Molière

1622 – 1673 · died at about 51^[1][2]

Literature

Fun Facts About Molière

• Molière is said to be the origin of the theater superstition that green brings actors bad luck, from the color of the clothes he wore when he died.^[1]
• Molière was a stage name: born Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, he likely changed his name to spare his father the shame of having an actor in the family.^[1]
• Molière's first theater troupe ran up such large debts that he spent 24 hours in prison.^[1]
• King Louis XIV himself appeared in Molière's work, playing the part of an Egyptian in Le Mariage forcé in 1664.^[1][3][4]
• Molière was taken ill on stage while playing a hypochondriac in his last play, The Imaginary Invalid; he finished the performance and died a few hours later.^[1]
• Molière's influence is so great that French is often called the language of Molière.^[1]
• Molière was alive at the same time as Francis Bacon — their lives overlapped for 4 years (1622–1626).^[1][2][5][6]
• Molière shares a birthday with Martin Luther King Jr.: both were born on January 15.^[1][2][7][8]

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the great writers in the French language and world literature. His extant works include comedies, farces, tragicomedies, comédie-ballets, and more. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed at the Comédie-Française more often than those of any other playwright today. His influence is such that the French language is often referred to as the "language of Molière".^[1]

Contemporaries

Rembrandt

47 yr overlap

John Locke

41 yr overlap

Johannes Vermeer

41 yr overlap

Christopher Wren

41 yr overlap

Baruch Spinoza

41 yr overlap

Blaise Pascal

39 yr overlap

Diego Velázquez

38 yr overlap

Oliver Cromwell

36 yr overlap

Louis XIV

35 yr overlap

Isaac Newton

30 yr overlap

Matsuo Bashō

29 yr overlap

René Descartes

28 yr overlap

Their World

Questions About Molière

When was Molière born?

Molière was born on January 15, 1622, and died on February 17, 1673.

How old was Molière at death?

Molière was born on January 15, 1622, and died on February 17, 1673, at age 51.

What was Molière known for?

Molière was known for: French playwright and actor. Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the great writers in the French language and world literature. His extant works include comedies, farces, tragicomedies, comédie-ballets, and more. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed at the Comédie-Française more often than those of any other playwright today. His influence is such that the French language is often referred to as the "language of Molière".

Who was alive at the same time as Molière?

Molière's closest contemporary was Rembrandt. Their lives overlapped for 47 years.