Molière - Morieru (English spelling)

Japanese: モリエール - もりえーる（英語表記）Molière

French playwright and actor. His real name was Jean-Baptiste Poquelin. He was born in Paris on January 15th as the eldest son of a wealthy interior decorator. He received one of the best educations available to the children of townspeople at the time, but when he finished his studies he met the actress Madeleine Béjart (1618-73), and after abandoning his family business he formed the famous theater company Illustre Théâtre, his first step into the world of theater. Unable to keep up with the audience numbers, the company disbanded, and Molière and his comrades set out on a tour of southern France. Under the patronage of local aristocrats, the company traveled around central and southwestern France for over a dozen years, gradually growing in strength and becoming a leading regional theater company based in Lyon. During this time, Molière distinguished himself as a theater company manager, and is believed to have acquired acting techniques and dramatism that were derived from Italian improvisational theater. In 1658, he returned to Paris with the title of "His Royal Brother's Théâtre", and was allowed to use the royal-owned Petit Bourbon Theater because the performance he performed in front of Louis XIV pleased the king. In the following year, he established his foothold with the success of his innovative satirical play "A Woman of Talent", which was a comical drama, and then further increased his fame with "The School for Wives" (1662), which was the pinnacle of this period, thanks to the creation of a unique character called Arnolphe. Molière was awarded a pension by the king as a "great dramatic poet". During this time, the troupe moved to the Palais Royal Theater, where it remained for the rest of his life. It was around this time (1662) that Molière married Armande Béjart (1642?-1700), an actress of his troupe who was 20 years younger than him (said to be either Madeleine's sister or daughter).

[Junichi Imura]

Success and struggle

Molière's achievement was to elevate comedy, which had been considered a genre lower than tragedy. His style can be summarized as accurate portrayal of characters and customs, development that prioritizes pleasing the audience, and a penchant for character and psychological drama that seeks to recognize the drama within the characters. He also had his own views on acting and recitation, rejecting the exaggeration seen in tragic actors of established theater companies and emphasizing natural vocalization and natural acting. Based on these theories, Molière fought against the old powers of the theater and literary world who attacked the new type of comedy "The School for Wives," in two works, "Criticism of the School for Wives" (1663) and "Impromptues at Versailles" (1663). His masterpieces, which embodied these arguments and announced the completion of classical comedy, were "Tartuffe" (1664) and "The Misanthrope" (1666).

In May 1664, Louis XIV held a week-long festival called "Les Amants de l'Isle" at the new palace of Versailles, and commissioned Molière and the composer Lully to be in charge of the plays and music. Tartuffe (three acts) was included in this event (though the five-act version of Tartuffe that remains today premiered at the Palais Royal in 1667). This work, which has a theme of false believers, provoked the Church, which held great power at the time, especially the Jesuit-affiliated society "Confraternity of the Sacrament," and it was immediately banned after one performance in 1667, and permission to perform it again was not granted until 1669. Molière's critical eye, which was focused on those who tried to distort human nature, thus forced him into conflict with the Church. His indignation towards hypocrites also strongly lingers in Don Juan (1665), written in a hurry to fill the gap left by this punishment, and in The Misanthrope, published the following year. Both of these two works, which came after Tartuffe, are major works in which the protagonist's character is strongly emphasized, but their structures are in contrast to each other. Don Juan ignores the law of three unities, which is particularly important in classical dramatic theory, and adopts a unique format in which various scenes unfold around the master-servant duo Don Juan and Sganarelle. In contrast, The Misanthrope uses the most classical method, completely rejecting comic techniques and focusing on the protagonist's psychological movements.

[Junichi Imura]

Later years

The works he produced in his later years were very diverse, and rather than moving in the direction of serious comedies such as "Tartuffe" and "The Misanthrope," he seemed to be leaning more towards light-hearted comedies with a stylized theatrical structure. His main works include "The Doctor Reluctantly" (1666), based on a medieval fabliau; "Amphitryon" (1668), which alludes to the court in the form of Greek mythology; "The Nobleman" (1670), a representative comedy-ballet of Lully's; and "The Mischief of Scapin" (1671), which recreates an Italian-style comedy with a balanced composition. "The Miser" (1668), which depicts a typical example of a miser, and "The Scholar" (1672), a social satire that revisits the so-called gifted woman from "The Talented Woman," are both notable for their large-scale productions. Among these, the most prominent plot is the love between young people (son, daughter) who oppose the patriarchy (parents) and the servant who helps them, a theme that has been present since "Tartuffe," and this pattern drives the drama in an ever-increasingly tight form. Moliere's last work was a medical satire comedy, "Diseases from the Mind." Moliere played the lead role despite a chronic chest illness, but on the fourth day of the performance, February 17, 1673, he was struck by a coughing fit during the performance and collapsed after finishing the stage. He was taken home, but it is said that he died after coughing up a large amount of blood.

