The literary process of the 17th century was characterized by the direction of classicism, which reflected the features of ancient literature. Moliere's play "The Bourgeois in the Nobility" is a kind of standard of the literary movement of this period.
Characteristics of Jourdain's image
The main character of the play “A Bourgeois in the Nobility,” Jourdain, became a kind of mirror in which the author reflected all the shortcomings and vices of society. Jourdain is a fairly elderly merchant, who once had an irresistible desire to become part of an aristocratic society.
The main character began to completely rebuild his life and old habits in order to resemble a nobleman as much as possible. He hires a teacher and learns to dance, like secular gentlemen, arranges his apartment according to the example of fashionable salons, dresses in clothes made from expensive materials ordered abroad, and looks for a groom with a noble pedigree for his daughter.
But this does not help Jourdain to join the coveted society, since all his actions on the way to achieving his goal only cause ridicule from others. After all, what could be more amusing than an uneducated merchant imagining himself as a nobleman?
Close people use him for personal purposes: his daughter and wife demand new expensive outfits in order to match the future aristocrat. In order to marry off her daughter to her loved one, Jourdain’s wife puts on a real performance for her husband.
A low-income groom is dressed up as a Turkish sultan, whom, according to the script, the daughter is supposed to marry. Jourdain has become so accustomed to the role of an aristocrat that he does not see in the Sultan the poor guy Clement, who asked for the hand of his child a month ago.
Playing along with the upper class in everything, Jourdain is nothing more, nothing less than an unsuccessful caricature of it. Probably, his image would have caused ridicule of more than one generation of readers if not for the epiphany that Jourdain had at the end of the play.
He realized that all his life he had been striving for something more sublime than everyday vanity, and chose the wrong path, wanting to inherit the nobility. Jourdain realized that he had actually lived prosaically his entire life, while his soul longed for lyricism.
At this moment the main character becomes for real it's a pity. However, this feeling is replaced by joy for him - he finally saw the light and looked at the world with a completely different look.
The meaning of the story
In the play “The Bourgeois in the Nobility”, in addition to people who want to be considered equal to high-ranking society, the aristocracy itself is ridiculed, along with its meaningless and empty laws of life.
Jourdain's game of nobility is actually a demonstration performance for the upper class, because sometimes they themselves have their own made-up rules good manners, and bad taste in some things, look as comical as main character plays.
"Since the purpose of comedy is
to entertain people by correcting them,
I reasoned that by the nature of my occupation
I can't do anything more worthy
than to scourge the vices of my age..."
J.-B. Poquelin
The comedy “Le bougeois gentilhomme” (“The Bourgeois among the Nobility”) is one of Moliere’s later works: it was written in 1670. The main theme of the comedy is the attempt of the bourgeois to leave his class and join the “higher circle”. The hero of the comedy, Mr. Jourdain, admires the nobility, tries to dress up in noble clothes, hires teachers of music, dance, fencing and philosophy and does not want to admit that his father was a merchant. Jourdain makes friends with nobles, trying to play the role of a gallant admirer of an aristocratic lady. The hero's whims threaten his family with troubles: he wants to marry his daughter Lucille to the marquis and refuses the man she loves. Only a witty invention helps lovers overcome this obstacle.
The main character's comedy lies in his ignorance and clumsy imitation of an alien culture. His tasteless outfit, the hat he puts on over his nightcap for dancing, and his naive reasoning during lessons are funny. So, with great surprise, he learns that he has been speaking in prose for forty years. Moliere compares his hero to a crow in peacock feathers. Jourdain's absurd inventions are contrasted with the sobriety and common sense of his wife, Madame Jourdain. However, she herself is far from any cultural interests and is rather rude. Her whole world is closed in the circle of household chores. Her healthy beginning is manifested in her desire to help her daughter’s happiness and in her contact with an intelligent servant.
