THE FORCED MARRIAGE

Jean-Baptiste Molière

Translated from the original French by:

Jennifer Assily
Ryan Sayer
Peter Kern

Edited and annotated by:

Elna Rose Preston

Ashley Hunt
Megan Ensley
 The Author

Jean Baptiste Poquelin, best known today by his pen name, Molière, was
born on January 15, 1622, to Marie and Jean Poquelin. His father was the
Parisian upholsterer to the King. Jean Baptiste received his education at the
Collège de Clermont, a Jesuit school, and obtained a thorough knowledge of
Latin and Greek.
After graduating, he started an acting troupe, the Illustre Theatre. In one
of his early contracts for musicians and dancers he penned the name Molière. To
Molière’s dismay, the company did not succeed because they competed against
two already established troupes. They performed in an unsuccessful part of
town, and began right before the mandated Easter break, so they did not have
much time to get started. After their failure in Paris, they disbanded and Molière
left to tour the provinces with another troupe. From 1646 to 1658, he polished
his skills as actor, director, administrator, and playwright. During this time, the
troupe came in contact with the King’s brother and was asked to perform for the
King. In 1658, the troupe returned to Paris and played before Louis XIV. The
troupe’s farce, which was performed after the five-act tragedy, gained the King’s
attention and approval. This was the beginning of Molière’s future intimate
relationship with the King.
In the following twenty-four years, Molière became known as the most
popular comedic playwright, and his troupe became a sanctioned acting troupe of
the King. He began his illustrious career with The Pretentious Women Ridiculed
in 1659, and ended with The Imaginary Invalid in 1673.
Molière was influenced by many different sources. He would take plots
and lines from different countries and from the classic Roman playwrights that
he learned of in school. One of the strongest influences on Molière's theater came
from the Italian commedia dell'arte troupes, with their stock characters and
situations. He also created a gallery of portraits: Tartuffe the religious hypocrite,
and Orgon, his dupe; Jourdain the social climber; Don Juan the rebel and
libertine; cuckolds such as Arnolphe, Dandin, and Amphitryon; Alceste the stony
idealist; Harpagon the miser; Scapin the trickster; Argan the hypochondriac;
Philaminte the pretentiously cultured lady; and many more. By creating these
portraits, an activity which was a common parlor game among the nobility,
Molière created many enemies, especially in the Church.
In 1662, he married Armande Béjart, a 19-year-old actress who was the
daughter of his Mistress Madame Béjart, and both were actresses within his

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troupe. In 1664, Louis XIV became the godfather of Molière's first son Louis,
who died in November. At this time, Moliére started to suffer from bad health.
Molière was constantly working, writing plays, and directing. Moreover, he
nearly always acted in the lead role himself. In February 17, 1673, Molière
collapsed onstage during an early performance of his last play Le Malade
Imaginaire; he died at ten o´clock that same night.

4
 The Genre

Molière invented the comedy-ballet genre. He was the first to integrate

music and dance interludes into the plots of his comedies. The music in the play
created a complete theatre-going experience for the audience. They got an opera,
a ballet, and a comedy all in one.
The Bores, performed in 1661, was Molière’s first comedy-ballet. The
music and the choreography were done by Beauchamp, with one song by Lully.
At the end of each act, singing and dancing “bores” would come on stage and
perform. The Forced Marriage was Molière’s second comedy-ballet, and
cemented his collaborations with Lully writing the music and Beauchamp
planning the choreography, which would last until 1671. Molière, Lully, and
Beauchamp would go on to make eleven comedy-ballets after The Forced
Marriage. These include: The Princess of Elis in 1664, Love as Doctor in 1665,
Mélicerte in 1666, The Pastoral Comedy in 1667, The Sicilian also in 1667,
George Dandin in 1668, Monsieur de Pourceaugnac in 1669, The Magnificant
Lovers in 1670, The Would-Be Gentleman in 1670, and Psyche in 1671.
The Bores was a much smaller-scale comedy-ballet since Molière was
still experimenting with the genre. But in The Forced Marriage, he started
integrating musical numbers into the plot with actual singing and dancing
characters, like the gypsies. The gypsies did not just come on stage in between
acts, but their characters had a purpose within the plot. King Louis XIV was
actually persuaded to perform in a number of Molière’s comedy-ballets and is
thought to have been one of the gypsies in The Forced Marriage.
Molière’s many comedy-ballets with Lully and Beauchamp reached their
climax in The Would-Be Gentleman, their greatest collaboration and some of
Lully’s best work. The Would-Be Gentleman has seamless transitions into its
musical numbers. The characters are written so that the musical numbers fit
perfectly with the plot.
Psyche ended Molière’s collaborations with Lully and Beauchamp. It was
their first and only tragedy-ballet. Lully and Molière had a falling out but this did
not stop Molière from making comedy-ballets. When Molière lost Lully he found
someone else to write his music. His last play before his death, The Imaginary
Invalid, performed in 1673, was a comedy-ballet with music by Charpentier.
Comedy-ballet was important to Molière. He devoted much of his career to
writing and developing comedy-ballets, which were an important step in the
evolution of theatre.

