
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme
Translated by Philip Dwight Jones
A Comedy-Ballet presented at Chambord, France, for the entertainment of the King, in the month of October, 1670, and to the public in Paris for the first time at the Palais-Royal Theater 23 November 1670.
One of Moliere's most talked-about plays, 'The Middle Class Gentleman' (meant to be a paradox) is filled with his usual clever humour and coherent writing; yet another masterpiece from one of France's greatest. Behind the obvious humour lies an attempt to satirize the idea of social climbing, personified by the silly and ignorant Monsieur Jourdain who aspires to climb the social ladder by buying his way into French aristocracy. With myriad merry mishaps, this play is indeed a must-watch/must-read, for behind its seemingly innocent plot, lies a glimpse of seventeenth century France.--Submitted by Nora

