Molière - Œuvres Complètes, Tome 4

Molière's genius lies in his ability to make us laugh at what we fear to acknowledge about ourselves and society. This fourth volume gathers some of his most daring and enduring comedies, plays that scandalized their original audiences while becoming foundational texts of Western theatre. Here is Tartuffe, the great impostor who weaponizes piety to prey on a credulous household, a comedy so dangerous it was banned for five years. Here too is Amphitryon, where the god Jupiter descends in disguise to seduce a mortal's wife, and comedy becomes philosophy through the confusion of identity and desire. Molière's theatrical world is one where servants outwit masters, hypocrites are finally exposed, and the powerful discover they are not so powerful after all. These are plays that made kings nervous and audiences roar with recognition across three centuries. For readers who love sharp satire, psychological complexity, and dialogue that still crackles with life, this volume offers Molière at his most provocative and most brilliant.