By Alysa Salzberg
Molière seems like the quintessential actor and playwright. In addition to penning works that have become classics (among them, “The Miser,” “The Misanthrope,” “Tartuffe”), his death is the stuff of theatrical legend: In 1673, suffering from what was probably pulmonary tuberculosis, Molière fought through a coughing fit to finish a performance of his “The Imaginary Invalid” before dying a few hours later.
But though he lived for, and more or less died on, the stage, he wasn’t supposed to go into theater at all. Born Jean-Baptiste Poquelin in 1622, with his father’s connections to the royal court and a quality education, it seemed pretty certain he would become a lawyer or even gain a position under the King of France. But he listened to his heart and left all that to found a theater troupe. At the time, theater was seen as blasphemous; actors weren’t even allowed to be buried in sacred ground. In order not to bring shame to his family, Poquelin changed his name to Molière.
First an actor, Molière soon began writing plays. Though he did pen tragedies, he quickly became known for his comedies. He eventually caught the attention of Louis XIV, who became patron of his troupe. With their honest language and mockery of things like hypocrisy, quack doctors, and zealots, Molière’s plays frequently offended certain people – but the king’s patronage protected the writer, and allowed him to go on creating, uncensored. Well…except for when it came to “Tartuffe.”
When the first three acts of “Tartuffe” were performed at a sumptuous party at Versailles in 1664, the play caused a scandal. A lucid critique of religious hypocrisy, it was seen as offensive by the Roman Catholic Church as well as by a portion of the upper class and nobility. It has been suggested that some members of the latter may just have found themselves in a similar situation as the play’s character Orgon, who houses, feeds and is willing to give everything to Tartuffe, a man he considers pious, wise, and incorruptible, but whom everyone else around him can see is abusing his hospitality (Tartuffe even commits the no-no of trying to seduce Orgon’s wife). The Church quickly denounced the play, and public performances were forbidden. Even reading it was a sin.
Outraged, Molière wrote prefaces to the play, explaining that he wasn’t criticizing religion itself but hypocrisy. He wrote to the king, begging him to let the play be performed. He even re-vamped it, calling it “The Impostor” and changing Tartuffe’s name and appearance. The Church was a powerful entity, and Louis XIV, great promoter of the divine right of kings, had to be careful about challenging its authority. Still, the king believed in Molière. Louis loved the performing arts and was known to dance in the ballets and musical interludes presented at his court. When five years had passed and the dust had settled, he allowed “Tartuffe” to be performed again.
Today, “Tartuffe” has an honored place in French culture. In addition to being a satire with some bitingly funny moments, for many French people, it represents freedom of expression. It’s also a play that has remained extremely pertinent, in many countries.
Like most of Molière’s works, “Tartuffe” transcends time. But it also evokes a different era, that of the golden age of Versailles. Originally a small royal hunting lodge, Versailles became the magnificent palace we know under Molière’s patron, Louis XIV. Every day, courtiers would attend ceremonies that reminded them the King was the center of their universe. They witnessed him wake up, watched him eat, and saw him retire for the night. In between those ceremonies, the country was governed, favors were asked, and there was often time for entertainment. At times, there were extravagant parties featuring music, dancing, fireworks—and plays by Molière.
Around this time, theater in Versailles took on a new role – or rather, the nobles did. Louis XVI’s wife, Marie-Antoinette, had a hard time fitting in at the French court. In addition, with bad harvests, Enlightenment-inspired theories of human rights and liberty, and the model of the American Revolution on their minds, the people of France were growing more and more discontent, and the foreign-born queen was often a target of their ire. She found solace in Le Petit Trianon, a small building on the palace grounds, hidden from view. Here, she could live more simply, with a few servants, her children, and only those courtiers she invited. Not far from the residence, a small village was constructed. In this idealized setting, the queen and her friends pretended to be peasants or shepherds. At night, they would return to Le Petit Trianon, and perform plays in its small, lavishly decorated theater.
Enraged by the scarcity and high price of bread, in 1789 an angry mob of women stormed Versailles. The royal family was forced to return to Paris. The palace and other buildings on its grounds were pillaged.
Today, Versailles has recovered its splendor. About 30 minutes from the city by train, it’s absolutely worth visiting if you’re in Paris. The sheer size of the main palace instantly makes you understand the formidable wealth and power of the monarchy, and walking through its ornate corridors is a fascinating and impressive experience. The Hall of Mirrors is especially striking—as much for its beauty, as for the memory of the historic events that happened there.
But Versailles’ real treasures are lesser-known. The gardens, with their beautiful fountains, look as they did in their heyday. You can spend hours strolling through them. Le Petit Trianon and L’Hameau, Marie-Antoinette’s “village”—collectively called “Le Domaine de la Reine” (“The Queen’s Domain”) have also been restored, and are open to the public (be sure you purchase a ticket that includes entry to this part of the palace grounds). A visit here shows you a different kind of beauty. The buildings are on a much smaller scale, and the lovely gardens, the grotto, and L’Hameau are like something out of Disneyworld.
Although it’s been restored to look as it did in Marie-Antoinette’s time, few of the original furnishings or artifacts remain here. But some have survived: farm implements gaily decorated with garlands and ribbons. Historians say these weren’t actually used as tools, but were props in the plays Marie-Antoinette and her friends performed in Le Petit Trianon’s theater.
Versailles and its grounds are lovely year-round, but the best time to visit is probably April or May, when the spring flowers are blooming. If you can’t get there in person, there are many wonderful films and books about it – including Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film “Marie Antoinette,” based on Antonia Fraser’s biography, Marie Antoinette: The Journey. Both helped revive interest in the queen and in her famous royal home.
As for Molière, editions of his plays can be found in bookstores or at your local library. You can also read most of them for free online or on your e-reader. But if it’s live theater you want, you’re in luck: The Westport Country Playhouse is staging an English-language production of “Tartuffe,” featuring Tony Award-nominee Marc Kudisch in the titular role. Running until August 4, it’s sure to be a memorable performance of a very funny, very important play.
Alysa Salzberg is a writer and teacher living in Paris. Her wildly popular Open Salon blog features charming posts on Parisian life that are frequent “Editor’s Picks.” She is also Editor-in-Chief of Beguile, a literary e-zine.
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