“The Bourgeois in the Nobility” is a comedy-ballet created by the great Molière in 1670. This is a classic work, complemented by elements of folk farce, features of ancient comedy and satirical compositions of the Renaissance.
History of creation
In the autumn of 1669, ambassadors from the Ottoman Sultan visited Paris. The Turks were greeted with particular pomp. But the decorations, spectacular meeting and luxurious apartments did not surprise the guests. Moreover, the delegation stated that the reception was sparse. It soon turned out that it was not ambassadors who visited the palace, but impostors.
However, the offended King Louis nevertheless demanded that Moliere create a work that would ridicule the pompous Turkish customs and specific morals oriental culture. It took only 10 rehearsals and the play “Turkish Ceremony” was demonstrated to the king. A month later in 1670, at the end of November, the performance was presented at the Palais Royal.
However, after some time, the talented playwright radically transformed the original play. In addition to satire on Turkish customs, he supplemented the work with reflections on the topic of modern mores of the nobles.
Analysis of the work
Plot
Mr. Jourdain has money, a family and a good house, but he wants to become a true aristocrat. He pays barbers, tailors and teachers to make him a respectable nobleman. The more his servants praised him, the more he paid them. Any whims of the gentleman were embodied in reality, while those around him generously praised the naive Jourdain.
The dance teacher taught the minuet and the art of bowing correctly. This was important for Jourdain, who was in love with a marquise. The fencing teacher told me how to strike correctly. He was taught spelling, philosophy, and learned the intricacies of prose and poetry.
Dressed in a new suit, Jourdain decided to take a walk around the city. Madame Jourdain and the maid Nicole told the man that he looked like a buffoon and everyone was rushing around with him only because of his generosity and wealth. A quarrel ensues. Count Dorant appears and asks Jourdain to lend him some more money, despite the fact that the amount of debt is already quite substantial.
A young man named Cleon loves Lucille, who reciprocates his feelings. Madame Jourdain agrees to her daughter's marriage to her lover. Mr. Jourdain, having learned that Cleont noble origin, abruptly refuses. At this moment Count Dorant and Dorimena appear. An enterprising adventurer courtes the marquise, transferring gifts from the naive Jourdain in his own name.
The owner of the house invites everyone to the table. The Marquise is enjoying delicious treats when suddenly Jourdain’s wife appears, who was sent to her sister. She understands what is happening and causes a scandal. The Count and the Marquise leave the house.
Koviel immediately appears. He introduces himself as a friend of Jourdain's father and a real nobleman. He talks about how the Turkish heir to the throne arrived in the city, madly in love with the daughter of Mr. Jourdain.
To become related, Jourdain needs to undergo a rite of passage into mamamushi. Then the Sultan himself appears - Cleont in disguise. He speaks in a fictitious language, and Koviel translates. This is followed by a mixed initiation ceremony, complete with ridiculous rituals.
Characteristics of the main characters
Jourdain - main character comedy, bourgeois who wants to become a nobleman. He is naive and spontaneous, generous and reckless. Goes ahead towards his dream. He'll be happy to lend you money. If you make him angry, he instantly flares up and starts screaming and making trouble.
He believes in the omnipotence of money, so he uses the services of the most expensive tailors, hoping that their clothes will “do the trick.” He is fooled by everyone: from servants to close relatives and false friends. Rudeness and bad manners, ignorance and vulgarity contrast very noticeably with claims to noble gloss and grace.
Jourdain's wife
The wife of a tyrant and false nobleman is contrasted with her husband in the work. She is well-mannered and full of common sense. A practical and sophisticated lady always behaves with dignity. The wife tries to direct her husband to the “path of truth”, explaining to him that everyone is using him.
She is not interested in titles of nobility and is not obsessed with status. Madame Jourdain even wants to marry her beloved daughter to a person of equal status and intelligence, so that she can feel comfortable and good.
Dorant
Count Dorant represents the noble class. He is aristocratic and vain. He makes friends with Jourdain solely for selfish reasons.
The man's entrepreneurial spirit is manifested in the way he cleverly appropriates the gifts of the lover Jourdain, presented to the Marquise, as his own. He even passes off a given diamond as his own gift.
Knowing about Koviel's prank, he is in no hurry to warn his friend about the insidious plans of the scoffers. Rather, on the contrary, the count himself has plenty of fun with the stupid Jourdain.
