Molière

Born Jean-Baptiste Poquelin in Paris, Molière was a 17th-century French playwright, actor, and theater manager who became one of the central figures of French literature. He is widely remembered as the great writer of French comedy, creating plays that mixed farce, satire, and keen social observation.

After leaving the world of his family's prosperous trade, he devoted himself to the stage and built his career with a traveling troupe before winning success in Paris. His works include Tartuffe, The Misanthrope, The Miser, Dom Juan, and The Imaginary Invalid, plays famous for exposing hypocrisy, pretension, greed, and self-deception.

His career was not always easy, and some of his plays met resistance from religious and social authorities, yet his reputation only grew. Molière died in 1673, soon after a performance of The Imaginary Invalid, and his work has remained a cornerstone of theater ever since.