Moliere’s work “The Misanthrope” talks about the sincerity of human’s emotions. In a world where honesty is a virtue but also an illusion everything is based on corruption, lies, money and the author wants to make us believe those who speak the truth.
Moliere deeply believes that only on truth can one base his life. Alcesle did not understand that the social life demanded compromise and adjustment next to virtues. He couldn’t make all of that happen so he became a loner.
Summary
First act
Here we meet Alcesle and Philinte. They get into a fight because their opinions about friendship differ. Philinte thought that friendship is possible with all the people that are good while Alcesle believed that friendship is built step by step with the people we choose.
Oronte joins them and he has great respect for Alcesle so he gives him his hand of friendship and askas for his opinion on some of his poems. Alcesle found the poems to be worthless and suggests to Oronte to give up poetry. Oronte was offended and he left immediately.
Second act
Alcesle fussed about the number of Celimene’s courtiers. Celimena explained that it wasn’t her fault and that the number didn’t depend on her. They got into a fight and Alcesle told her to choose between him and her courtiers.
Acaste and his friend joined them while discussing the behavior of high society members. Alcesle told them it wasn’t nice to make fun of somebody’s characteristics. Then a guard came for him, but Alcesle had no idea why.
Third act
The marquises, Celimene’s courtiers, agree that they’ll move from each other’s way when Celimene pickes one. Celimene is visited by Arsinoe that tell her how many people have a bad opinion about her because of the number of her courtiers. She was actually jealous at Celimene for being young and beautiful. Celimene told her she should mind her own business.
Fourth act
Alcesle is bitter and goes to visit Celimene. He encountered Eliante and Philinte who talked about love and declared their love for one another. Alcesle brought letter that prove Celimene’s infidelity. Celimene told him she loved him but then his servant interrupted them. He told Alcesle that he needs to run out of town because he will end up in jail for insulting the poet.
Fifth act
ASlcesle tells Philinte his plan. He was going to leave the society but before that he wanted to test Celimene’s love for him. He went to her house where he found Acaste and Oronte demanding Celimene to choose one of them. The marquises arrived then with a letter in which Celimene made fun of her courtiers. Alcesle was repulsed by that letter and Celimene, even though he still loved her and wanted to marry her.
Celimene told him she is scared of marriage and that she would feel alone in one. Alcesle was deeply hurt by that so he left her and didn’t want to hear about her ever again.
Genre: play, comedy with 5 acts
Place: Celimene’s house, Paris
Time: the beginning of 17th century
Charachters: Alcesle, Oronte, Philinte, Celimene, Acaste, Arsinoe, Eliante…
Charachter analysis
Alcesle – sensitive, loves Celimene and through the play he only wants to be with her. In the beginning he fought for her in spite of her courtiers but in the end when she admitted to be afraid of marriage he left her.
Celimene – beautiful young lady with many courtiers. She seemed indecisive but she, deep down inside, loved Alcesle.
About the author: Jean Baptiste Poqelin Moliere