Cheerful, giggly Nicole, just as critically as Dorina in Tartuffe, is critical of her master’s prejudices. She also seeks to protect his daughter’s love from her father’s tyranny. Two servants play an important role in the play - she and Koviel, a witty, merry fellow, lackey of Cleonte, Lucille's fiancé. They bring a cheerful tone to the comedy. Koviel has an abundance of talent and wit as an improviser, a brilliant talent for turning life into theater, composing alongside ordinary life second, carnival life. It was Koviel, who saw Jourdain’s passion for portraying a noble person, and came up with a funny masquerade with the Turkish Mamamushi, as a result of which the denouement of the comedy received a happy ending, and the action of the comedy-ballet itself turns into carnival fun. Moliere turns the theme of love and quarrels between Nicole and Coviel into a funny parallel to the relationship between their masters. As a denouement, two weddings are planned.
Since the comedy was written within the framework of classicism, it retains the trinity obligatory for a classicist play: the unity of place (Mr. Jourdain’s house), time (the action takes place within 24 hours) and action (the whole play is built around one main idea). Each of the main characters emphasizes one leading trait through satirical exaggeration.
The comedy also has features of the classical comedy of Iatlia - the commedia dell'arte. It is not without reason that one of the heroes, similar to Figaro - the servant Coviel - in one of the productions of the play was dressed up in a traditional servant's jacket from the commedia dell'arte and acted as if on two levels - everyday and theatrical. In addition, the mask is, in fact, worn by another comedy hero - Mr. Jourdain himself. Moliere loved to extract a comic effect from the discrepancy between the mask and human face, which she tries on. In Jourdain, the mask of a nobleman and the essence of a tradesman, despite all the efforts of the hero, do not coincide in any way.
At the same time, the play also shows deviations from the typical classic comedy. Thus, the unity of action is not fully maintained - a sideline of the love of the servants is introduced into the play, and the language approaches the folk language. But, of course, the main difference is the presence of ballet numbers, so organically woven into the plot that Moliere himself called his play a comedy-ballet, where each ballet number is an organic part of the developing comedy action.
Ballet performances not only do not weaken the realism of the plot, but, on the contrary, satirically highlight the characters and action of the play. “The Bourgeois in the Nobility” was written by the author precisely as a comedy-ballet and requires a lightweight genre solution, so it is difficult to find a balance between satire and lightness, and many attempts to stage it led either to overexpression in satirical colors or superficiality. However, the brightness and unusualness of the work makes it one of the most popular on the world stage.
All the heroes of this Moliere play, due to the genre, are endowed with artistry. For example, the scene of the quarrel and reconciliation of Cleonte and Lucille is subordinated to the dance rhythm, the shading background of which is the reprises of the servants Koviel and Nicole, repeating the words of their masters in a different speech style - everyday. In time with the text, the heroes either move away from each other in anger, then rush one after another, then circle, running away, or, on the contrary, approach. The play itself dictates a kind of dance to the characters.
Mr. Jourdain appears before us as a child whose eyes sparkle with the opportunity to learn something new, who is truly delighted by the surrounding innovations, for example, by the fact that he now knows that he has spoken in prose all his life. And his passion for the nobility appears not as a calculation of a practical bourgeois, but as a harmless love of a simpleton for everything shiny and catchy. Jourdain’s commitment to the “sciences” pleases his pride, gives him the opportunity to go beyond the confines of bourgeois life and be among noble people.
This simple-minded man really had a fantasy. That is why Mr. Jourdain, a respectable bourgeois and the head of the family, so easily enters into the last, buffoonish act of the comedy and acts so freely in the bizarre masquerade of his initiation into the rank of Mamamushi. The hero easily crossed the line separating real action from a conventional masquerade, and thus the genre unity of the performance was fully achieved.
The heroes of the play are endowed with such characteristic features, which can easily be classified as heroes endowed with negative traits and described satirically, or positive, which are themselves witty.
Thus, teachers are satirically described who, at first glance, are sincerely devoted to their work: fencing teacher Henri Rolland, endowed with military courage sufficient to crush an entire army of enemies; philosophy teacher Georges Chamar, sage and stoic, fearlessly attacking his rivals, defending philosophy, teacher fine arts- Robert Manuel and Jacques Charon. In the end, it turns out that all devotion is a thirst to get a few extra coins from a careless and incapable student, hypocritical praise for Jourdain, and a fierce defense of one’s own profession, largely at the expense of belittling someone else’s.