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 The Premiere

The Forced Marriage premiered at the royal palace, The Louvre, at a

very private party with just the king and close upper nobility. Few women were
actually at the party. Two ballets were performed that night: the ballet from The
Forced Marriage and another ballet by the Hotel de Bourgogne. The Forced
Marriage was danced four times (twice at the Louvres and twice for “The
Monsieur”, the king’s brother) before it was performed for the Parisian public on
February 15, 1664 at the Palais du Roi. The play had a somewhat successful run
of twelve performances. In May 1664, Moliere was invited by King Louis XIV
to provide the entertainment for his party, “The Pleasures of the Enchanted Isle”,
held at Louis’s palace at Versailles. The festivities lasted from May 5th to the
13th. During that week Moliere performed four of his plays: The Princess of Elis
and Tartuffe which both premiered at this party, along with The Bores and The
Forced Marriage. Moliere’s troupe also performed little bit parts during the
week, with The Forced Marriage being performed on the last day of the party.
“The Pleasures of the Enchanted Isle” was ostensibly given in honor of
Louis’s wife (the queen) and the queen-mother. However, everyone knew that it
was truly given for Mademoiselle Louise de la Vallière, Louis’s current mistress.
During this time, the court was divided. King Louis was young, and he and his
friends believed in parties and free love. In contrast, the queen-mother was very
devout. The two different factions at the court created many conflicts. The
divided nature of the court and the fact that the party was given for King Louis’s
mistress affected which plays Moliere’s troupe performed at “The Pleasures of
the Enchanted Isle”. The Princess of Elis was all about free love and Tartuffe
satirized religious hypocrites. The Forced Marriage might have taken on
different overtones in this setting because King Louis was not quite comfortable
in his marriage at the time.
The Forced Marriage was revived in 1668 for ten performances and
again in 1672 for fourteen performances. The play actually became more popular
after Moliere’s death in 1673 because every year since then, The Forced
Marriage has been revived by the Comédie-Française.

6
 Themes

Arranged Marriage

Arranged marriages were typical in 17th century French society. As a part of

the marriage, it was customary for fathers to provide their daughters with
dowries, and prospective husbands promised “jointures”, or settlements, for their
wives should they be widowed. However, dowries can be done away with, as is
seen in Molière’s play, The Forced Marriage.
The purpose of the arranged marriage was to either increase the money in a
family, or to allow someone to move up in society. Due to the debt in which the
aristocracy often found themselves, elaborate marriage contracts were drawn up
among the aristocracy. It was perfectly reasonable for a poor aristocrat to marry
for money, as he was conferring his status on his new wife. Molière often uses
marriage dowries and jointures as incentives to marry in his plays. By the end of
the 17th century, the idea of marrying for titles and dowries was so extravagant
that they were even being advertised in newspapers.
Even though there were many arranged marriages, there were many
marriages for love. Most Molière plays, especially his farces, end with the two
young lovers being able to marry, typically overcoming the arranged marriage.

Cuckoldry

The term “cuckold” comes from the cuckoo bird. A cuckoo will place its eggs in
another bird’s nest. Thus it avoids nurturing and raising the chick. A Cuckold is
derived from the Old French for the cuckoo, cucu. The earliest literary use of the
Middle English derivation, cokewold, is found in 1250.
Due to the large number of arranged marriages, husbands and wives were
often unfaithful. Although both were unfaithful, it was the wife’s infidelity that
brought shame to a family, and turned the husband into a cuckold. Cuckolds have
sometimes been recognized within literature as "wearing the horns of a cuckold"
or just "wearing the horns". A man is cuckolded when he is the last to know of
his wife’s infidelity. Horns on the head are the typical sign of a cuckold, as a
person cannot see what is on their own head, but everyone else can.
The use of horns to signify a cuckold refers back to a legend in Europe that
when the cuckoldry was made public, typically through birth of an illegitimate

7
child, the community would force the husband to wear horns on his head and
would parade him through town.
The connection of horns and cuckoldry can be found in many countries. In
Italy, cornuto asserts both horn and cuckolded. In Portugal, corno ("horn") and
cornudo ("horned") are used to mock a male whose partner is unfaithful. Also in
Portugal, the expression corno manso ("tame horned") indicates men who accept
their cheating partners as a part of their lives. In Spain, the word cornudo
describes a sexually unfaithful female. Spain also typifies a consenting cuckold
as a cabrón, and cabrón holds so offensive a connotation that the word is taboo
and is rarely used in connection to the original meaning, billy goat. Outside of
Europe, in Trinidad and Tobago, the term "horn" is used in conjunction with
cuckolds. Other uses include "to horn" (to sleep with someone else's spouse),
"horning" (the act of cheating on your spouse), "to get horn", "to take (a) horn".
It is usually used in a derogatory sense. This horn analogy in relation to
unfaithfulness extends to Turkey, where the cuckolded husband is termed
boynuzlu, "horned one", and a similar analogy exists in Greece, using the term
"κερατάς" meaning "horned one".
Molière often deals with cuckold’s in his plays, and the fear of becoming
a cuckold drives his protagonists to protective measures. Arnolphe, in The School
for Wives, trains his wife to be naïve and removed so that she would remain
ignorant. Sganarelle in The Forced Marriage tries to get out of his marriage to
avoid being cuckolded.

