French Literature Reviews - 2026

Boris Donné, Molière
Writers: Biography, Letters and Memoirs

Dom Juan, Tartuffe, The Miser, The Misanthrope, or The Imaginary Invalid: Molière’s characters are so famous that they have become archetypes. But who was Molière himself, truly? Beyond the legends, myths, and rumors surrounding his life and death, what do we actually know about the man—born Jean-Baptiste Poquelin four centuries ago—who hid behind this pseudonym?

An actor, a controversial author, a courtier to the Sun King, and a towering figure of the Grand Siècle, Molière managed to keep his secrets well guarded. What joys and sorrows shaped his sensibility? Where did his biting perspective on the comedy of human life originate? We must examine both historical documents and his theatrical works to catch a glimpse of his ambitions, passions, and religious and philosophical convictions.

Molière between light and shadow: this book reveals the profoundly human dimension of a body of work that continues to fascinate us.

A graduate of the École Normale Supérieure, holder of the agrégation, and Doctor ès Lettres, Boris Donné teaches 17th-century French literature at the University of Avignon. He has devoted numerous scholarly works to Molière.

Seventeenth-century French literature developed within a vibrant theatrical culture supported by the royal court and shaped by intense artistic and moral debates. Playwrights of this period navigated strict censorship, shifting patronage systems, and the demands of public performance while creating works that examined human behavior and social conventions. Boris Donné teaches 17th-century French literature at the University of Avignon and has devoted numerous scholarly works to Molière, examining the life and work of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin.

Readers interested in seventeenth-century French drama and theatrical history may find this biography relevant. Molière's characters have become archetypes, and the volume examines both historical documents and theatrical works to reveal the profoundly human dimension of a body of work that continues to fascinate us.