The Would Be Gentleman - Hardcover

by Moliere (Author)

The Would Be Gentleman is a comedic play written by French playwright Moliere. The story follows the character of Monsieur Jourdain, a wealthy but uneducated man who aspires to become a gentleman. Jourdain believes that by learning the manners and customs of the upper class, he can elevate himself to a higher social status. Throughout the play, Jourdain enlists the help of various tutors and coaches to teach him the ways of a gentleman, including fencing, dancing, and philosophy. However, his attempts are often comically misguided, and he ends up making a fool of himself in front of his friends and family. Meanwhile, Jourdain's daughter Lucile falls in love with a young man named Cleonte, who is not of noble birth. Jourdain disapproves of the match and tries to force Lucile to marry a wealthy but foolish suitor instead. The play is a satire on the social climbing and pretensions of the French aristocracy in the 17th century. Moliere uses humor and irony to critique the superficiality and vanity of those who believe that social status can be bought and learned. The Would Be Gentleman remains a popular and influential work in French literature and theater.1926. Adapted by F. Anstey. Moliere, whose real name was Jean Baptiste Poquelin, composed 12 of the most durable and penetratingly satirical full-length comedies of all time, some in rhyming verse, some in prose, as well as six shorter farces and comedies. He was also the leading French comic actor, stage director, and dramatic theoretician of the 17th century. The Would-Be Gentleman is a delightful expose of the world of the rich bourgeois aspiring to take a place in upper class society. The plot never fails to entertain. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.