The features of Dorant and Dorimena are harshly satirically described. The author contrasts the simple-minded, but sincere and decent, Jourdain, with those whom he so passionately wants to be like: high society, refined in appearance, but unprincipled, greedy, deceitful, not above low flattery and outright lies in order to get money. Using the example of these gentlemen, Moliere condemns Jourdain for his blindness by the fake splendor of the nobility, the loss of common sense, for his break with the social mass that will form into the famous French “third estate.”
The remarks exchanged between the participants in the play are witty, especially in those scenes where Jourdain performs. Many of these remarks have become part of everyday speech and have become catchphrases. Moliere's depiction of the bourgeois received its further development in that deep and complete depiction of bourgeois types that can be found among the realists of the 19th century, especially in Balzac.
Being a play of an unusual genre, despite its apparent familiarity, the play is difficult to stage. Translated into the plane of everyday and psychological comedy, it cannot stand comparison with plays written on similar themes by realist playwrights, be it Balzac or Ostrovsky. When trying to enhance the satire, the incomparable intonations of Moliere the comedian are lost. Moliere began as an improviser, and the ballet play itself turns out to be more of a flying improvisation than a menacing denunciation, like Tartuffe. Thus, only through the disclosure of Moliere's style of presenting the genre can Moliere's satire be fully revealed.
Before describing summary“A tradesman among the nobility,” let's remember the history of the creation of the work. In November 1669, a Turkish delegation solemnly arrived in Paris. Louis XIV, not sparing to lose face, gave them a magnificent reception. However, neither the sparkle of diamonds, nor the iridescent shine of expensive fabrics, nor the abundance of gold and silver made the slightest impression on the ambassadors. The king, naturally, was annoyed by this, but his anger increased a hundredfold when it turned out that the head of the delegation was not an ambassador at all, but an ordinary swindler. The indignant monarch ordered Moliere, who was in his good standing, a ballet in which the fictitious delegation would be ridiculed. “It will be done, Your Highness,” Moliere respectfully answers. “The tradesman in the nobility,” however, did not arise immediately - in ten days the “Turkish Ceremony” was created, demonstrated to the royal court. Convinced of the success of the play, a month later the writer transferred it to the stage of the Palais Royal Theatre. In total, 42 performances were performed during Moliere's lifetime.
“A tradesman among the nobility”: a summary
The plot of the comedy is quite simple: a naive and narrow-minded tradesman - Mr. Jourdain - is passionately in love with the sophisticated aristocrat Marquise Dorimena. In an effort to achieve the love of a noble lady, Mr. Jourdain tries to resemble a representative of the noble class, but due to his natural stupidity, he fails. Wanting to become a nobleman, the hero refuses Cleonte, a contender for the hand of his daughter Lucille, and tries to marry the girl off to the son of the Turkish Sultan. The intrigue lies in the fact that the role of the noble husband is played by the same Clemont in disguise. Describing the summary of “The Bourgeois in the Nobility,” it should be noted that the plot of the play is simplified, which is generally not typical of Moliere’s works. This is explained by the fact that the comedy was written to order, with a strictly defined purpose - to shower the Turks with ridicule.
Analysis
Most researchers emphasize that “The Bourgeois” is not the first play by Moliere in which he allows himself to be ironic about the noble class. Already in his early works, the writer relies on folklore and introduces elements of folk humor into the action. In addition, do not forget about the excellent education received at Clermont College. All this allows Moliere to create truly sharp and talented satire. Outlining the summary of “The Bourgeois in the Nobility,” I would like to emphasize that in this work the author’s merciless ridicule is directed in two directions at once: Jourdain himself is not at all so bad - he is naive, trusting, and generally benevolent. However, his obsessive desire to penetrate a class alien to him, according to Moliere, is worthy of severe condemnation. No better than a newly minted nobleman are his teachers: hired to teach the owner music, dancing and manners, they are the embodiment of rudeness, baseness and vulgarity.