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 CHARACTERS
In Order of Appearance

Lord Sganarelle, Dorimène’s betrothed

Lord Geronimo, Sganarelle’s friend
Dorimène, a young coquette, betrothed to Sganarelle
Pancrace, Aristotelian philosopher
Marphurius, Pyrrhonian skeptic philosopher
Two Gypsy Women
Lycaste, Dorimène’s lover
Alcantor, Dorimène’s father
Alcidas, Dorimène’s brother

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 SCENE I
Sganarelle, Geronimo

SGANARELLE
( speaking behind the scenes as he enters) I’ll return in a moment. Take good
care of the house. If anyone comes to bring me money, tell them I am at Lord
Geronimo’s house; and if they ask for any from me, tell them that I have gone
and will not return all day.
GERONIMO
(having heard the last words of Sganarelle) What a very prudent order.
SGANARELLE
Ah! Lord Geronimo, what a perfect time to see you, I was just on my way to
your house to look for you.
GERONIMO
What did you want to talk to me about?
SGANARELLE
I wanted to explain an idea I’ve had, and to ask you to tell me your point of view.
GERONIMO
Quite willingly. I am glad to have run into you; we can speak freely right here.
SGANARELLE
Sit down, then, please. It has to do with a very important matter which someone
has suggested I consider, and I don’t want to act without the advice of my
friends.
GERONIMO
I am flattered that you’ve come to me about this. Just tell me what it is.
SGANARELLE
But first promise not to flatter me at all in your advice; tell me exactly what you
think.
GERONIMO
I can do that, if you really want me to.
SGANARELLE
I can’t think of anything more condemnable than a friend who won’t speak
honestly.

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GERONIMO
You’re right.
SGANARELLE
And in this day and age it’s difficult to find a true friend.
GERONIMO
It’s true.
SGANARELLE
Promise me, then, Lord Geronimo, that you’ll speak to me in complete
frankness.
GERONIMO
I promise.
SGANARELLE
Swear by your faith.
GERONIMO
Yes, by my faith in our friendship. Just tell me what you wanted to ask me about!
SGANARELLE
I want to know if you think I should get married.
GERONIMO
Who, you?
SGANARELLE
Yes, me. What do you think?
GERONIMO
First, tell me one thing.
SGANARELLE
What’s that?
GERONIMO
How old are you now?
SGANARELLE
Me?
GERONIMO
Yes.

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SGANARELLE
I have no idea; but I’m in good shape.
GERONIMO
What? You can’t even guess your age within a year two?
SGANARELLE
No; does anyone really think about their age?
GERONIMO
Yes! Tell me this, then: how old were you when we first met?
SGANARELLE
I wasn’t more than twenty then.
GERONIMO
How long were we together in Rome?
SGANARELLE
Eight years.
GERONIMO
How long did you stay in England?
SGANARELLE
Seven years.
GERONIMO
And in Holland, where you lived next?
SGANARELLE
Five and a half years.
GERONIMO
How many years have passed since you returned here?
SGANARELLE
I got back in ’56.
GERONIMO
From ’56 to ’681 is about twelve years. Five years in Holland makes 17; seven
years in England makes twenty-four; and you were twenty when we first met -
that makes 52. Therefore, by your own confession, Lord Sganarelle, you are 52
or 53 years old.

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SGANARELLE
Who, me? That can’t be true.
GERONIMO
My goodness, the calculations are correct; and in this I will speak frankly as your
friend, as you have made me promise to speak to you frankly, that at this point,
marriage isn’t really for you. Young people who want to marry should think
seriously about what they are doing and whether or not they want to go through
with it, but people your age shouldn’t think about marriage at all; and if it is said
that one of the greatest mistakes you can make is to marry, I don’t see anything
worse than making that mistake when you are old enough to know better.
Finally, let me clearly explain what I think about the matter. I do not advise you
to dream about marriage at all, and I would think you the biggest fool in the
world, if, having been free for so long, you decide now to shackle yourself with
the heaviest of chains.
SGANARELLE
Then let me tell you that I am resolved to marry, and that no one will call me a
fool when I marry the girl I have in mind!
GERONIMO
Ah! That makes a difference! You have yet to tell me who you want to marry.
SGANARELLE
A girl who makes me happy, and whom I love with all my heart.
GERONIMO
You love her with all your heart?
SGANARELLE
Without a doubt, and I have asked her father for her hand.
GERONIMO
You have already asked him?
SGANARELLE
Yes. We will be married tonight, I have given my word.
GERONIMO
Oh! Well, get married then. I won’t say another word.
SGANARELLE
Should I give up the plan I’ve made, then? Does it seem to you, Lord Géronimo,
that I no longer have the right to dream of a woman? Let’s not talk any more
about my age, but rather, look at the facts. Is there a man of thirty years with

