Zhan-Batist Moler

Jean-Baptiste was born in Paris into the family of Jean Poquelin (a court upholsterer, decorator, and continuator of the family trade) and Marie Cressé (the daughter of a well-to-do burgher). After his mother died when he was 10, the boy lived with his father, who saw in him the heir to his craft. Jean-Baptiste received a good education, graduating from the prestigious Jesuit college in Clermont, where he thoroughly studied Latin; it is also believed that he studied law in Orléans for some time. All this promised splendid prospects for the young man’s future: he could become a prosperous burgher without much effort. But at 21 he preferred a theatrical career to all this. In June 1643 he left his social class and family and, together with Madeleine Béjart, founded the “Illustrious Theatre.”

The newly formed theater went bankrupt in 1645. Jean-Baptiste was imprisoned for the theater’s debts. But he did not remain in prison long; historians dispute who paid for him — his father or the lover of one of the troupe’s actresses. It was around this time that the stage pseudonym Molière appeared. Perhaps this pseudonym was invented so as not to shame his father by having an actor in the family, since this profession was despised in society at that time.

After his release from prison, Molière and Madeleine began giving theatrical performances in the provinces, traveling from town to town and from village to village. This life continued for 12 years and ended in success and in obtaining the patronage of Philippe, Duke of Orléans, for the troupe.

Molière and the troupe returned to Paris in 1658 and performed before the king the tragedy Nicomède, by Corneille, and a farce by Molière himself, Doctor in Love (the play is currently considered lost). The performance was successful, and the troupe was granted the title “Troupe of Monsieur” (the king’s brother). The troupe, together with an Italian comic troupe, was given the Petit-Bourbon Theatre, where on November 18, 1659, the comedy The Affected Young Ladies was presented to the public. This comedy opens Molière’s Parisian cycle and