Have you read Molière? If so, when? High school? College? Grad school? Alone?

[Barb D]

When/why do people read Molière? Only if they're studying French lit? Or under some other circumstances?

[errantruth]

Really? I read him because he's Moliere, ie he's a name I know and I assume it must be for a reason. Read him alone, for fun. :) What makes you ask?

[Barb D]

What makes you ask?

I'm thinking about referencing a Molière play in my WIP, and need to know how obscure he is. My earlier WIP referenced Hamlet, which every high school student reads, so it didn't need much introduction/background info.

[ChristineR]

I read him because I read a lot of plays, especially when I was doing theater. It was just a general thing. I've seen several different performances of Moliere as well, and have always enjoyed them even more than the reading.

I'm kind of geeky though...

[Soccer Mom]

I read him in both high school and college. Tartuffe is a fairly popular to do as a one act play for high school drama.

[alleycat]

I'm thinking about referencing a Molière play in my WIP, and need to know how obscure he is. My earlier WIP referenced Hamlet, which every high school student reads, so it didn't need much introduction/background info.
I would think Molière is fairly obscure in the US for most people. However, it wouldn't take much to get across who he is; something like " Molière, the famed playwright who wrote the comedy Tartuffe . . . "

[marie2]

I read The Miser and Tartuffe in high school. 10th grade to be more specific.

[Puma]

US, college, World Literature class, The Doctor in Spite of Himself - ages ago.

[KTC]

I read his works in grade 9. Just for fun. And again as an adult. I never read him for school.


ETA: My favourite was Tartuffe.

[KTC]

I'm thinking about referencing a Molière play in my WIP, and need to know how obscure he is. My earlier WIP referenced Hamlet, which every high school student reads, so it didn't need much introduction/background info.

I think he's widely known. I couldn't imagine anybody having a problem with the reference.

[Robin]

We read Tartuffe in senior English. Our teacher was playing Dorine in a local production at the time.

[Higgins]

I would think Molière is fairly obscure in the US for most people. However, it wouldn't take much to get across who he is; something like " Molière, the famed playwright who wrote the comedy Tartuffe . . . "

He could appear in a dream...dying of a hemorage...spouting his name in vain:

Mol...Mol...Mol...Mol...ieaire

And your MC could say, "I had the strangest dream. Some dude in a thick, smelling wig, dying in filty stairway...saying something about Moles or Mole Aire..."

And your villaine could say, "Oh Molieire. Accent aigu? The word with the accent going the other way means pickled squid in Timor."

Timor? Says your MC you mean Timor Mortis?

Villaine: Did you know him? Tim R. Morris?

MC: Did he live in DC? Drove a Galaxy?

Villaine: Was he a Milk Man?

MC: He was in the Milk Men when they were still a psychodelic band.

[ChaosTitan]

We performed "The Miser" as our fall play my sophomore year in high school. I never studied it, but I saw it over and over and over....

[bagels]

Read him in high school and college. Also know that, at least over ten years, ago some of his plays were popular on the high school theatre circuit.

[ideagirl]

When/why do people read Molière? Only if they're studying French lit? Or under some other circumstances?

I first read him in college, because I was studying French lit. I liked him a lot, and sought out more to read on my own.

[vixey]

I read him in high school because I took 5 years of French. I read him in French and went to see one of his plays performed in French.

*shrugs* I got extra credit! :D

Oh...and he's funny!

[errantruth]

Huh. I was never taught him in school, and only recently saw him mentioned in the newspaper because two shorts are going to be produced here. How embarrassing, and I'm in New York. Perhaps I'm just not so plugged into Moliere. I read him in my mid-20s purely because I was aware he was "a classic." Enjoyed him and all, realized how he totally molded certain things in theater, etc, but at least for me and my friends, I don't know how well-known he is. Apparently things have changed since I was growing up a dunce. :)

[TheAntar]

I certainly wouldn't get a single reference. While I'd heard the author's name before, I certainly have never heard the titles of those plays mentioned, let alone what happens within their pages.

[Ken]

I first read him in college ... I liked him a lot, and sought out more to read on my own.

... same here.

[IceCreamEmpress]

I'm pretty sure we read Tartuffe in high school French. (US, rural MA public school, early 1980s.)

[Hettie]

Read something... in college... cannot remember what though... one of my Lit classes... Not Kafka... not that silly Penelope thing??? What was it?

[jilly61]

I read 'the miser' whilst studying French Lit. in college.

[Beyondian]

I've read his short plays and am looking at getting more. He's fantastic. I love him And I read him for fun (but then I also read Shakespeare for fun, so don't use me as a representative of normal 20-somethings).

There was a film out a year or so ago about him and part of his life. It seemed to be pretty popular, so I doubt he's too obscure right now.

[beezle]

Not until College.

[girlyswot]

I've never read him but I've seen a school production of The Misanthrope when I was about 16, I think. I'd certainly recognise his name and a handful of his titles but not to know much more about him than that.

I think it depends on the kind of book you're writing. If it's high literary fiction, go for it. But be aware that most of the reading public won't get the references unless you help them out a bit.