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Molière's "Le malade imaginaire" is a masterpiece of french
drama. It's a comedy where Molière mocks doctors who are incapable of healing their patients. Argan, the "imaginary ill" is the centre of the plot, where he has to handle his daughter Angélique's pretenders, while coping with his doctors (some also pretenders to Angélique). Toinette is the housemaid that offers some comic relief and wise (or not) advise to Angélique. Molière, pseudonym of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (1622-1673), is one of the greatest writers the World has ever produced. Son of a "tapissier honoraire du roi", he was educated in a Jesuit college and studied Law before engaging in theatre. He founded the "Ilustre Théâtre," an ambulant troupe with which he traveled thirteen years and learned the craft of theatre production. He wrote his first play, a comedy called "Le médecin volant", in 1645. His most famous plays include "Les précieuses ridicules" (1659), "Le bourgeois gentilhomme" (1670), and his last, "Le malade imaginaire" (1673), in which first performance he himself, being seriously ill, played the role of Argan and collapsed on stage, dying hours later.
Published: September 05, 2008
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