Dom Juan by Molière / Molière   Molière The date of birth of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin known as Molière is not precisely identified, it being only certain that he was baptised on January 15, 1622. Descended from the family of a bourgeois upholsterer, the young Molière has his future planned, logically following his father who is then “ Upholsterer in ordinary to the King's household ”. He studies in Paris until 1642, then reads law at Orleans but suddenly abandons his career in 1643 to create “ L'illustre théâtre ”, more fascinated by the art of the stage than by trade. This troupe settles in Paris, but meets with little success, and from 1645 Molière begins the career of a roving actor in the provinces. In 1652, while in Pézenas, in the south of France , he receives the protection of the Prince de Conti, brother of the Grand Condé, a licentious gentleman and erudite patron. The troupe then divides its time between its base in Lyons, and the Languedoc until 1657, when Conti converts and withdraws his protection. In 1658, Molière returns to Paris and events start to move very rapidly. The same year, he gives his first performance before the young Louis XIV who grants him the use of the Palace of the Petit Bourbon to share with the Italian Comedians. The following year, he creates his character of Sganarelle, the craven, comic and daring valet who becomes his alter ego. In 1662, his play L'École des femmes, meets with immense success, re-establishing a genre then little used on the French stage: the comedy.. His refusal of conventions is the origin of violent criticism but pleases the King and the year 1664 reflects all the ambiguity of this situation. Louis XIV underscores his protection when he becomes godfather to his first son, but is also forced to ban his play Tartuffe, following the cabal of the churchgoers. The year 1665 is sombre, even though he is named head of the King's Troupe, because his Dom Juan is also withdrawn from the stage, his health is failing and he quarrels with Racine. With the creation of the Misanthrope in 1666, Molière completes his trilogy on the theme of hypocrisy and decides to abandon topics of a social or political nature. The following years, he takes to lighter comedies and farces such as Les Fourberies de Scapin, the Bourgeois gentilhomme or the Malade imaginaire. He dies during the fourth performance of this last play, in 1679.