Molière

1622–1673 · French (Paris) · French Classical Period

Known for: The greatest French comic playwright—Tartuffe, The Misanthrope, The Imaginary Invalid

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin abandoned a comfortable bourgeois life to become an actor and playwright—then scandalous professions. He toured the provinces for 13 years before conquering Paris with comedies that were fearless in satirizing hypocrisy. Tartuffe (targeting religious charlatans) was banned for five years; The Misanthrope dissected social pretension; The Imaginary Invalid mocked the medical profession.

He was personally charming, politically shrewd (he had Louis XIV's protection), and emotionally turbulent—his marriage to a much younger actress was unhappy and scandalous. He collapsed on stage during a performance of The Imaginary Invalid and died hours later—the most theatrical death in theatrical history.

Browse all 1,000 figures by category

Enable JavaScript to view the full "if they lived today" Q&A and personality profile.