Le Médecin malgré lui
Encyclopedia
Le Médecin malgré lui (The Doctor in spite of himself/The Mock Doctor) is a comedy by Molière
.
, even though, as an alcoholic
woodcutter, he has no idea what a doctor should know. In turn, he helps a girl who has "lost" her voice as well as her lover.
and the four humors. Since Sganarelle is an almost complete ignorant, he even manages to mix up which side the heart
and the liver
are on (the heart is on the left, the liver is on the right).
It is also believed that he was forced to write this after his previous play, Le Misanthrope
, turned out to be a commercial flop, despite the fact that The Misanthrope is one of his best known works.
. It was adapted by Henry Fielding
as The Mock Doctor
.
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
.
Characters
- Sganarelle, a woodcutter
- Martine, Sganarelle's wife
- Géronte, a wealthy bourgeois
- Lucinde, Géronte's daughter
- Léandre, Lucinde's lover
- Valère, Géronte's valet
- Lucas, Géronte's servant
- Jacqueline, Lucas' wife
- Monsieur Robert, Sganarelle's neighbor
Synopsis
Sganarelle is mistaken for a reputable doctorPhysician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, even though, as an alcoholic
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
woodcutter, he has no idea what a doctor should know. In turn, he helps a girl who has "lost" her voice as well as her lover.
Why did Molière write this?
A widely-accepted theory as to why Molière wrote this play is that he wanted to make fun of the practices of doctors at the time, such as leechingLeeching
*In pre-scientific medicine, leeching was an alternative form of bloodletting in which "bad" blood would be removed via leeches instead of by bleeding...
and the four humors. Since Sganarelle is an almost complete ignorant, he even manages to mix up which side the heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
and the liver
Liver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
are on (the heart is on the left, the liver is on the right).
It is also believed that he was forced to write this after his previous play, Le Misanthrope
Le Misanthrope
The Misanthrope is a 17th-century comedy of manners in verse written by Molière. It was first performed on 4 June 1666 at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal, Paris by the King's Players....
, turned out to be a commercial flop, despite the fact that The Misanthrope is one of his best known works.
See also
Darren wrote an opera based on Molière's play, also entitled Le médecin malgré luiLe médecin malgré lui (opera)
Le médecin malgré lui is an opéra comique in three acts by Charles Gounod to a French libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré after Molière's play, also entitled Le Médecin malgré lui.-Performance history:It premiered at the Théâtre Lyrique, Paris on 15 January 1858...
. It was adapted by Henry Fielding
Henry Fielding
Henry Fielding was an English novelist and dramatist known for his rich earthy humour and satirical prowess, and as the author of the novel Tom Jones....
as The Mock Doctor
The Mock Doctor
The Mock Doctor: or The Dumb Lady Cur'd is a play by Henry Fielding and first ran on 23 June 1732 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. It served as a replacement for The Covent-Garden Tragedy and became the companion play to The Old Debauchees...
.