MOLIÈRE'S LE TARTUFFE EDITED WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES BY CHARLES H. CONRAD WRIGHT D. C. HEATH & CO., PUBLISHERS BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO INTRODUCTION I. CHRONOLOGY OF MOLIÈRE'S LIFE 1622. Birth of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin at Paris, the son of a valet-tapissier du roi. 1643. In spite of a good education his inclinations lead him to the stage. He takes the name of Molière and founds a theatrical company, the Illustre théâtre, which meets with absolute failure. 1646–7. Molière and his company begin a long series of travels in the French provinces, extending over many years, and taking them through all the chief cities of the South. 1653 or 1655. At Lyons Molière plays l'Etourdi. 1656. Le Dépit amoureux given at Béziers. 1658. Return to Paris. 1659. First Parisian success, les Précieuses ridicules, an attack on Preciosity. 1660. Sganarelle. 1661. Don Garcie de Navarre (a failure). L'Ecole des maris. Les Fâcheux. 1662. Molière's unlucky marriage with Armande Béjart. L'Ecole des femmes; hostile criticism. 1663. La Critique de l'Ecole des femmes, a reply to this criticism. L'Impromptu de Versailles. 1664. Le Mariage forcé. La Princesse d'Elide. First three acts of Tartuffe. The play is forbidden. 1665. Don Juan, the portrait of the atheist. L'Amour médecin. 1666. Le Misanthrope. Le Médecin malgré lui. Mélicerte. La Pastorale comique. Le Sicilien. |