13
more vigor and energy than you see in me? Am I not as limber and athletic as I
ever was? Do I need a cane or a wheelchair to get around? Don’t I still have all
my teeth, the best teeth in the world (showing his teeth)? Don’t I still eat four
hearty meals every day, and have you ever seen a stomach with more strength
than mine? (coughing) What do you say?
GERONIMO
You are right; I was wrong: it would be good for you to get married.
SGANARELLE
There was a time when I wasn’t thrilled with the idea; but now I have realized
what great reasons there are to marry. Other than the joy of having a beautiful
wife, who will tenderly caress me, and dote on me and massage my body when it
aches, other than this joy, I say, I must consider that in remaining as I am, I will
let the Sganarelle name perish from this earth, and that by getting married, I will
be able to see myself live again. I will have the pleasure of seeing the creatures I
bring forth, whose little faces will resemble mine like one drop of water
resembles another, and who will play in the house all day long, and call me
“Papa” when I return from town, and tell me the sweetest little stories in the
world. Wait – it already seems that I am there, and that I see a half dozen of them
around me…
GERONIMO
Well, there’s nothing better than that, so I advise you to get married as soon as
you can.
SGANARELLE
Really, that’s your advice?
GERONIMO
Assuredly. You will never do better than this.
SGANARELLE
Truly, I’m overjoyed that you’re showing such true friendship in giving me this
advice.
GERONIMO
But wait! Who is the girl that you are going to marry?
SGANARELLE
Dorimène.
GERONIMO
The young Dorimène, so vivacious and well-dressed?

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SGANARELLE
Yes.
GERONIMO
The daughter of Lord Alcantor?
SGANARELLE
Exactly.
GERONIMO
And sister of a certain Alcidas, the sword-fighter?
SGANARELLE
That’s her.
GERONIMO
Goodness me!
SGANARELLE
What do you have to say about her?
GERONIMO
A good choice! Marry her right away!
SGANARELLE
Didn’t I say I had good reason to marry her?
GERONIMO
Without a doubt. Ah! You are going to marry well! Hurry up and do it.
SGANARELLE
I rejoice at your words! Thank you for your advice. I’m inviting you to the
ceremony tonight.
GERONIMO
I wouldn’t miss it, and I’d like to wear a mask, in order to show more respect for
the sacred ceremony.
SGANARELLE
Until then!
GERONIMO
(aside)The young Dorimène, daughter of Lord Alcontor, and Lord Sganarelle,
who is only fifty-three years old: O what a beautiful marriage! O what a beautiful
marriage! (repeats over and over again as he walks offstage)

15
SGANARELLE
(alone) This marriage must be a happy one, for it spreads joy to all, and I make
everyone laugh when I tell them about it. Look at me, I am now the happiest of
men!
SCENE II
Dorimène, Sganarelle

DORIMENE
(to the page holding her train) Let’s go, little one, be careful with my train, and
follow close behind me. We mustn’t get distracted.
SGANARELLE
Here comes my bride! Ah! She is wonderful! What a countenance! What a
figure! Is there any man who, in seeing her, would not itch to be married? Where
are you going, my little sweetheart, the dear future wife of your future husband?
DORIMENE
I am going shopping.
SGANARELLE
Of course! My love, now we will both be happy. You will no longer have the
right to refuse me, and I can do with you whatever I please, without a hint of
scandal. You will be mine from head to toe, and I will be the master of all: of
your little eyes as they wake, of your little mischievous nose, of your delicious
lips, of your loving ears, of your pretty little chin, of your plump little nipples, of
your…; well, all of your person will be at my discretion, and I will be likewise
yours to caress as I please. Aren’t you happy that we will marry, my lovely little
doll?
DORIMENE
Very happy, I assure you; for it finally marks the end of my father’s rule over
me, which has been the cruelest in the world. I don’t know how many times I
have been filled with rage at how little freedom he gives me, and I have wished a
hundred times over to marry in order to escape the prison he’s kept me in, and be
allowed to do as I please. Thank God, you have come to save me, and to help me
make up for the time that I have lost. And because you’re a gallant man, and you
know how life should be lived, I believe that we will have the best little
household in the world together, and that you won’t be at all like those
controlling husbands who want their wives to live like werewolves. I swear to
you that I will not stand for that, and that a lonely life would fill me with despair.
I like games, social visits, parties, gifts, and walks; in a word, I love all
pleasurable things, and you must be filled with joy at the prospect of having a

16
wife of my tastes. We will never fight, and I will not control your actions at all,
and you will not control mine either; for I believe that there must be a mutual
understanding, and a married couple must not try to make each other angry. After
all we will live, married, as two people who know what they want in the world.
No jealous suspicion will trouble our minds; and it is enough that you are certain
of my fidelity, as I will be convinced of yours. But what’s the matter? I see that
your expression has changed entirely…
SGANARELLE
Something in the air is giving me a headache…
DORIMENE
That’s a common problem these days; but our marriage will cure all of that.
Goodbye. It is already slowing me down that I don’t have a proper outfit to wear
instead of these rags. I’ll go right now to finish buying all of the things that I will
need, and I will send you the bill.
SCENE III
Géronimo, Sganarelle

