400th anniversary of Moliere

A central figure in our country's theatre and culture, Molière, born Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, was baptised in Paris on 15 January 1622. We celebrate this

A central figure in our country's theatre and culture, Molière, born Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, was baptised in Paris on 15 January 1622. This year we celebrate 400 years since his birth: it is an extraordinary opportunity to celebrate and pass on his legacy. For those of you who don't know him, you will discover him

We are going to analyse the imaginary patients

What is the play about?

The main character of the play is Argan, he is a hypochondriac and is surrounded by doctors who don't really treat him, they just want to look good for him. Argan is convinced that he is constantly ill and this will follow the character throughout the play. He is therefore the 'imaginary sick person'. As for the doctors who surround him, their names are M. Purgeon and M. Diafoirus, remember the latter's name well as it is important in the story. Argan is convinced of the benefits of medicine and the care he receives.

Argan is a widower but has married a second time to a woman called Béline. Although Argan thinks that she is a devoted wife who only wants to look after him, he is wrong. She is only waiting for him to die so that she can get her inheritance. Moreover, she fuels the tensions between Argan and his daughter, Angélique. The latter is in love with a certain Cléante. However, Argan wants his daughter to marry M. Diafoirus' son, Thomas. Angélique does not want this union and this will fuel the conflict with Argan and Béline.

Another key character in the play is Toinette. She is Argan's servant, who is in favour of a marriage between Angélique and Cléante. Indeed, Angélique had confided her love to Toinette. Another character is in favour of this union, Argan's brother Béralde.

It is therefore these conflicts that punctuate Le Malade Imaginaire and it is Toinette who will settle them. She suggests that Argan pretend to be dead in order to find out who really cares about him. He accepts and at this point Béline, his wife, falls for it and exclaims, while Angélique sincerely cries. The true intentions of each are thus revealed. Argan promises his daughter that she will marry Cléante, but on one condition: that he becomes a doctor.

The height of the satire against certain doctors comes at the end of Le Malade Imaginaire. Indeed, after having chased away his own quacks who served as doctors, Argan, urged on by his brother, concludes that there would be no better person to treat him than himself. To illustrate this mockery, here is part of a dialogue that occurs at the end of the play:

ARGAN: But one must know how to speak Latin well, know the diseases, and the remedies to be used.

BÉRALDE: By receiving the doctor's robe and cap, you will learn all that, and then you will be more skilled than you want to be.

ARGAN: What? you know how to talk about illnesses when you're wearing that outfit?

BÉRALDE: Yes. You only have to talk; with a dress and a cap, all gibberish becomes learned, and all foolishness becomes reason.

TOINETTE - Well, sir, if there were only your beard, it would be a lot, and a beard is more than half a doctor.

Several points are therefore criticised in this play, dealing with marriages (arranged and amorous), with certain doctors who are in reality charlatans, but also with Argan's naivety, who is manipulated by everyone.

The little anecdote to bring out

Molière and the Troupe du Roi performed this play for the first time on 10 February 1673. Argan was played by the famous playwright. On the evening of the fourth performance, Molière, who had so far managed to hide his illness (tuberculosis), could no longer fool anyone. However, he managed to finish the play, before dying a few hours later. In reality, the imaginary patient had real health problems. This death reinforced the legend around Molière and put him further into the pantheon of great playwrights. This year is the 400th anniversary of his birth: it is an extraordinary opportunity to celebrate and pass on his legacy. For those of you who don't know him, you will discover him

We are going to analyse the imaginary patients

What is the play about?

The main character of the play is Argan, he is a hypochondriac and is surrounded by doctors who don't really care for him, they just want to look good for him. Argan is convinced that he is constantly ill and this will follow the character throughout the play. He is therefore the 'imaginary sick person'. As for the doctors around him, their names are M. Purgeon and M. Diafoirus, remember the latter's name well as it is important in the story. Argan