Poquelin was born in Paris on January 15, 1662. His father and Mother where both interior decorators for the king, although his mother died when Jean-Baptise was ten years of age. He was sent to College de Claremont, an aristocratic Jesuit institution. Poquelin took a degree in law, which he never used in practice, and moved back to work with his father. When he turned of age, he shocked his family by declaring he would not succeed his fathers position. Instead , he took the stage name "Moliere", and began his career as a thespian. He spent a short time in a debtor's prison and then immediately fled Paris. Thus began the most important stage in Moliere's young life. Moliere wondered about France, learning the trade of which he would eventually master, and become famous for. He learned how to handle everything about the stage. From writing, to acting, to controlling unhappy crowds that where armed with fruits and vegetables as missiles. Immediately, his own skits and plays where a success. His entire career was almost one of continuous success. He worked his own theater, with his own troupe(organization of actors) of which he was president. Louis the XIV was one of his biggest patrons. For fifteen years he managed, wrote, acted and organized performance at his theater. On February 17, 1673 Moli... ... to make them realize there false preciosity. He succeeds in mortifying them, and they depart from his home. In his time, the effort towards distinction became very popular. Although to us some of the ridulous antics of the two girls trying to seem prestigous are too far fetched to be realistic, they are "exact, not exagerated."(Bishop, 3) In writing it, he made many realize how ridiculous their actions where, maybe aleaving his anoyance. This practice though, still exists today. Too a good portion of the poplulation it will be a way of life. Now a days many young people attempt to be "cool" by buying the latest clothes and practicing all the latest trends. This is of course an effort to be more prestigious to there peers, and thus is human nature. As with all Moliere plays, they are still relevant in todays world, after all human nature is ageless.