GERONIMO
Ah! Lord Sganarelle, I am thrilled to find you still here. I have met a goldsmith
who, upon hearing that you are in search of a beautiful diamond ring to give to
your wife, asked me to speak with you, and to tell you that he has one to sell, the
most beautiful in the world.
SGANARELLE
My goodness! That is not a pressing concern.
GERONIMO
What? What is that supposed to mean? Where is the ardor you were showing just
a moment ago?
SGANARELLE
It hit me, just a moment ago, how many little things one must take into
consideration before marrying. Before doing any more than I already have, I
would like to put this idea to the test, and have someone explain a dream I had
last night, which is suddenly on my mind again and returning me to the feelings I
was having then. You know that dreams are like mirrors, where we sometimes
discover things that will come to pass.
It seemed to me like I was in a bottle, on a stormy sea, and that…
GERONIMO
Lord Sganarelle, right now I need to attend to a matter of my own business and

17
so I can’t continue to hear you out. Besides, I don’t want to hear anything about
dreams, and as far as the reasoning behind your decision to marry, you have two
wise men, two philosophers, who are your neighbors, and who are the sort of
people who will you tell you all that can be said about the subject. Because they
follow different philosophies, you can take into account their different opinions
on the issue. For me, I am content with what I told you earlier, and I remain your
servant.
SGANARELLE (alone)
He is right. I must speak a little with these men about the uncertainty I am
feeling.
SCENE IV
Pancrace, Sganarelle
PANCRACE
Go, you are impertinent, my friend, a man who’d be expelled from the republic
of letters.
SGANARELLE
Ah! Good, here’s one just in time.
PANCRACE
Yes, I still maintain for many reasons that you are ignorant, ignorantissimo,
ignorantified, and ignoramus by every case and mood imaginable.
SGANARELLE
He’s arguing with someone. Sir…
PANCRACE
You wish to meddle with words, and you don’t even know the elements of
reasoning.
SGANARELLE
Anger keeps him from seeing me. Sir…
PANCRACE
It’s a damnable proposition in all the realms of philosophy.
SGANARELLE
Someone must have really annoyed him. I…
PANCRACE
Toto caelo tota via aberras.
SGANARELLE

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I kiss the hands of the Mister Doctor.
PANCRACE
At your service.
SGANARELLE
May I…
PANCRACE
Do you know what you’ve done? A syllogism in balardo.
SGANARELLE
I…
PANCRACE
The major part is inept, the minor impertinent and the whole ridiculous.
SGANARELLE
I…
PANCRACE
I would dig my own grave sooner than admit to what you say, and I stand by my
opinion until the last drop of my ink.
SGANARELLE
May I…
PANCRACE
Yes, I will forbid that proposition, pugnis et calcibus, unguibus et rostro.
SGANARELLE
Mr. Aristotle, might I know what makes you so enraged?
PANCRACE
The most important subject in the world.
SGANARELLE
And what, then?
PANCRACE
An ignoramus tried to support an erroneous proposition, a proposition
astonishing, frightening, and detestable.
SGANARELLE
Might I ask what it was?
PANCRACE

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Ah! Mr. Sganarelle, everything is backwards today, and the world has fallen into
general corruption; an appalling license reigns all about; and the magistrates,
who are established to maintain the order in this state, would turn red with
shame in suffering as intolerable a scandal of which I speak.
SGANARELLE
What then?
PANCRACE
Is it not a horrible thing, a thing that cries for vengeance from heaven, to say
publicly, “the form of a hat”?
SGANARELLE
Huh?
PANCRACE
I maintain that one should say “the figure of a hat,” and not the “form”; there is
a difference between the “form” and the “figure”: the “form” is the external
disposition of animated bodies, and the “figure” is the external disposition of
inanimate objects; and because the hat is an inanimate object, you should say
“the figure of a hat” and not the “form”. Yes, as ignorant as you are, this is how
you should speak; and these are the terms of Aristotle himself in the chapter, “of
Quality.”
SGANARELLE
I thought that all was lost. Mr. Doctor, don’t dwell on this anymore. I…
PANCRACE
I am in such a rage that I can’t feel anymore.
SGANARELLE
Leave the form and the hat in peace. I have something to tell you. I…
PANCRACE
Impertinent incorrigible!
SGANARELLE
Please, let it go. I…
PANCRACE
Ignorant!
SGANARELLE
Good grief! I…

20
PANCRACE
To try and maintain such a proposition!
SGANARELLE
He’s wrong. I…
PANCRACE
A proposition condemned by Aristotle!
SGANARELLE
It’s true. I…
PANCRACE
In his own words.
SGANARELLE
You’re right. Yes, you’re an impudent fool to argue with a doctor who knows
how to read and write. See, it’s done! Now, please listen to me. I just came to
consult with you about an affair that’s bugging me. I intend to take a wife to
keep me company at home. She’s beautiful and well made; she pleases me
greatly, and is thrilled to marry me. Her father gave me permission, but I’m a
little afraid of, you know, the disgrace that no one pities. I’d greatly appreciate
your advice, as a philosopher. So, what’s your opinion on the matter?
PANCRACE
Rather than agree that we should say “the form of a hat,” I would agree that
datur vacuum in rerum natura, and that I am but an animal.
SGANARELLE
Curse this man! Mr. Doctor, do you hear me? I’ve been talking to you for an
hour, and you haven’t at all replied to what I’ve told you.
PANCRACE
Please forgive me. A just rage occupies my thoughts.
SGANARELLE
Oh, let it go, and just listen to me.
PANCRACE
Fine. What did you wish to say?
SGANARELLE
I wish to talk about something.
PANCRACE

