Molière (Jean-Baptiste Poquelin) :: English Literature

Molire (Jean-Baptiste Poquelin) was born in Paris on January 15, 1622Molire (Jean-Baptiste Poquelin) was born in Paris on January 15,1622. His father was oneness of eight valets de chambre tapissiers whotended the kings furniture and upholstery, so the young Poquelinreceived every favor a boy could wish for. He was educated at thefinest schools (the College de Clermont in Paris.) He had access tothe kings court. But even as a child, Molire found it infinitelymore pleasant to poke fun at the aristocracy than to associate withthem. As a young boy, he larn that he could cause quite a stir bymimicking his mothers priest. His mother, a deeply religious woman,might have broken the young ironist of this habit had she not diedbefore he was yet twelve-years-old. His father short remarried, but inless than three years, this wife also passed away. At the age offifteen, Jean-Baptiste was left alone with his father and was mostlikely apprenticed to his trade.Molire and his companions made their dramatic debut in a born-againtennis court. Although the gild was brimming with enthusiasm, noneof them had much experience and when they began to scoot admission,the results proved disastrous. Over the course of the close two years,the little company appeared in three different theatres in variousparts of Paris, and each time, they failed miserably. Several of theoriginal members dropped out of the company during this period.Finally, the seven remaining actors mulish to forget Paris and go ona tour of the provinces. For the bordering twelve years, they would travelfrom town to town, performing and honing their craft.Over the course of the next thirteen years, Molire worked feverishlyto make his company the most esteem dramatic troupe in Paris.(Eventually, they were awarded the coveted title Troupe of theKing.) He directed his own plays and often played the leading rolehimself.On February 17, 1673, Molire suffered a hemorrhage while playing therole of the psychoneuroti c Argan in The Imaginary Invalid. A bit ironicisnt it. He had insisted on going through with the performance inspite of the advice of his wife and friends saying, There are fiftypoor workers who have only their cursory wage to live on. What willbecome of them if the performance does not pull back place?