The Impostures of Scapin: Les Fourberies de Scapin

By Molière

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin is better known to us by his stage name of Molière. He was born in Paris, to a prosperous well-to-do family on 15th January 1622.

In 1631, his father purchased from the court of Louis XIII the posts of "valet of the King's chamber and keeper of carpets and upholstery" which Molière assumed in 1641. The benefits included only three months' work per annum for which he was paid 300 livres and also provided a number of lucrative contracts.

However in June 1643, at 21, Molière abandoned this for his first love; a career on the stage. He partnered with the actress Madeleine Béjart, to found the Illustre Théâtre at a cost of 630 livres.

Unfortunately despite their enthusiasm, effort and ambition the troupe went bankrupt in 1645.

Molière and Madeleine now began again and spent the next dozen years touring the provincial circuit. His journey back to the sacred land of Parisian theatres was slow but by 1658 he performed in front of the King at the Louvre.

From this point Molière both wrote and acted in a large number of productions that caused both outrage and applause. His many attacks on social conventions, the church, hypocrisy and other areas whilst also writing a large number of comedies, farces, tragicomedies, comédie-ballets are the stuff of legend.

‘Tartuffe’, ‘The Misanthrope’, ‘The Miser’ and ‘The School for Wives’ are but some of his classics.

His death was as dramatic as his life. Molière suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis. One evening he collapsed on stage in a fit of coughing and haemorrhaging while performing in the last play he'd written, in which, ironically, he was playing the hypochondriac Argan, in ‘The Imaginary Invalid’.

Molière insisted on completing his performance.

Afterwards he collapsed again with another, larger haemorrhage and was taken home. Priests were sent for to administer the last rites. Two priests refused to visit. A third arrived too late. On 17th February 1673, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, forever to be known as Molière, was pronounced dead in Paris. He was 51.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stage Door
• Release date: Jul 21, 2018
• ISBN: 9781787800908

Molière

Molière was a French playwright, actor, and poet. Widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and universal literature, his extant works include comedies, farces, tragicomedies, comédie-ballets, and more.

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The Impostures of Scapin by Molière

LES FOURBERIES DE SCAPIN

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin is better known to us by his stage name of Molière. He was born in Paris, to a prosperous well-to-do family on 15th January 1622.

In 1631, his father purchased from the court of Louis XIII the posts of valet of the King's chamber and keeper of carpets and upholstery which Molière assumed in 1641. The benefits included only three months' work per annum for which he was paid 300 livres and also provided a number of lucrative contracts.

However in June 1643, at 21, Molière abandoned this for his first love; a career on the stage.  He partnered with the actress Madeleine Béjart, to found the Illustre Théâtre at a cost of 630 livres.

Unfortunately despite their enthusiasm, effort and ambition the troupe went bankrupt in 1645.

Molière and Madeleine now began again and spent the next dozen years touring the provincial circuit.  His journey back to the sacred land of Parisian theatres was slow but by 1658 he performed in front of the King at the Louvre.

From this point Molière both wrote and acted in a large number of productions that caused both outrage and applause.  His many attacks on social conventions, the church, hypocrisy and other areas whilst also writing a large number of comedies, farces, tragicomedies, comédie-ballets are the stuff of legend.

‘Tartuffe’, ‘The Misanthrope’, ‘The Miser’ and ‘The School for Wives’ are but some of his classics.

His death was as dramatic as his life.  Molière suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis. One evening he collapsed on stage in a fit of coughing and haemorrhaging while performing in the last play he'd written, in which, ironically, he was playing the hypochondriac Argan, in ‘The Imaginary Invalid’.

Molière insisted on completing his performance.

Afterwards he collapsed again with another, larger haemorrhage and was taken home. Priests were sent for to administer the last rites. Two priests refused to visit. A third arrived too late.  On 17th February 1673, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, forever to be known as Molière, was pronounced dead in Paris. He was 51.

Index of Contents

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

SCENE: NAPLES.

THE IMPOSTURES OF SCAPIN (LES FOURBERIES DE SCAPIN)

ACT I

SCENE I

SCENE II

SCENE III

SCENE IV

SCENE V

SCENE VI

SCENE VII

ACT II

SCENE I

SCENE II

SCENE III

SCENE IV

SCENE V

SCENE VI

SCENE VII

SCENE VIII

SCENE IX

SCENE X

SCENE XI

SCENE XII

ACT III

SCENE I

SCENE II

SCENE III

SCENE IV

SCENE V

SCENE VI

SCENE VII

SCENE VIII

SCENE IX

SCENE X

SCENE XI

SCENE XII

SCENE XIII

SCENE XIV

MOLIÈRE – A SHORT BIOGRAPHY

MOLIÈRE – A CONCISE BIBLIOGRAPHY

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

ARGANTE, father to OCTAVE and ZERBINETTE.

GÉRONTE, father to LÉANDRE and HYACINTHA.

OCTAVE, son to ARGANTE, and lover to HYACINTHA.

LÉANDRE, son to GÉRONTE, and lover to ZERBINETTE.

ZERBINETTE, daughter to ARGANTE, believed to be a gypsy girl.

HYACINTHA, daughter to GÉRONTE.

SCAPIN, servant to LÉANDRE.

SILVESTRE, servant to OCTAVE.

NÉRINE, nurse to HYACINTHA.

CARLE.

TWO PORTERS.

SCENE: NAPLES.

THE IMPOSTURES OF SCAPIN (LES FOURBERIES DE SCAPIN)

ACT I

SCENE I

OCTAVE, SILVESTRE.

OCTAVE

Ah! what sad news for one in love! What a hard fate to be reduced to! So, Silvestre, you have just heard at the harbour that my father is coming back?

SILVESTRE

Yes.

OCTAVE

That he returns this very morning?

SILVESTRE

This very morning.

OCTAVE

With the intention of marrying me?

SILVESTRE

Of marrying you.

OCTAVE

To a daughter of Mr. Géronte?

SILVESTRE

Of Mr. Géronte.

OCTAVE

And that this daughter is on her way from Tarentum for that purpose?

SILVESTRE

For that purpose.

OCTAVE

And you have this news from my uncle?

SILVESTRE

From your uncle.

OCTAVE

To whom my father has given all these particulars in a letter?

SILVESTRE

In a letter.

OCTAVE

And this uncle, you say, knows all about our doings?

SILVESTRE

All our doings.

OCTAVE

Oh! speak, I pray you; don't go on in such a way as that, and force me to wrench everything from you, word by word.

SILVESTRE

But what is the use of my speaking? You don't forget one single detail, but state everything exactly as it is.

OCTAVE

At least advise me, and tell me what I ought to do in this wretched business.

SILVESTRE

I really feel as much perplexed as you, and I myself need the advice of some one to guide me.

OCTAVE

I am undone by this unforeseen return.

SILVESTRE

And I no less.

OCTAVE

When my father hears what has taken place, a storm of reprimands will burst upon me.

SILVESTRE

Reprimands are not very heavy to bear; would to heaven I were free at that price! But I am very likely to pay dearly for all your wild doings, and I see a storm of blows ready to burst upon my shoulders.

OCTAVE

Heavens! how am I to get clear of all the difficulties that beset my path!

SILVESTRE

You should have thought of that before entering upon it.

OCTAVE

Oh, don't come and plague me to death with your unreasonable lectures.

SILVESTRE

You plague me much more by your foolish deeds.

OCTAVE

What am I to do? What steps must I take? To what course of action have recourse?

SCENE II

OCTAVE, SCAPIN, SILVESTRE.

SCAPIN

How now, Mr. Octave? What is the matter with you? What is it? What trouble are