Molière

Born Jean-Baptiste Poquelin in Paris in 1622, Molière became one of France’s greatest playwrights, actors, and poets. After choosing the theatre over a conventional career, he spent years performing with a traveling troupe before finding success in Paris.

His comedies—including Tartuffe, The Misanthrope, The Miser, The School for Wives, and The Imaginary Invalid—made audiences laugh while exposing pretension, hypocrisy, and foolish behavior. Molière died in Paris in 1673, shortly after performing in The Imaginary Invalid.

His work remains central to French literature and theatre, admired for its wit, memorable characters, and keen understanding of human nature.