Last updated on October 27th, 2026 at 09:36 am
The French often call their language « la langue de Molière », the language of Molière, just as English is the language of Shakespeare. Four centuries after his birth, his comedies are still performed every season, studied in every school and quoted in everyday conversation.
Here is who Molière was, the plays you should know, and why he matters to anyone learning French.
Key takeaways
- Molière was the stage name of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (1622-1673), actor, director and playwright.
- He wrote around thirty plays, mostly comedies mocking hypocrisy, greed and vanity.
- His best-known plays include « Tartuffe », « L’Avare », « Le Misanthrope » and « Le Malade imaginaire ».
- The Comédie-Française, founded in 1680, is still nicknamed « la maison de Molière ».
From upholsterer’s son to the King’s favourite
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin was born in Paris in January 1622, the son of a wealthy upholsterer to the royal court. Instead of taking over the family business, he chose the theatre. In 1643 he founded a troupe, the Illustre Théâtre, and the following year took the name Molière. After the company went bankrupt, he spent about thirteen years touring the provinces, learning his craft as actor, director and writer.
Back in Paris in 1658, he won the favour of the young Louis XIV. His comedies were a huge success, but they also made powerful enemies: « Tartuffe », which mocks religious hypocrisy, was banned for five years. On 17 February 1673, he fell ill on stage while playing the title role in « Le Malade imaginaire » (The Imaginary Invalid), and died a few hours later.
The plays to know
| Play | Year | What it is about |
|---|---|---|
| « L’École des femmes » | 1662 | A man raises a young girl in ignorance so she will be the perfect wife. It does not go to plan. |
| « Tartuffe » | 1664 (final version 1669) | A con man pretending to be devout takes over a family’s home and fortune. |
| « Dom Juan » | 1665 | Molière’s take on the seducer who defies everything, even heaven. |
| « Le Misanthrope » | 1666 | Alceste hates the flattery of high society, but loves a woman who lives for it. |
| « L’Avare » | 1668 | Harpagon, a miser obsessed with his money box, sacrifices his children’s happiness to it. |
| « Le Bourgeois gentilhomme » | 1670 | A rich merchant desperate to become an aristocrat takes ridiculous lessons in everything. |
| « Le Malade imaginaire » | 1673 | A hypochondriac at the mercy of quack doctors. Molière’s last play. |
Good to know: the 400th anniversary of Molière’s birth was celebrated in 2022 with performances across France. If you visit Paris, seeing one of his plays at the Comédie-Française is a memorable way to hear classical French on stage.
Molière in everyday French
Some characters became common nouns: « un tartuffe » is a hypocrite, « un harpagon » a miser. And some lines are still used as set phrases. In « Le Bourgeois gentilhomme », Monsieur Jourdain is amazed to learn he has been speaking prose all his life without knowing it: « faire de la prose sans le savoir » means doing something without realising it. In « Les Fourberies de Scapin », « Que diable allait-il faire dans cette galère ? » is still used to ask why someone got into a mess.
Learning French with Molière
- Start with a summary. Read the plot first, then watch a filmed performance: the comedy carries you through.
- Choose the prose plays. « L’Avare » or « Le Bourgeois gentilhomme » are easier than the plays in verse.
- Watch out for 17th-century French. Some words have changed meaning, so an annotated edition helps.
- Act it out. Reading a scene aloud with a partner is great for pronunciation and confidence.
Going further
For more culture, read our article on Émile Zola and the Impressionists or discover Édith Piaf. To discuss plays, books and films with a native teacher, try our French conversation course or the Live French Club.
Frequently asked questions
What was Molière’s real name?
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin. He took the stage name Molière in 1644, shortly after founding his first theatre company.
Why is French called « la langue de Molière »?
Because Molière is seen as the greatest French playwright, in the same way English is called the language of Shakespeare. The phrase simply means the French language.
What are Molière’s most famous plays?
« Tartuffe », « L’Avare », « Le Misanthrope », « Le Bourgeois gentilhomme », « Dom Juan » and « Le Malade imaginaire » are the best known and the most performed.
How did Molière die?
He fell ill on stage on 17 February 1673 while playing the lead in « Le Malade imaginaire », and died a few hours later at his home in Paris.
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