Character system
The summary of “The Bourgeois in the Nobility” includes a description of the central characters of the play. In addition to Jourdain and his family, representatives of the common people take part in the action: cunning tailors who extract money from the owner, a cheerful and witty maid Nicole. Besides, important role played by the adventurer Dorant, who pretends to help Jourdain and establishes a relationship with the Marquise behind his back.
Analysis of the main characters of the comedy “A Bourgeois in the Nobility”
The 17th century, in which Moliere worked, the century of classicism, which demanded trinity in time, place and action of literary works, and strictly divided into “high” (tragedies) and “low” (comedies) - literary genres. The heroes of the works were created with the goal of fully highlighting some - positive or negative - character trait and either elevating it to virtue or ridiculing it.
However, Moliere, basically observing the requirements of classicism, stepped into realism, ridiculing, in the person of Jourdain, a huge layer of the population - the rich bourgeoisie, eager to join the upper classes. And to emphasize how funny these upstarts are, trying to get into someone else’s sleigh, the satirist created a completely new genre: comedy-ballet.
“The Bourgeois in the Nobility” Moliere wrote for the French king Louis XIV, who was greatly offended by the arrogant remark of the Turkish ambassador, who claimed that the horse of the Turkish Sultan was decorated much richer and more elegantly than that of the king.
The amusing dances of dancers disguised as Turks, the stupid and mocking initiation of Jourdain into the non-existent class of mamamushi - all this causes sincere laughter at what a fool vanity turns a person into.
It is especially ugly where people rely on accumulated wealth. But no amount of capital will actually displace the native aristocracy and nobility of the family from the first roles.
Jourdain, who became rich in trade, only now decided to learn everything and, most importantly, quickly. Literally in three days he “learns” the subtleties of etiquette, the correct competent speech(comically amazed at the discovery that he, it turns out, speaks in prose!), various dances and other subtleties of polite address.
This vain desire to break into the noble class is “grazed” not only by false teachers who assure Jourdain of his unsurpassed success in education, but also by the selfish and cunning Count Dorant, who borrowed very substantial sums from a tradesman blinded by his desire, which he, of course, has no intention of returning. . Jourdain, who believes that he simply must have a lady of his heart, through imaginary friend Doranta gives the Marquise Dorimena a diamond, and the Marquise believes that it is a gift from the Count. The count is also credited with an elegant dinner and a ballet performance arranged by the bourgeois for the marquise.
Jourdain is especially funny in costumes that are extremely uncomfortable for him, but supposedly appropriate for a nobleman, at which not only his wife and maid laugh, but also everyone around him, including the count’s imaginary friend and patron. But the peak of events is the initiation of the merchant into the “mamamushi”, allegedly into the Turkish aristocratic class, played out by Jourdain’s servant Coviel, disguised as a Turk. In such joy, unable to refuse the “son of the Turkish Sultan,” the newly-made “mamamushi” agrees not only to the marriage of his daughter Lucille and Cleonte, but also the servants.
The smart and dexterous, energetic and prudent merchant seemed to have lost all these qualities, intending to gain the nobility for himself. One can’t help but feel sorry for him when he fights off ridicule with the explanation that he strives for a title not for himself, but for his daughter: almost uneducated, working hard, but deprived of the opportunity to comprehend science, he saw, realized the wretchedness of the life he lived and decided provide my daughter with a different, much better one. This effort did not bring any good either to Jourdain himself, or to his daughter, who was almost separated from her lover, or to the scoundrels who pretend to be teachers of music, dance and philosophy, or to the rogue count - to no one. Vanity is no help in the desire to rise one step higher in the table of ranks.
In addition to analyzing the main characters of the work “The Bourgeois in the Nobility”, read other works related to Moliere:
The comedy “The Tradesman among the Nobility” was written in 1670 by Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, better known as Molière. The work belongs to the literary movement of realism. The author makes fun of the typical rich bourgeois - Mr. Jourdain, who intended to become an aristocrat. But in reality he only clumsily imitated the life of a nobleman.
