Moliere's "The Misanthrope"
「人間嫌い」は、過剰なまでの誠実さにもかかわらず、恋に苦しみ、訴訟に負け、人間社会からの孤立を宣言した若いアルセステの物語です。コメディではありますが、悲劇的な要素も含まれています。 複雑かつ繊細な人間心理を表現したこの作品は、当時の大衆には理解されず、必ずしも好評ではなかった。 しかし今日では、この作品はモリエールの最も有名な戯曲として世界中で読まれています。(English) "Misanthrope" is the story of a young Arceste who, despite his excessive sincerity, struggles with love, loses a lawsuit and declares his isolation from human society. Although it is a comedy, it also has tragic elements. This work, which expresses complex and delicate human psychology, was not understood by the public then and was not necessarily well received. Today, however, it is read worldwide as the most famous of Moliere's plays.
Characters, detailed summary and impressions of Moliere's "The Misanthrope, Tartuffe, and Other Plays."
1)
"Man who hates humans, Misanthropic: or irritable lover" (or "Misanthrope", "Le misanthrope") is a play by Moliere published in 1666.
Moliere is a French playwright who is considered one of the three great classical dramatists, along with Corneille and Racine.
He was born on 15 January 1622 in the Rue du Honoré in Paris, where the arts flourished. Although he came from a commoner's family, his grandfather had worked as a chamberlain for the king, so he mingled with the upper classes. As well as studying the classics and philosophy, he also studied law and is said to have qualified as a lawyer.
He then became the director of a theatre company, toured the South of France and returned to Paris, where he found success working under the king's patronage at the Palais Royal Theatre.
Moliere's troupe was the forerunner of the Comédie Française, which has been the national theatre company of France since 1680.
Moliere's real name was Jean-Baptiste Poquelin. The exact reason he adopted the stage name 'Moliere' seems unknown.
2)
"Misanthrope" is the story of a young Arceste who, despite his excessive sincerity, struggles with love, loses a lawsuit and declares his isolation from human society.
Although it is a comedy, it also has tragic elements. This work, which expresses complex and delicate human psychology, was not understood by the public then and was not necessarily well received. Today, however, it is read worldwide as the most famous of Moliere's plays.
This time I will introduce you to the characters, plot and impressions of "Misanthrope".
3)
Characters in "Misanthrope"
Arceste
He is a young man who hates superficial socialising and is only happy when he can express the depths of his heart in any situation.
He burns with love for Cerrimene, who is far from his ideal.
Cerrimene
She's a young widow good at appearing flirtatious and affectionate with society folk. She likes to pick people's faults behind their backs and is admired in high society. However, virtuous people criticise her for her bad character.
Filant
A friend of Arceste. He knows social etiquette, which requires a certain amount of rhetoric. He is also constantly worried about Arceste. And he has feelings for Eliant.
Oronto
A man with feelings for Cerrimene. Arceste criticises him for his sonnets.
Eliant
Cerrimene's cousin. She has feelings for Arceste.
Arsinoe
A friend of Cerrimene. She has feelings for Arceste. She believes living a moral life is a virtue and doesn't like Cerrimene.
Acast
A marquis. He has feelings for Cerrimene.
Clitandre
Marquis. He has feelings for Cerrimene.
Basque
Cerrimene's servant.
Du Bois
Servant of Arceste.
4)
Synopsis for "Misanthrope"
First act
Young Arceste is never forgiven for his lies and public appearances, and he's content if he speaks his mind openly.
Arceste accuses his friend Filant of being friendly with a man whose name he does not know, and Arceste tells him to stop being friends with him.
Filant replied that he should return favours for the favours of others. He advised him that sometimes it was better to hide one's heart, as Arceste's outspoken personality was sometimes laughed at.
The discussion between the two followed parallel lines. Ultimately, Arceste refuses to accept what Filant says and declares that he will rebel against all people who follow him.
5)
Arceste had a legal problem. It was a man who had managed to get around, moving into society recently.
Against such a man, Arceste was about to stand trial without doing anything.
"I will stand by as the unscrupulous populace takes the name of injustice against my innocent self," Arceste declared in court to Filante.
6)
Filant was surprised by Arceste's idea. And Filante wondered why Arceste loved a young widow named Cerrimene.
Because Cerrimene is a woman who speaks and acts anachronistically and has a personality that represents the human beings that Arceste denies.