Marquise
Marquise Dorimena is a widow and represents a noble noble family. For her sake, Jourdain studies all sciences, spends incredible amounts of money on expensive gifts and organizing social events.
She is full of hypocrisy and vanity. In the eyes of the owner of the house, she says that he has wasted so much on the reception, but at the same time enjoys the delicacies with pleasure. The marquise is not averse to accepting expensive gifts, but at the sight of her suitor’s wife, she pretends to be embarrassed and even offended.
Beloved
Lucille and Cleonte are people of a new generation. They are well-educated, smart and resourceful. Lucille loves Cleontes, so when she learns that she will be married off to someone else, she sincerely resists.
The young man really has something to love. He is intelligent, noble in manners, honest, kind and loving. He is not ashamed of his relatives, does not chase illusory statuses, openly declares his feelings and desires.
The comedy is distinguished by a particularly thoughtful and clear structure: 5 acts, as required by the canons of classicism. One action is not interrupted by secondary lines. Moliere introduces ballet into a dramatic work. This violates the requirements of classicism.
The theme is Mr. Jourdain's obsession with noble titles and nobility. The author criticizes in his work the aristocratic mood, the humiliation of the bourgeoisie before the class that supposedly dominates.
ACT TWO Nicole (to Brandavuan). Well, go get Cleont quickly. Brandavuane. There is nothing to go for, so they come here themselves. Cleont. I don't want to talk to her. Remember, Koviel, not a single word. Koviel. Be calm, sir. Lucille. What does your behavior mean, Cleon? Nicole. What's wrong with you, Koviel? Lucille. Are you speechless, Cleonte? Nicole. Are you speechless? more like a suggestion until he unwinded our entire fortune. Your daughter loves you, and I also like you very much. Cleont. Oh, madam, if you only knew how sweet your words are to me! Madame Jourdain. Kiss me, Cleont. Koviel kisses Madame Jourdain. , sir, if I may. Besides, I don't know any other language. Jourdain. I ask you, then go to this ear, This ear is intended for my native language. And the other ear is for foreign languages. Cleont. I'm listening, sir. (Transitions.) Koviel. Look what's going on! Cleont. So, sir... Jourdain. Guilty. Do you want to speak to me in poetry or prose? Cleont. In prose, if you will. I can't speak in poetry. Jourdain. Oh, what a pity. Well, I’m listening to your prose. Cleont. So, sir, I would like to marry your daughter. , Jourdain (after thinking). It's possible. Cleont. I adore her, sir. Jourdain (after thinking). And it is possible. Cleont (worried). So what do you tell me about this, oh sir... Jourdain. This is impossible. Cleont. Oh, sir!.. Jourdain. I ask you, are you a nobleman, sir? Cleont. No, sir, I am not a nobleman. I’m telling you this straight out because I’m not used to lying. .. um... so... Well, now she’s ripe! Cleont. Koviel, you are brilliant! Koviel. Yes Yes. So, sir. By evening I will turn you into a noble man. Cleont. How is this conceivable? Koviel. That's my business. First of all, give me the money, sir. Cleont. As much as you want, Koviel. Koviel. I want fifty pistoles for expenses and ten pistoles for me. Cleont. On, on, Koviel! Koviel. So, first of all, I want to deal with these two charlatans, the music and dance teacher. And you, sir, please go home and wait there for my orders. Don't be an eyesore to Mr. Jourdain. What do you have to do with it? Koviel. Ah, madam, I confess to you that I also have my own plan. I love your maid Nicole. I hope that you will not create any obstacles to my marriage. Madame Jourdain. I won't do it. , whom your daughter loves. Jourdain. I really like him myself. Madame Jourdain. Isn't he a decent person? Jourdain. Decent. The more I think, the more I am convinced that he is decent. Madame Jourdain. Doesn't Lucille love him? Lucille (running in). Yes, I love him. Jourdain. Loves, loves, yes. Madame Jourdain. Doesn't he love her? Lucille. I am loved! Jourdain. Undoubtedly loved, just don’t scream like that. Madame Jourdain. He is in good condition! Jourdain. Not enough to say, excellent condition. Madame Jourdain. So what are you... Jourdain. But you can’t give it away. Grief, but you can’t give it away. Not the marquis. Nicole (appearing suddenly). And you yourself, sir, marquis? Jourdain. Ah, here you are! Yes, you were just missing. I am not a marquis, unfortunately, but I move in the company of marquises and will only move among them. Madame Jourdain. I won't allow my daughter to be