The Miser and Other Plays

"In the seventeenth century Moliere raised comedy to the pitch of great art, setting standards by which it has been judged by the world ever since. Sparklingly shrewd commentaries on human life, his plays are sources of delight that we still find arresting and pertinent today. Of the comedies in this volume, three, The Miser, The Would-be Gentleman and Don Juan, are major works. The other two reflect Moliere's philosophy of laughter as an instrument to sweep away care, restoring health and proportion. As John Wood comments in the introduction, 'it is his achievement that under the impact of laughter, by the solvent of comedy, we experience the moment of truth, feel the compulsion of reason, share his compassion for common humanity'" -- Back cover.