Seven plays by the genius of French theater. Including The Ridiculous Precieuses, The School for Husbands, The School for Wives, Don Juan, The Versailles Impromptu, and The Critique of the School for Wives, this collection showcases the talent of perhaps the greatest and best-loved French playwright. Translated and with an Introduction by Donald M. Frame With a Foreword by Virginia Scott And a New Afterword by Charles Newell

The religious Madame Pernelle decides to leave her son Orgon's house because she finds their behavior immoral and decadent. Damis (her grandson) is a brat, and her granddaughter Mariane, a weakling. Moliere puts in Madame Pernelle's mouth the now famous saying about 'still waters' — “Good-luck! Grand-daughter, you play the prude, and to look at you, butter would not melt in your mouth. But still waters run deep, as the saying goes. And I do not like your clever doings at all.”In contrast, she sees the new houseguest, Tartuffe, as an admirable character. Tartuffe has been invited to stay by the house's master Orgon, who is very much taken in by Tartuffe's deep piety. Contrary to what the master believes, the rest of the family sees Tartuffe to be a fraud and a liar. The servant Dorine and the others discuss how they might convince Orgon that Tartuffe is manipulating him.As the play progresses, we see that Tartuffe's exterior conduct and rhetoric has great influence on Orgon—the master of the household. In short, Tartuffe leads Orgon “by the nose.” The close association jeopardizes the tranquility of the house: Mariane —in love with Valere— is now pressed by her father top marry Tartuffe.But Dorine (the servant) has a plan. She wants Elmire to control Tartuffe, since it is clear that he lusts after her. Tartuffe, alone with Elmire, takes some liberties, which confirms what Dorine suspected. When Damis and Elmire inform Orgon about Tartuffe's liberties, Orgon refuses to believe the accusation. What is even more ironic, he names Tartuffe his heir; not only that: he even shares a grave political secret with him.To prove that Tartuffe is a hypocrite and lecherous man who has made sexual advances to her, Elmire lures Tartuffe into a sexual encounter; an act that takes place within Orgon's hidden presence.Seeing Tartuffe's less than pious and less than noble conduct, Orgon turns him out of the house. Tartuffe leaves, but not without threating Orgon with taking away all his property, and landing him in jail. Tartuffe carries out his threat and a court official —Monsieur Loyal—, appears to confiscate the property and enforce a warrant for Orgon's arrest.But, a police officer of the King arrives with Tartuffe. The resolution is quite surprising as the police officer suddenly arrests Tartuffe, explaining that the King knew about the hypocrite's record.

The renowned French playwright Molière's most masterful and most frequently performed play, skillfully translated into English by Richard Wilbur. This edition includes the original French. The rich bourgeois Orgon has become a bigot and prude. The title character, a wily opportunist and swindler, affects sancity and gains complete ascendancy over Ogron, who not only attemps to turn over his fortune but offers his daughter in marriage to his "spiritual" guide. Translated and with an Introduction by Richard Wilbur.

'Why does he write those ghastly plays that the whole of Paris flocks to see? And why does he paint such lifelike portraits that everyone recognizes themselves?' Moliere, The Impromptu at Versailles This volume brings together four of Moliere's greatest verse comedies covering the best years of his prolific writing career. Actor, director, and playwright, Moliere (1622-73) was one of the finest and most influential French dramatists, adept at portraying human foibles and puncturing pomposity. The School for Wives was his first great success; Tartuffe, condemned and banned for five years, his most controversial play. The Misanthrope is his acknowledged masterpiece, and The Clever Women his last, and perhaps best-constructed, verse piece. In addition this collection includes a spirited attack on his enemies and a defence of his theatre, in the form of two sparkling short plays, The School for Wives Criticized and The Impromptu at Versailles. Moliere's prose plays are available in a complementary Oxford World's Classics edition, Don Juan and Other Plays. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

In 1664, Molière's Tartuffe was banned from public performance. This book provides a detailed, in-depth account of five-year struggle (1664-69) to have the ban lifted and, so doing, sheds important new light on 1660s France and the ancien régime more broadly.

Condemned and banned for five years in MoliA]re's day, "Tartuffe "is a satire on religious hypocrisy. Tartuffe worms his way into Orgon's household, blinding the master of the house with his religious "devotion," and almost succeeds in his attempts to seduce his wife and disinherit his children before the final unmasking.