However, Arceste was jealous of the men around the beautiful all-around Cerrimene. And while he blamed her for her shortcomings, he wanted to use the power of his love to convert her.
Filant recommended him to Cerrimene's cousin Eliant, who had a crush on Arceste, and to Arsinoe, a virtuous woman of high society.
Arceste, in his wisdom, understands. But his helplessness prevents him from ending her feelings for Cerrimene.
Filant was worried about Arceste, who was so obsessed.
7)
Just then, Oronto, a man in love with Cerrimene, arrives and compliments Arceste and asks to be his close friend.
But Arceste dismisses this hope, saying they must get to know each other before being friends.
Convinced by these words, Oronto composed the poem and wanted people to listen to the sonnet he had created.
Filanto praised the poem as well-written, but Arceste criticised it as tasteless.
Ultimately, Oronto and Arceste argued, and Filanto intervened between them. Oronto apologised for his mistake and went away from the place.
Filant complained about Arceste's hostile attitude towards Oronto but showed his will not to abandon Arceste.
8)
Second act
Arceste, who had taken Cerrimene to his house, criticised her for being amiable and unsatisfactory to everyone.
He also demanded that she be brusque to other men instead of amiable. It was so disgusting for her.
Eliant arrived with the Marquis Akast and Critandre.
One after the other, Cerrimene, Acast and Critandre made a scene by speaking ill of other people.
Arceste couldn't forgive the three for their behaviour and accused Akast and Critandre of flattering Cerrimene and driving her to slander.
However, Akast and Critandre countered that it was Filant and Cerrimene's fault, so Arceste was at a loss for words.
Then the Marshal's Court Guard, who had come to settle the dispute with Oronto, arrived and ordered Arceste to appear.
Arceste obeyed their summons without any intention of acknowledging the inferiority of Oronto's poetry.
9)
Third act
Acast and Critandre have both fallen in love with Cerrimene. But they were rejected by her.
They promised that if one of them could prove that he had touched Cerrimene's heart, the other would hand her over to the victor and give up their fight.
Cerrimene receives a visit from her friend Arsinoe. Arsinoe advises Cerrimene to be respectful, as some people will criticise her for flirting with everyone.
Cerrimene replied that Arsinoe, who seemed chaste and looked down on everyone, was the target of everyone's criticism. And she argued that it was out of the question for her to behave chastely from a young age.
10)
The two exchanged accusations. And when Arsinoe was about to leave, Cerrimene made Arceste act as her opponent until the carriage arrived.
Thinking of Arceste, Arsinoe said he was sorry that Cerrimene had stolen her heart and advised him that he was being deceived by Cerrimene, who was superficially kind.
Arceste said he didn't want to hear anything unless he had clear advice. Then Arsinoe invited him to her home, saying she would show him proof that Cerrimene owned her treacherous heart.
11)
Fourth act
Eliant appreciated Arceste's seriousness and bravery in everything he did and fell in love with him. And she told Arceste that if his feelings for Cerrimene were out of reach, she wanted his feelings for her.
In response, Filant, in love with Eliant, said that if Arceste and Cerrimene were to marry, he would want her to turn her heart to him.
Arceste, who had read Cerrimene's love letter to Oronto, came and lamented that he had been deceived. He said he wanted to give his heart to Eliant to take his revenge.
When Cerrimene arrived, Arceste showed her the letter and accused her of being unfaithful.
Cerrimene, however, claimed that the letter was addressed to her woman's friends, confusing Arceste.
Arceste's servant, Du Bois, arrived and told him he had to leave Paris.
According to Du Bois, a friend of Arceste's came and advised her to flee, as his master's life was in danger in connection with his lawsuit, and he left a note on his paper.
Arceste went home indignant and read the letter.
12)
Fifth act
Arceste lost the case and was charged twenty thousand francs in expenses. He decided to sever all ties with his unfair human society.
Filant tried to persuade others to put up with the injustice and desist. But Arceste's determination could not be changed.
13)
Arceste asks Cerrimene if she will marry him. At that moment, Oronto appeared. Arceste then forces Cerrimene to choose between herself and Oronto.
Arceste, Critandre, and Acast appeared before Cerrimene, who was at a loss. They read a letter from Cerrimene to each other.
The letters disparaged the other men under the guise of a pledge. The two declared to Cerrimene that they would publish the letter.
When Oronto learned of Cerrimene's true identity, he became disillusioned and left, saying he would no longer interfere with Arceste's love.
14)
Arsinoe also gave up on Arceste, who loved Cerrimene so much.
