Molière et Shakespeare

This scholarly study examines the long‑standing rivalry and dialogue between two towering dramatists, exploring how French and English comedy have been judged through the lens of German literary criticism. Drawing on nineteenth‑century essays and the passionate defenses of a German academic who championed Molière against Shakespeare’s admirers, the author traces the arguments about universality, genre, and taste that shaped the debate. Readers are guided through vivid excerpts, from the biting satire of Tartuffe to the poetic grandeur of Shakespeare’s plays, revealing how each writer’s style was framed as either prosaic or purely poetic.

Beyond historical anecdotes, the book delves into the broader cultural clash between French classicism and English Renaissance drama, highlighting how scholars in Germany positioned themselves as arbiters of aesthetic value. By juxtaposing the fervent admiration for Molière with the Germanic preference for native literary heroes, the work invites listeners to reconsider the criteria by which comedy is evaluated and to appreciate the enduring relevance of this cross‑cultural exchange.