21
And with what tongue would you like to speak?
SGANARELLE
What tongue?
PANCRACE
Yes.
SGANARELLE
Gosh! How about the one I have in my mouth. No need to go borrow the
neighbor’s.
PANCRACE
Let me ask, what idiom, what language?
SGANARELLE
Oh! That’s another story.
PANCRACE
You wish to speak in Italian?
SGANARELLE
No.
PANCRACE
Spanish?
SGANARELLE
No.
PANCRACE
German?
SGANARELLE
No.
PANCRACE
French?
SGANARELLE
No.
PANCRACE
Latin?

22
SGANARELLE
No.
PANCRACE
Greek?
SGANARELLE
No.
PANCRACE
Hebrew?
SGANARELLE
No.
PANCRACE
Syriac?
SGANARELLE
No.
PANCRACE
Turkish?
SGANARELLE
No.
PANCRACE
Arabic?
SGANARELLE
No, no, English.
PANCRACE
Ah! English.
SGANARELLE
Great.
PANCRACE
Then move to my other side. This ear is reserved for scientific and foreign
languages, and the other is for the mother tongue.
SGANARELLE
You need to make ceremonies with this sort of person!

23
PANCRACE
What do you want?
SGANARELLE
To consult with you about a little difficulty.
PANCRACE
A difficulty with philosophy, no doubt?
SGANARELLE
Excuse me, I…
PANCRACE
You would like to know if substance and accident are synonymous or equivocal
terms with regard to their state?
SGANARELLE
Not at all. I…
PANCRACE
If logic is an art or a science?
SGANARELLE
No, not that. I…
PANCRACE
If its objective is the three operations of thought, or just the third?
SGANARELLE
No. I…
PANCRACE
If there are ten categories, or just one?
SGANARELLE
No. I…
PANCRACE
If confusion is the essence of syllogism?
SGANARELLE
Nope. I…
PANCRACE
If the essence of good is placed in appetite or in convention?

24
SGANARELLE
No. I…
PANCRACE
If good is reciprocated as an end?
SGANARELLE
Huh? No. I…
PANCRACE
If an end can affect us by its real being, or by its intentional being?
SGANARELLE
No, no, no, no, no, by all the devils, no.
PANCRACE
Then reveal your thoughts, for I can’t guess them.
SGANARELLE
I want to reveal them, but you have to listen.
SGANARELLE
(At the same time as the doctor) The matter that I have to tell you is that I want
to get married to a young, beautiful girl. I love her greatly, and asked her
father’s permission to marry; but I’m afraid…
PANCRACE
(At the same time as Sganarelle.) Speech was given to man to express his
thoughts; And just as thoughts are representations of things, our words are
likewise representations of our thoughts; but these representations differ from
other representations in that these representations are distinct from their
originals, and that speech is original of itself, seeing as it is only thoughts
expressed by an external sign, from which we gather that those who think well
speak best. So explain to me your thoughts by words, which are the most
intelligible of all signs.
SGANARELLE
(Pushing the doctor into his house, and closing the door to prevent his leaving)
Curse that man!
PANCRACE
(Inside the house) Yes, speech is animi index et speculum; it is intervention of
the heart, the image of the soul.

25
(He goes to the window and continues) It’s a mirror that simply represents the
most arcane secrets of the individual. Since you have the ability of reason and
speech, why don’t you use your ability to make me understand your thoughts?
SGANARELLE
That’s what I’m trying to do, but you won’t listen.
PANCRACE
I’m listening, speak.
SGANARELLE
I say then, Mr. Doctor, that…
PANCRACE
But above all, be brief.
SGANARELLE
I will be.
PANCRACE
Avoid prolixity.
SGANARELLE
Oh, Sir…
PANCRACE
Cut down your discourse to a laconian apophtegm.
SGANARELLE
I…
PANCRACE
No diffuseness or circumlocution.
(Sganarelle, annoyed at not being allowed to speak, picks up a rock to throw at
the doctor’s head)
Uh, what! You are losing your temper instead of explaining yourself. Go, you
are more impertinent than the one that tried to convince me you should say “the
form of the hat”; I will prove to you at any occasion, by clear and demonstrative
reasons, and by arguments in Barbara, that you aren’t, and will never be, and
that I will always be, in utroque jure, Doctor Pancrace.
(The doctor leaves his house)
SGANARELLE
What a chatterer!

26
PANCRACE
A man of letters, a man of learning.
SGANARELLE
Here we go…
PANCRACE
A man of sufficiency, a man of capacity. (Going) A man consumed with all the
sciences, natural, moral and political. (Returning) A learned man, the most
learned per omnes modos et casus. (Going) A man who possesses superlatively
fables, mythologies and histories. (Returning) Grammar, poetry, rhetoric,
dialects and sophistries. (Going) mathematics, arithmetic, optics, onirocritics,
physics and metaphysics. (Returning) Cosmometry, geometry, architecture,
specular and speculatory. (Going) medicine, astronomy, astrology,
physiognomy, metoposcopy, chiromancy, geomancy, etc.
SGANARELLE
To hell with these scholars, who won’t ever listen to people! I was rightly told
that their master Aristotle was nothing but a big talker. I should find the other
one. He’s got to be more composed and more reasonable.