After Molière's death, his widow Armande led her actors to move to the Théâtre de Guénégaux, but in 1680, by order of the King, the troupe merged with the rival Hôtel de Bourgogne to form the new "King's Théâtre". This was the predecessor of the current National Theatre Comédie-Française (also known as the House of Molière). Molière's works have been repeatedly performed as the most important repertoire of this theatre to this day, and this acclaim is evidence that his works, backed by the good sense and critical spirit of the author who had a keen eye for the customs of the time, depict universal human images that transcend time.

[Junichi Imura]

"The Complete Works of Molière, translated by Suzuki Rikiei, 4 volumes (1973, Chuokoron-Shinsha)" ▽ "The Masterpieces of Molière, translated by Suzuki Rikiei et al. (1951, Hakusuisha)" ▽ "Collection of Farces of Molière, translated by Arinaga Hiroto et al. (1959, Hakusuisha)" ▽ "The History of the Establishment of French Classical Comedy - A Study of Molière, by Obase Takuzo (1970, Hosei University Press)" ▽ "Molière - Times and Thought, by Obase Takuzo (1949, Nippon Hyoronsha)" ▽ "The Dramaturgy of Molière, by Obase Takuzo (1957, Hakusuisha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

フランスの劇作家、俳優。本名ジャン・バチスト・ポクランJean-Baptiste Poquelin。1月15日、富裕な室内装飾業者の長男としてパリに生まれる。当時の町人の子弟としては最高に近い教育を受けたが、学業を終えるころ女優マドレーヌ・ベジャールMadeleine Béjart（1618―73）と知り合い、家業を放擲(ほうてき)して「盛名劇団」Illustre Théâtreを結成し演劇への第一歩を踏み出した。劇団は客足を支えきれずに解散し、モリエールは同志とともに南フランス巡業の旅に出る。地方貴族の庇護(ひご)を仰ぎつつ十数年にわたってフランス中部・南西部を移動する間、劇団はしだいに実力を増し、リヨンに本拠を置く有力な地方劇団に成長する。モリエールはこの間劇団経営者として頭角を現し、同時にイタリア即興劇の系統を引く演技術・作劇法を身につけたものと推定される。1658年「王弟殿下の劇団」の肩書を得てパリに帰り、ルイ14世の前で演じた舞台が国王の意にかなったため、王室所有のプチ・ブルボン劇場の使用を許される。翌59年、笑劇仕立ての斬新(ざんしん)な風刺劇『才女気取り』の成功により地歩を築き、ついでアルノルフArnolpheという個性的な人物の創造によりこの期の頂点をなした『女房学校』（1662）によって名声を高めた。モリエールは「優れた劇詩人」の資格で国王より年金を賜る。この間一座はパレ・ロアイヤル劇場に移り、ここを終生の本拠とする。モリエールが20歳年下の一座の女優アルマンド・ベジャールArmande Béjart（1642？―1700）（マドレーヌの妹とも娘ともいわれる）と結婚したのもこのころ（1662）であった。

［井村順一］

成功と闘いの時代

モリエールの功績は、それまで悲劇よりも一段低いジャンルとみなされていた喜劇の地位を高めたことにある。その作法は、人物・風俗の的確な描写、観客を喜ばせることを第一義に置く展開、人物の内面にドラマを認めようとする性格・心理劇への志向、に要約されよう。演技・朗唱法についても独自の見解をもち、既成劇団の悲劇俳優にみられる誇張を排し、自然な発声法、わざとらしさのない演技を強調している。新しい型の喜劇『女房学校』に攻撃の矢を向けた劇壇・文壇の旧勢力に対抗し、モリエールはこうした自説をもとに、『女房学校批判』（1663）、『ベルサイユの即興劇』（1663）二作によって論陣を張った。これらの主張を具現し、古典喜劇の完成を告げた傑作が『タルチュフ』（1664）および『人間嫌い』（1666）である。

