Moliere’s Reflections on the Concept of “Honnête Homme” in The Misanthrope

Abstract

The author of the article examines Molière’s comedy The Misanthrope (1666) within the context of the 17th century courtly and salon culture, where the idea of “honnête homme” was one of the most significant. Under Louis XIV, gallantry became a norm for aristocracy following its defeat in the Fronde, which marked the loss of aristocracy’s political independence. The article shows how the rise of gallantry influenced “the honnête homme” ideal and how Molière’s reflections on transformations of this modes of behavior guide the objects and nature of his comedy. The article reveals the ambiguity in the play’s content and in the central character with review of the space, the plot, and characters of The Misanthrope in the light of “the honnêteté” concept. Molière, though not questioning the ethical basis of the concept and generally sharing the court standard of behavior, nevertheless by means of irony and mockery shows how easily “the art to please”, cultivated in the gallant society, turns into hypocrisy, deception, complicity in vice. The Misanthrope is the evidence of the fact that in the second half of the 17th century gallant aesthetics was winning over the ethics of “honnête homme”, which in its turn was gradually fading out.

Keywords

• molière
• the misanthrope
• honnête homme
• gallantry
• comedy
• 17th century french literature.