SCENE V
Marphurius, Sganarelle
MARPHURIUS
What do you want from me, Mr. Sganarelle?
SGANARELLE
Mr. Doctor, I have need of your counsel with a little problem, so that’s why I’ve
come here. Ah, this is better. This one actually lets people speak.
MARPHURIUS
Mr. Sganarelle, please change this mode of speaking. Our philosophy stipulates
to not enunciate a decisive proposition, to speak all with uncertainty, to suspend
always our judgment. And, for this reason, you shouldn’t say, “ I have come,”
but, “it seems I have come.”
SGANARELLE
It seems?
MARPHURIUS
Yes.

27
SGANARELLE
Well, no doubt it seems, because it is so.
MARPHURIUS
Not necessarily. It could seem to you, and yet not be true.
SGANARELLE
Huh? Is it not true that I am here?
MARPHURIUS
That is uncertain, and we must doubt everything.
SGANARELLE
What? I’m not here, and you’re not talking with me?
MARPHURIUS
It seems to me that you are here, and it seems that I am talking to you, but it isn’t
proven that it this is so.
SGANARELLE
What the devil! You’re kidding? I’m here, as plain as day; there’s no “seem”
about it. Let’s drop these petty discussions, and talk about my business. I’ve
come to tell you that I want to marry.
MARPHURIUS
I know nothing of this.
SGANARELLE
I’m telling you.
MARPHURIUS
It may be so.
SGANARELLE
The girl that I want to marry is young and beautiful.
MARPHURIUS
That isn’t impossible.
SGANARELLE
Is it a good or bad idea to marry her?
MARPHURIUS
The one or the other.

28
SGANARELLE
Oh boy, here comes another song. I ask you, is it a good or bad idea to marry
the girl I’ve told you about?
MARPHURIUS
As it might happen.
SGANARELLE
Would it be bad?
MARPHURIUS
Peradventure.
SGANARELLE
Please, answer me properly.
MARPHURIUS
That is my intent.
SGANARELLE
I really like this girl.
MARPHURIUS
That may be so.
SGANARELLE
The father has given his consent.
MARPHURIUS
He might have.
SGANARELLE
But, by marrying her, I’m afraid I might be cuckolded.
MARPHURIUS
The thing is feasible.
SGANARELLE
What do you think?
MARPHURIUS
There is no impossibility to it.
SGANARELLE
But what would you do, if you were in my shoes?

29
MARPHURIUS
I do not know.
SGANARELLE
What do you suggest I do?
MARPHURIUS
Whatever pleases you.
SGANARELLE
I’m getting mad.
MARPHURIUS
I wash my hands of it.
SGANARELLE
To the devil, old dreamer!
MARPHURIUS
It may be, what can be.
SGANARELLE
A plague of death! I’ll change your song, you dog of a philosopher!
MARPHURIUS
Ah! Ah! Ah!
SGANARELLE
This is for your idiocy, and now I’m better.
MARPHURIUS
What insolence! To outrage me in this way! To have the audacity to strike a
philosopher such as I!
SGANARELLE
Please change this mode of speaking. One must doubt all things. You shouldn’t
say that I struck you, only that it seems that I struck you.
MARPHURIUS
Ah! I’ll go complain to the magistrate about these blows I’ve received.
SGANARELLE
I wash my hands of it.
MARPHURIUS
I have marks on me.

30
SGANARELLE
It may be so.
MARPHURIUS
You were the one who did this to me.
SGANARELLE
It is not an impossibility.
MARPHURIUS
I’ll get a summons against you.
SGANARELLE
I know nothing of this.
MARPHURIUS
And you’ll be condemned by justice.
SGANARELLE
As it might happen.
MARPHURIUS
Leave me alone.
SGANARELLE
What now? I can’t get one positive word from that dog of a man, and I’m just as
wise now as I was before. What should I do in the uncertainty of what will
follow this marriage? Never has a man been as confused as I am. Oh! Here are
the Egyptians; I should get my fortune from them.

SCENE VI
Two gypsies, Sganarelle

Gypsies enter singing and dancing with tambourines

SGANARELLE
These women are in good spirits. Excuse me! Is there any way for you to tell
me my fortune?
GYPSY 1
Yes, my good sir, we can tell it to you.

31
GYPSY 2
All you have to do is give us your hand; your hand must contain a bit of money,
and we will tell you something that will be worth your while.
SGANARELLE
Here, I offer you both of them, with what you wish inside.
GYPSY 1
You have a good face, my good sir, a good face.
GYPSY 2
Yes, a good face. The facial appearance of a man who will someday will be
something.
GYPSY 1
You will be married shortly, my good sir, you will be married shortly.
GYPSY 2
You will marry a nice woman, a nice woman.
GYPSY 1
Yes, a woman who will be held dear and beloved by everyone.
GYPSY 2
A woman who will make you many friends, my good sir, who will make you
many friends.
GYPSY 1
A woman who will bring abundance to your home
GYPSY 2
A woman who will give you a fine reputation
GYPSY 1
She will hold you in high esteem, my good sir, she will hold you in high esteem.
SGANARELLE
Well now, that’s good news. But now tell me, is there any chance that she will
cheat on me?
GYPSY 2
Cheat on you?
SGANARELLE
Yes.