Cerrimene confessed she had been cruel to Arceste, and she could accept that Arceste hated her.
But Arceste couldn't stop her feelings for Cerrimene. He insisted that going away with him to a secluded place would be the way to atone for her sins.
15)
But Cerrimene, who cannot leave the high society, refuses the offer.
A heartbroken Arceste said he could never give his heart to Eliant. But Eliant had already changed her mind about Filant's love and no longer wanted Arceste's feelings.
Arceste went alone to a secluded place, declared that he would live as an honourable man and left.
Filant and Eliant talked about getting Arceste back.
16)
Manager's impression
"Misanthrope" is about Arceste, a young aristocrat who hates lies and public appearances.
The setting is the high society of Paris. Initially, Arceste vents his anger on a young friend called Filant.
This is because he is offended by the way Filant throws vague courtesies at everyone, simply because he behaves shamelessly and amiably towards a passing man he cannot name. The discussion of the two follows parallel lines.
17)
Arceste is in love with a young widow called Cerrimene.
Cerrimene also pretends to have feelings for Arceste, and the two are supposed to be lovers.
However, Cerrimene is a typical all-around beauty in society; she does not refuse anyone who comes and is flattered by every man.
Arceste falls in love with Cerrimene, but she cannot forgive her for being such an all-around beauty and demands that she cut off contact with men other than herself.
Cerrimene conceals her request from Arceste, saying that she cannot get rid of her friends who like her and come to visit her.
18)
Eventually, Arceste's fairness became his weak point, and he lost the case. And he decides to move far away from Paris to cut off his human contact.
Cerrimene's all-around method of beauty also ends in disappointment. He swears to several men, and in the same letter, it is revealed that he has badly mocked other men.
While the other men had given up on her, Arceste was the only one who could not let go of his feelings. He urges Cerrimene to go with him to a secluded place to atone for her sins. But Cerrimene, unable to leave her high society, refuses, and Arceste decides to live alone.
19)
Even though there are women like Eliant and Arsinoe who care for him and sympathise with his beliefs, Arceste falls in love with Cerrimene, who is far from his ideal. It is humorous and comic.
However, despite these contradictions, they are human beings who cannot go against their reason and are trapped by their emotions. I think that a young man named Arceste can be a very sympathetic person for those who have experienced such an uncontrollable feeling.
20)
Finally, after learning of Cerrimene's betrayal, Arceste declares that he will give his heart to Eliant, who falls in love with him.
This declaration is riddled with the lies he hates most, and it seems like an act that could deeply hurt Eliant.
In the end, although with different motives, Arceste is, unbeknownst to him, trying to do the same thing as Cerrimene, whom he was trying to accuse.
Moreover, he does not seem to realise that this is so far from his convictions.
Arceste, who tries to be more dishonest than anyone else while flaunting her sincerity, feels more stupid and sinful than Cerrimene, who seems to be merely flaunting her all-around beauty.
21)
Human beings can only live in society. Cerrimene's way of life and Arceste's way of life are examples of extremes that exist somewhere as long as you live in that society.
Perhaps the most honest and humane way of life is that of the Filant, who is moderately attuned to others and can turn a blind eye to their faults.
Characters, detailed summary and impressions of Moliere's "The Misanthrope, Tartuffe, and Other Plays."
https://bungakublog.com/moliere-ningengirai-top
Moliere's "The Misanthrope"
https://bohemegalante.com/2020/10/11/moliere-misantrope-sonnet-oronte/
"The Misanthrope, Tartuffe, and Other Plays"
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BA%BA%E9%96%93%E5%AB%8C%E3%81%84
(1974) Misantropen (The Misanthrope) - Ingmar Bergman (TV Movie)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H9XtByeb-Y
Le Misanthrope - Résumé en 10 minutes scène par scène
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIciAMPk0jk
Le Misanthrope ou l'Atrabilaire Lamoureux - Misanthropic: or irritable lover - Wikipedia
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BA%BA%E9%96%93%E5%AB%8C%E3%81%84
Introduction to Molière
https://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/introduction-to-moliere/
Tartuffe - the complete stage play
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKm7_CFNIn8
Moliere - The Laughter That Debunks Appearances
https://bohemegalante.com/2021/03/21/moliere-rire-denonce-apparence/
//Memo//
Guy de Maupassant
Voltaire - philosophist
Jean-Paul Sartre
Simone de Beauvoir
Salvador Dali