Moliere “The Bourgeois in the Nobility” – act one
The action takes place in Paris. A music teacher and a dance teacher are rehearsing for an upcoming performance. Among themselves they discuss the stupidity and ignorance of Mr. Jourdain. But when the rich man himself appears, the teachers flatter him in every possible way, praising his new robe.
Jourdain does not understand the beauty of the sound of the violin; they consider its playing boring. His interlocutors advise him to devote more time to studying the arts.
Moliere “The Bourgeois in the Nobility” – act two
Jourdain gives orders to organize a ballet in the evening, as a very important guest will come to him. Teachers, anticipating profit, advise the would-be aristocrat to give concerts more often. Next comes the fencing teacher. He considers dancing and music to be worthless activities. The teachers begin to argue with each other.
Trying to end the dispute, Jourdain calls for help from a philosophy teacher. But he himself gets involved in a squabble. It comes to a fight.
The philosophy teacher teaches Jourdain such scientific disciplines as physics, ethics and logic. The rich man finds it uninteresting and boring. Then the teacher begins to teach literacy. Jourdain asks for help writing a love note and suddenly discovers that he has been speaking in prose all his life.
Then the tailor comes with a new suit. Jourdain notices that it is made from exactly the same fabric as the tailor himself. In addition, the drawing is positioned incorrectly - turned upside down. But the tailor assures that this is the squeak of fashion and this is how they dress in high circles.
Moliere “The Bourgeois in the Nobility” – act three
Jourdain's daughter's maid, Nicole, laughs at the tradesman's new suit. The rich man's wife also condemns appearance husband
Count Dorant praises the tradesman's new clothes, and then asks him for money. Madame Jourdain condemns the count and calls her husband a “cash cow.” Dorant says that he agreed with the marquise to visit the tradesman’s house.
Mister Jourdain's wife wants to marry her daughter to Cleontes. The maid Nicole is delighted with this news, because she likes the servant Cleonte so much.
Cleont asks the tradesman for his daughter's hand in marriage, but he refuses. Jourdain does not want to give his daughter to a man of non-noble origin. The upset Cleont is consoled by his servant Koviel, assuring him that he has figured out how to deceive the rich man.
It turns out that Dorant presented all the gifts to the marquise from the tradesman as his own. The aristocrat agreed to a meeting with Jourdain because she did not want to compromise herself by inviting Dorant to her place or by visiting him herself.
The Marquise laughs at Jourdain's awkward bow. Dorant warns him not to talk about the jewelry that the tradesman had previously given to the guest. He explains his request by saying that in high society they don’t remind you of this.
4) Moliere “The Bourgeois in the Nobility” – act four
There's a feast going on. Dorimena is surprised that such a celebration is dedicated to her. Jourdain, believing that she knows who bought her diamond, calls the jewelry a trinket.
Madame Jourdain appears. She believes that the husband found himself a new passion and for her sake sent his wife out of the house.
Koviel introduces himself to Jourdain as an old friend of his father. He says that Cleont is actually the son of a nobleman. He also reports that the son of the Sultan from Turkey wants to marry the daughter of a tradesman. Cleont appears, disguised as a Turk, and speaks of his intention.
The ceremony takes place in the Turkish style, with dancing and singing dervishes.
Moliere “The Bourgeois in the Nobility” – act five
The tradesman tells his wife that from now on he is a mamushi. Madame Jourdain complains that her husband has obviously gone crazy. Lucille refuses the marriage proposal, but then recognizes her beloved, Cleontes, in the stranger. The girl agrees to the marriage. Madame Jourdain, having also learned the truth, gives the order to bring a notary.
The Count says that he and the Marchioness will soon get married. Jourdain is sure that this announcement is just a diversion. He gives Nicole to a translator disguised as Koviel, and his own wife to anyone.
Koviel calls Mr. Jourdain a madman.
Molière's comedy “The Bourgeois in the Nobility” is a masterpiece not only of French, but also of world literature. The work is worth the time to read full version, and not just a brief retelling.