unhappy. Who gave birth to her? Jourdain. I'm... ugh! You!.. scared me! You gave birth to her, leave me alone! Lucille. Either Cleont or no one! If you, father, do not give your consent to this marriage, I will commit suicide! Nicole. Dear young lady, don't do this! Jourdain. Lord, you are torturing me! Lucille (sobbing). Oh, I'm unhappy! Madame Jourdain. Look what you're doing to the poor girl! Lucille. Mother! I'm leaving! Madame Jourdain. Where are you going, poor baby? Nicole. Where are you going, young lady? Lucille. Either drown yourself or go to your aunt! (Runs away.) Madame Jourdain. Nicole, follow me! Don't let her out! Dorimena. Mr. Jourdain is quite a secular person. Dorant (quietly to Jourdain). You... that's what... don't say a single word to the Marquise about the ring you gave her. Jourdain (quietly). But I still want to know if she liked it? Dorant. No, no, no. It will be completely unsecular. Pretend that you don't even notice him. Jourdain. What a shame... They sit down. Dorimena. Are you looking at my ring? Isn't it great? Jourdain. I don't even think about watching. And besides, this is such nonsense, a trifling ring... Dorant. Cough cough cough... Dorimena. Trivial? I see that you are a very spoiled person. Jourdain. Are there such rings, marquise? Dorimena. Hm... Dorant (quietly). Damn you. Jourdain. My God! Dorimena. What is she telling me! Thank you, Dorant! Dorant. Calm down, Dorimena! Dorimena. Get me out of here this minute! Dorant (to Madame Jourdain). Shame on you, madam! Jourdain. Killed... Stabbed... Dorant takes away the crying Dorimena. Brandavuane. Clear the table, sir? Jourdain. Take it away... (Points to Mrs. Jourdain). And her... and the table... take everything away... I'm disgraced... Brandavuane. Should I bring a compress, sir? Jourdain. Go to hell! Brandavuane. To hell with pleasure, sir, especially since... the end of the second act.The main character of the comedy is Mr. Jourdain. He is rich, but his family confuses him, his origin disgusts him. Jourdain has a great desire to enter the circle of high society. His opinion that money solves everything can be called erroneous. Jourdain is confident that the means will solve the issue of love, titles, knowledge and other issues. The main character is illiterate and uneducated. Therefore, people only pretend that he is smart and educated, in reality they only need his money. Jourdain is very naive and is deceived by almost all people. He is flattered and complimented, and against this background, both teachers and tailors deceive him.
The character looks very funny, especially in those situations when his desire to turn into an aristocrat is manifested. The author of the comedy makes it clear that the main character, with his desire, is emptying his soul of good inclinations. Generally speaking, the main character is not a fool, he managed to take advantage of his father’s money and, moreover, multiply it. Jourdain also has enough intelligence to understand that his teachers are deceiving him, they are giving him the wrong truths. The truths given to him by his teachers only fetter him and prevent him from developing in the right direction. Jourdain often becomes a reason for ridicule. Even his servants, when they see him, are unable to restrain themselves from laughing. The hero notices this, but it doesn’t matter to him, because he has a goal that not only makes him a laughing stock, but also endangers those around him.
For his environment, which in no way influences his future, in his opinion, success in high society, Jourdain becomes dangerous. His wife may fall under the hot hand, and Jourdain begins to insult and deceive her. Servants are also victims of mistreatment and humiliation. Even a daughter is just a stage that can help Jourdain achieve his goal. The happiness of his daughter is in great danger, but this is not important, it is important to receive the title of aristocrat.
The author of the play, for all Jourdain’s kindness and responsiveness, still presents him as a rude, cynical and illiterate person. Of course, the hero causes laughter, but how can you despise him for this? The author mainly tried to ridicule the aristocrats. No matter what the hero is, he adheres to his life line to the last, he does not change his judgment. As a result, we can say about Jourdain that he is too spoiled by a luxurious life and is bored. He is doing something completely unnecessary.
Essay about Jourdain
The main character of the creation “Bourgeois to Nobility” is Mr. Jourdain. Jourdain is richest man, who carefully hides his origin. His bad background prevented him from entering secular society.
