Molière 
Tartuffe and Other Plays 

This work includes seven of the plays that accredited Molière as the greatest and best-loved French playwright of all times: ’The Pretentious Young Ladies, ’ ’The School for Husbands, ’ ’The School for Wives, ’ a comedy of infidelity and his first great success, ’The Critique of the School for Wives, ’ ’The Impromptu of Versailles, ’ ’Tartuffe, ’ a highly controversial play in its time, and ’Don Juan.’ Although ’Tartuffe’ was immediately censured and banned for several years after its appearance on the stage because of its strong focus on religious hypocrisy, it is considered today to be one of Molière’s masterworks. These plays are highly revered for their humor, imagination, and their keen observations of humanity. The actor and playwright realized early on that in order for comedy to be successful, it must have a basis in truth; in this way his plays emanate a sense of reality and universality that withstand the tests of time.