From his play Tartuffe....

• Couvrez ce sein que je ne saurais voir.
  Par de pareils objets les âmes sont blessées.
• 
  
  • Cover that bosom that I must not see:
    Souls are wounded by such things.
• 
  
  • Act III, sc. ii

Molière

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin
Portrait of Molière by Nicolas Mignard
Born	January 15, 1622(1622-01-15) Paris, France
Died	February 17, 1673 (aged 51) Paris, France
Pen name	Molière
Occupation	playwright
Nationality	French
Writing period	1645-1673
Genres	Comedy
Notable work(s)	Tartuffe; The Misanthrope; The Learned Women; The School for Wives
Spouse(s)	Armande Béjart
Domestic partner(s)	Madeleine Béjart
Influences[show] Commedia dell'arte

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French literature portal

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, also known by his stage name, Molière, (January 15, 1622 – February 17, 1673) was a French playwright and actor who is considered one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature.^[1] Among Molière's best-known dramas are Le Misanthrope, (The Misanthrope), L'Ecole des femmes (The School for Wives), Tartuffe ou l'Imposteur, (Tartuffe or the Hypocrite), L'Avare ou l'École du mensonge (The Miser), Le Malade imaginaire (The Imaginary Invalid), and Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (The Bourgeois Gentleman).

From a prosperous family and having studied at the Jesuit Clermont College (now Lycée Louis-le-Grand), Molière was well suited to begin a life in the theatre. Thirteen years as an itinerant actor helped to polish his comic abilities while he also began writing, combining Commedia dell'Arte elements with the more refined French comedy.^[2]