The hero believed that money rules everything and you can buy everything with it, including love and a noble upbringing. For his own money, the hero hired a large number of teachers who began to teach him the behavior of aristocrats and certain sciences. During his training, the hero managed to expose the shortcomings and ignorance of people from high society. The hero did not have special knowledge and therefore he became a victim of deceivers. Jourdain was deceived by everyone from ordinary teachers to a tailor.
The desire to become a nobleman made Jourdain a real laughing stock. The author showed that thanks to vices people can forget about their good inclinations. Hobbies became the meaning of life for the hero. Jourdain had a special mind that helped him increase his father's fortune. He knew that the tailor was deceiving him, but he did not contradict him. Because the hero really wanted to become an aristocrat. Jourdain also knew that the teachers did not teach him anything. However, the desire to become a noble was stronger than his mind.
Everyone laughed at Jourdain. His wife tried to dissuade her husband from the plan. Tailor Dorant pretended to be a friend, although in his heart he hated him. The hero became a laughing stock even in front of his servants. The reason for the laughter was Jourdain’s ridiculous outfit. His desire to break into the ranks of the nobles becomes dangerous for the people around him. He began to deceive and constantly humiliate his wife. He also began to treat his servants poorly. He even decided to sacrifice his daughter's happiness in order to become an aristocrat.
In the work, the author described Jourdain as a rude and uneducated person. At the same time, the hero was a naive, sincere and good-natured person. After studying certain sciences, the hero began to express himself in prose. His every discovery and action caused only laughter. In the play, the author laughed at the aristocrats and directed the edge of satire against them. Despite the strong desire to get into high society, Jourdain always remained a sincere person, unlike Doriman and Dorant, who have no conscience and honor. Jourdain is a kind and wealthy man who found himself an unnecessary hobby.
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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 literary direction 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 Turkish Sultan, whom, according to the script, the daughter should 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 play at nobility is actually a demonstration performance for the upper class, because sometimes they themselves, with their fictitious rules of good manners and bad taste in some things, look just as comical as the main character of the play.
>>J.-B. Moliere. The tradesman in the nobility (in abbreviation). Translation by N. Lyubimov
Comedy in five acts (with cuts)
Characters comedy
Mr. Jourdain is a tradesman.
Madame Jourdain is his wife.
Lucille is their daughter.
Cleont is a young man in love with Lucille.
Dorimena is a marquise.
Dorant - in love with Dorimena.
Nicole is a maid in Mr. Jourdain's house.
Koviel is Cleont's servant.
Teacher music. Music teacher student. Dance teacher. Fencing teacher. Teacher philosophy. Musicians. Tailor. Apprentice tailor. Two footmen. Three pages.
Ballet characters
In the first act
Singer. Two singers. Dancers.
In the second act
Tailor's apprentices (dancing).
In the third act
Cooks (dancing).
In the fourth act
Mufti. The Turks, the mufti's retinue (sing), the derveshes (sing). Turks (dancing).
The action takes place in Paris, in the house of Mr. Jourdain.
Questions and tasks
1. Read Moliere’s comedy “The Bourgeois in the Nobility” in its entirety. Prepare an expressive reading according to the roles of scenes from a comedy (optional). How do you understand the title of this comedy? How is the idea of a comedy connected with the life of France? half XVII century?
3. What techniques does the author use to satirically depict his characters? Show examples of how a playwright creates human character. How can one explain the actions of Mr. Jourdain? Is he stupid? Is it in good condition? Explain the motives for the behavior of other characters in relation to Mr. Jourdain.
4. How do you see Jourdain’s loss of common sense, which in some cases was inherent in him? In whom and in what is common sense, simplicity of behavior and the significance of the people's character clearly manifested?
5. At the school of classicism, Moliere was not an obedient student. In what ways does he violate the rules of classicism, and in what ways does he follow them? Moliere combined literary tradition with folk tradition theater. Give examples of how the playwright uses folk farce techniques (fooling, eavesdropping, dressing up, playing with words, such as gibberish, “Turkish speech”, etc.). Why is “The Bourgeois of the Nobility” not only a satirical moral teaching, but also a funny comedy? What scenes do you find especially funny?
6. Prepare an oral review or a written review of a performance based on Molière’s comedy watched in the theater or on television.
Literature, 8th grade. Textbook for general education institutions. At 2 o'clock/automatic state. V. Ya. Korovin, 8th ed. - M.: Education, 2009. - 399 p. + 399 pp.: ill.