
Episode 451
Molière: Satire, Scandal & the Stage
How did his biting satire, court politics, and understanding of human nature turn Molière into a foundational figure in French literature?
Not Just the Tudors · History Hit
August 11, 202549m 38s
Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (sphinx.acast.com) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
<p>Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Jan Clarke to explore the life, legend, and legacy of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin — better known as Molière. From his audacious rejection of bourgeois expectations to his controversial plays that rattled the Catholic Church and delighted the King, Molière’s story is as theatrical as his work. So what can be learned about gender, religion, power, and performance in Louis XIV’s France through Molière's comedies?</p><p>Together, Suzannah and Jan unravel the myth from the man and discover how Molière’s biting satire, his savvy court politics, and his deep understanding of human nature made him a foundational figure in French literature and European theatre.</p><br><p><strong>MORE:</strong></p><p><strong>Louis XIV and his Mistresses</strong></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2bvIaoji5oM65WbU5bFESw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://open.spotify.com/episode/2bvIaoji5oM65WbU5bFESw</a></p><p><strong>Marie Antoinette</strong></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/69l3JrCvivIuKI5pmQLrYb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://open.spotify.com/episode/69l3JrCvivIuKI5pmQLrYb</a></p><br><p>Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.</p><p>All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.</p><p><em>Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast</em></p><br><p><strong>Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at </strong><a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe</u></strong></a><strong>.</strong> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><p><a href="https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on</a></p>
<hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>