Overview
Le Bourgeois gentilhomme is a comedy-ballet by Molière featuring Monsieur Jourdain, a bourgeois aspiring to nobility, whose ignorance leads to comic interactions with artists, his family, and suitors. The story is punctuated by musical and dance interludes, satirizing social ambition and the desire for status.
Introduction to the Play
- Molière wrote and performed as Monsieur Jourdain, a bourgeois obsessed with becoming a gentleman.
- The play is characterized by its combination of prose, music by Lully, and dance scenes.
- Jourdain is visually distinguished by a pink sweater.
Jourdain and the Artists
- Musicians and a dance master depend on Jourdain's patronage.
- Jourdain's lack of artistic understanding is evident in his reactions to songs and performances.
- The gap between Jourdain and true connoisseurs of art is emphasized.
Lessons in Dancing, Music, Fencing, and Philosophy
- Jourdain seeks lessons to attain aristocratic polish, fixating on music, dance, and fencing.
- The masters of each discipline argue over the importance of their arts.
- A philosopher attempts to teach Jourdain logic, morals, and science, but Jourdain only wants superficial knowledge.
- Jourdain is delighted to discover he has been speaking prose his whole life.
Jourdain’s Social Climbing and Family
- Jourdain obsesses over fancy clothing and social titles.
- His wife and servant ridicule his pretensions, urging him to focus on his daughter Lucile's marriage prospects.
- Jourdain insists Lucile must marry a nobleman, dismissing suitor Cléonte for lacking a title.
Financial Manipulation and Deception
- The Count Dorante flatters and exploits Jourdain for loans, promising to help him meet the Marquise Dorimène.
- Dorante uses Jourdain’s resources to woo Dorimène, while Jourdain remains oblivious.
Lucile and Cléonte’s Romance
- Cléonte and Lucile love each other, but Jourdain’s demands for nobility are an obstacle.
- Covielle, Cléonte’s servant, devises a plan to present Cléonte as a Turkish nobleman—the son of the Grand Turk.
The Turkish Ceremony and Comic Resolution
- Jourdain is convinced he is being honored with the title “Mamamouchi” and that Lucile is marrying into Turkish royalty.
- A mock Turkish ceremony and dancing are staged, confusing Jourdain and amusing the household.
- Eventually, it is revealed to Madame Jourdain that Cléonte is the supposed “son of the Grand Turk,” leading to parental consent for the marriage.
Final Dance and Celebration
- The play closes with a comic and multicultural ballet, featuring performances in French, Spanish, and Italian, highlighting the farcical nature of Jourdain’s ambitions.
Decisions
- Jourdain refuses to let Lucile marry Cléonte unless he becomes a nobleman.
- Madame Jourdain consents to Lucile’s marriage once the Turkish ruse is explained.
- Jourdain is tricked into believing he is a Mamamouchi and consents to the marriage.
Action Items
- TBD – Covielle: Continue orchestrating the ruse to help Cléonte marry Lucile.
- TBD – Jourdain: Prepare for and participate in the Turkish ceremony.