Robert McBride – författare

Molière et son premier Tartuffe sheds light on one of the most enduring mysteries in world theatre: the nature, structure and purpose of the first and no longer extant version of his most controversial play, Le Tartuffe. The study provides a succinct overview of the problem and a close analysis of events leading up to the original performance at Versailles. A careful reading of Molière’s own defence of this version situates its overriding inspiration in his wish to satirise specific religious groupings, whilst hoping vainly to avoid censure from the religious establishment of his day. There are three appendices: the first evaluates the hypotheses of a complete or incomplete play; the second analyses the claims that Molière took certain people as models for Tartuffe, and the final appendix seeks to reopen the question of Molière’s stance towards religion. The conclusion is that Le Tartuffe should not be seen as inherently hostile to religion, but rather as constituting a plea for tolerance, charity and transparency in its practice, none of which runs counter to the spirit and tenets of historic Christianity.This will appeal to lecturers and students of French Studies and Theatre Studies.

This book is the second part of an important experimental trilogy in text archaeology of all the various ideas about the 1664 and later versions. Tartuffe ou L'Imposteur, (Tartuffe or the Hypocrite), is Molière’s most famous play and was first performed at Versailles in 1664. It attacked religious hypocrisy and as a result caused much scandal and was then banned. Tartuffe means ‘hypocrite’ especially one who shows affected religious piety and exaggeratedly feigns virtue. Revised versions of Tartuffe were performed at various times between 1667 and 1669. McBride provides a reconstruction of the 1667 version in this book. McBride’s work is meticulous and nuanced and he provides a scholarly reconstruction of one of Molière’s masterpieces.

The Lettre sur la comédie de l'Imposteur is the only work of any length which does full justice to comedy in the 17th century as a serious dramatic form. It is an important document in its own right and because it is inseparable from the historical context of Molière's Le Tartuffe ou l'Imposteur and the circumstances which influenced its development.