Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (Molière) was a man of the theater in his own right: playwright, actor, director and troupe leader. He is considered the greatest writer in the French language. Indeed, he is the most widely performed and read author in French literature. For this reason, the French language is sometimes referred to as Molière's language.
Between 1646 and 1658, he wrote his first comedies. But it was in 1659 that he finally achieved success with The Affected Young Ladies. He also wrote Scapin the Schemer, The School for Wives, The Miser, The Bourgeois Gentleman, The Imaginary Invalid, The Misanthrope, Tartuffe, The Learned Ladies and Don Juan.
In most of his comedies, Molière depicts the failings of the bourgeoisie. He tackles themes such as women's place in society, lack of culture, marriages of interest, the importance of money, the gap between social classes, and more.
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1622: Jean-Baptiste Poquelin is baptized on January 15 at Saint-Eustache church in Paris.
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1643: He and his friends found the Illustre Théâtre.
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1644: In June, in a contract to hire a dancer, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin uses the pseudonym Molière for the first time.
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1645: Unable to repay the debts incurred by the Illustre Théâtre, Molière is imprisoned. The theater goes bankrupt.
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1658: After touring France with his troupe, Molière returns to Paris and wins the support of Philippe d'Orléans, the brother of King Louis XIV.
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1659: Molière creates the play The Affected Young Ladies. It's an instant success! He had to write it in a hurry, however, as attempts were made to steal it from him. And so he becomes a writer.
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1660: For the first time, Molière's plays make up the bulk of presentations at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal.
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1663: Molière receives a pension of 1,000 pounds from King Louis XIV. The pension was called a gratification for literary men. It was renewed every year until his death.
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1664: King Louis XIV becomes godfather to Louis, son of Molière and his wife, Armande Béjart.
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1665: King Louis XIV grants Molière's company a pension of 7,000 pounds a year. The troupe is henceforth known as the Troupe du roi (King's troop).
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1667: The play Tartuffe is censored, and Molière is threatened with excommunication if it is performed again. The theater closes for six weeks.
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1673: Molière dies on February 17, in Paris, after a performance of his play Le Malade imaginaire.