Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (1622-1673), known as Molière, was a French actor and playwright. Many of his plays abound in comical and farcical effects, whose characters, such as the hypochondriac in The Imaginary Invalid (Le Malade Imaginaire) are archetypes through which Molière exposes the vices of human nature and society. Molière is considered the genius of French comedy.
