Molière was born in Paris. His father was a prosperous upholster, the descendant of a long line of Beauvais tradesmen. Molière studied with Jesuits at the Collège de Clermont. In 1643 he abandoned his social class and family's plans for his future for the theatre. With his friend he founded the Illustre Théâtre, which lasted for over three years in Paris, and moved then to the procinces.

The theatre had sufficent success and it obtained the patronage of Philippe d'Orléans. After almost fiofteen years experience of acting, managing, and writing Molière returned to Paris. In 1658 he performed before the King Louis XIV, and organized a regular theatre. After difficult start, Molière's plays enjoyed popularity. In 1662 he married nearly twenty years younger capricicious, giddy Armande Bèjart, who soon antagonized a number of his friends.

During his early years in Paris, among Molière's close friends were La Fontaine, Claude Chapelle, and Racine. Moliére achieved first fame in 1659 with LES PRÉCIEUSES RIDICULES and had soon his own theatre, which was competiting with Racine´s stage plays.

In 1664 Louis XIV become godfather of his son Louis, his play TARTUFFE aroused the wrath of the Jansenists, his son died in November, and his friend Racine wrote his play for rival, older theatre. In this time Moliére started to suffer from bad health. He was constantly working, writing plays, acting and directing. - In February 17, 1673, Moliére collapsed onstage during an early performance of his last play LE MALADE IMAGINAIRE, and he died ten o´clock at the same night. There having been no prist present, he was refused sanctified burial.

Among Molière's best-known works are L'ECOLE DES FEMMES (1622), TARTUFFE (1664), LE MISANTHROPE (1666), and LE BOURGEOIS GENTILHOMME (1670).- The publication of a plagiarized version of his play The Affected Ladies in 1659 forced Molière to begin publishing his own plays, and as a result his works have survived fairly well.

Selected works:

• LA JALOUSIE DE BARBOUILLÉ, wr. 1645/50 - THE JEALOUSY BARBOUILLÉ
• L'ÉTOURDI, OU LES CONTRE-TEMPS, 1653 - THE BLUNDERER, OR THE MISHAPS
• LE DÉPIT AMOUREUX, 1656 - THE AMOROUS QUARREL
• LES PRÉCIEUSES RIDICULES, 1659 - THE AFFECTED YOUNG LADIES
• SGANARELLE, OU LE COCU IMAGINAIRE, 1660 - SGANARELLE, OR THE IMAGINARY CUCKOLD
• DOM GARCIE DE NAVARRE, OU LE PRINCE JALOUX, 1661 - DON GARCÍA OF NAVARRE, OR THE JEALOUS PRINCE
• L'ECOLE DES MARIS, 1661 - THE SCHOOL FOR HUSBANDS
• LES FÂCHEUX, 1662 - THE BORES
• L´ÉCOLE DES FEMMES,1663 - THE SCHOOL FOR WIVES
• LE MARIAGE FORCÉ, 1664 - THE ORCED MARRIAGE
• TARTUFFE, OU L'IMPOSTEUR, 1664
• DOM JUAN OU LE FESTIN DE PIERRE, 1665 - DON JOHN
• LE MISANTHROPE, 1666
• LE SICILIEN,OU L'AMOUR PEINTRE, 1667 - THE SICILIAN, OR THE LOVE MAKES THE PAINTER
• L´AVARE, 1668 - THE MISER
• MONSIEUR DE POURCEAUGNAC, 1669
• LE BOURGOIS GENTILHOMME, 1670 - THE BOURGEOIS GENTLEMAN
• LES FOURBERIES DE SCAPIN, 1671 - THE CHEATS OF SCAPIN - Two scenes from the play was based on Cyrano de Bergerac´s play Le Pédant Joué, 1654 - The Pedant Imitiated
• LE MALADE IMAGINAIRE, 1673 - THE IMAGINARY INVALID