　1664年5月、ルイ14世は新宮殿ベルサイユにおいて1週間にわたるフェスティバル「魔法の島の歓楽」を催し、モリエールと作曲家リュリに演劇、音楽を担当させた。この催しに『タルチュフ』（三幕）が参加している（ただし今日に残る五幕物『タルチュフ』のパレ・ロアイヤル劇場初演は1667年）。にせ信者を主題にしたこの作品は、当時絶大な権力を握っていた教会側、とくにイエズス会系の結社「聖体秘蹟(ひせき)協会」を刺激し、67年、1回の公演ののちただちに上演禁止処分に付され、続演許可は69年になるまで下りなかった。人間の自然をゆがめようとするものに注がれるモリエールの批判の目は、こうして教会勢力との対立を余儀なくされたのである。偽善者への憤激は、この処分による穴を埋めるために急遽(きゅうきょ)書かれた『ドン・ジュアン』（1665）や、その翌年発表された『人間嫌い』のなかにも強く後を引いている。『タルチュフ』のあとのこの二作はともに主人公の性格が強く打ち出されている大作だが、その構成は対照的で、『ドン・ジュアン』では古典劇理論のなかでもことに重要な三一致の法則が無視され、ドン・ジュアン‐スガナレルDon Juan-Sganarelleという主従のコンビを軸にさまざまな局面が展開されるという特異な形式をとっている。これに対し『人間嫌い』は、笑劇的手法を極度に排し、主人公の心理の動きを中心に据えるというもっとも古典主義的な方法によっているのである。

［井村順一］

晩年

晩年の諸作品は多彩であり、傾向としては、『タルチュフ』『人間嫌い』に代表される本格喜劇の方向よりもむしろ、劇構成の様式化を目ざした軽快な喜劇への志向がうかがえる。おもな作品としては、中世のファブリオーに材を仰いだ『いやいやながら医者にされ』（1666）、ギリシア神話の体裁で宮廷の暗喩(あんゆ)を行った『アンフィトリヨン』（1668）、リュリ作曲のコメディ・バレエを代表する『町人貴族』（1670）、イタリア風笑劇を均斉のとれた構図で再現した『スカパンの悪だくみ』（1671）。また吝嗇漢(りんしょくかん)の典型を描いた『守銭奴』（1668）と、『才女気取り』で扱ったいわゆる才女をふたたび取り上げた社会風刺劇『女学者』（1672）はともに大規模な作品として注目される。これらのなかでとくに目だつ筋立ては、家長権（親）に対抗する若者（息子、娘）の恋とそれを助ける召使い、という『タルチュフ』以来のテーマで、この図式はますます緊密な形をとってドラマを動かしている。医学風刺の喜劇『病は気から』がモリエールの最後の作となった。持病の胸部疾患をおして主人公を演じたモリエールは、公演の4日目、1673年2月17日、演技中咳(せき)の発作に襲われ、舞台を勤め上げるとそのまま倒れ、自宅に運ばれたが大量の喀血(かっけつ)ののち息を引き取ったといわれる。

　モリエールの死後、未亡人アルマンドは俳優たちを率いゲネゴー座に移ったが、一座は1680年国王の命により、対抗勢力であったオテル・ド・ブルゴーニュ座と合併し、ここに新たに「国王の劇団」が結成された。現在の国立劇場コメディ・フランセーズ（一名、モリエールの家）の前身である。モリエールの作品は以後現在に至るまでこの劇場のもっとも重要なレパートリーとして上演を繰り返されているが、こうした評価は、時の風俗に鋭敏な目を向けた作者の良識と批判精神に裏づけられた諸作品が時代を超えた普遍的人間像を描いていることの証左であろう。

［井村順一］

『鈴木力衛訳『モリエール全集』全4巻（1973・中央公論社）』▽『鈴木力衛他訳『モリエール名作集』（1951・白水社）』▽『有永弘人他訳『モリエール笑劇集』（1959・白水社）』▽『小場瀬卓三著『フランス古典喜劇成立史――モリエール研究』（1970・法政大学出版局）』▽『小場瀬卓三著『モリエール――時代と思想』（1949・日本評論社）』▽『小場瀬卓三著『モリエールのドラマツルギー』（1957・白水社）』