32
GYPSY 1
Cheat on you?
SGANARELLE
Yes, is there any chance that she will cheat on me? (both sing and dance: La, la,
la, la…) What the devil? “La” is not an answer to my question. Come on. I ask
you both, will I be cheated on?
GYPSY 2
You, cheated on?
SGANARELLE
Yes, will I be cheated on?
GYPSY 1
You, cheated on?
SGANARELLE
Yes, I am to be or no? (Both sing and dance as they leave, La, la, la, la…) May
their carcasses rot with the plague, leaving me with my worries like that! I must
absolutely know what is to become of my marriage, and for that I want to find
that great magician everyone talks about so much, and who, through his
admirable art, can make you see anything that you desire. That’s it, there’s not
more to it than going to the magician and he will surely show me all that I can
ask of him.

SCENE VII
Dorimene, Lycaste, Sganarelle
LYCASTE
What? Good Dorimene, is this some sort of a joke you’re telling me?
DORIMENE
No joke.
LYCASTE
So you’re really getting married then?
DORIMENE
Really, really
LYCASTE
And your honeymoon starts tonight?

33
DORIMENE
Tonight.
LYCASTE
And you can, cruel as you are, forget the love that I have for you and the
promises you made to me?
DORIMENE
Me, not at all. I consider you in the same way I always have, and this marriage
shouldn’t worry you in the least. He’s not a man that I am marrying for love, and
only his wealth has compelled me to agree to the marriage. I have no worldly
possessions. You don’t either. And you know that without that, our time on
earth is miserable, and that whatever the cost, you’ve got to do what it takes get
some. I have embraced this opportunity as a way to put myself at ease, and I do
it in the hopes of quickly being freed from the old fogey that I am taking as a
husband. He’s a man who will surely die soon, and who has at most six months
left in him. I guarantee he will be dead within that time and I won’t have to beg
heaven long for the wonderful title of widow. Ah! We were just talking about
you, and we said every good thing we knew how to say.
LYCASTE
Is that the man?
DORIMENE
Yes, that’s the man who is making me his wife.
LYCASTE
Please accept my congratulations on your marriage sir, I offer you my humble
services. I assure you that you are marrying a very honest person. And you
Madam, I rejoice with you as well in the wonderful choice you have made. You
could not have done better; he just looks like he’s going to be an amazing
husband. Yes sir, I want us to be friends, and begin a little business of visits and
amusements.
DORIMENE
Oh, it’s too much. You flatter both of us. But let’s get going, time is really short
and later we’ll have the luxury of spending time together.
SGANARELLE
Here I am completely disgusted at my wedding. I don’t think it would be a bad
idea to go against my word at this point. Sure it has cost me some money, but it
would be well worth losing that than to expose myself to something much worse.
I had better go get myself out of this mess quickly. Hola.

34
 SCENE VIII
Alcantor, Sganarelle
ALCANTOR
Ah, my son-in-law, welcome.
SGANARELLE
Sir, your servant.
ALCANTOR
Are you coming to finalize the marriage?
SGANARELLE
Excuse me.
ALCANTOR
I promise you that I am just as impatient as you are to have it done.
SGANARELLE
I came about something else.
ALCANTOR
I’ve put everything in order for this party.
SGANARELLE
That’s not what this is about.
ALCANTOR
We’ve reserved the violins, the feast has been ordered, and my girl is dressed to
receive you.
SGANARELLE
That’s not what brings me here.
ALCANTOR
I promise you, you will be satisfied. And nothing will prevent your contentment.
SGANARELLE
My goodness, It’s something else
ALCANTOR
Okay, then come inside my son-in-law.
SGANARELLE
I have something I have to tell you.

35
ALCANTOR
Oh my goodness, let’s not make a ceremony out of it. Let’s get going, please.
SGANARELLE
No, I am telling you. I want to speak to you beforehand.
ALCANTOR
You want to tell me something?
SGANARELLE
Yes.
ALCANTOR
Well, what?
SGANARELLE
Mr. Alcantor, I asked for your daughter’s hand in marriage, it’s true, and you
granted me my wish. But I am realizing that I am too old for her, and I don’t
believe that I am a good match for her at all.
ALCANTOR
You’ll have to excuse me. My daughter likes you fine, and I am sure that she
will have a very happy life with you.
SGANARELLE
Not at all. Sometimes I have these horribly strange episodes and she would have
a hard time putting up with my bad moods.
ALCANTOR
My daughter is very kind, you will see, she will completely adjust to you.
SGANARELLE
I also have certain infirmities on my body, which could disgust her.
ALCANTOR
That’s nothing. A good wife is never disgusted by her husband.
SGANARELLE
My goodness, do you just want me to say it? I don’t think you should give her to
me.
ALCANTOR
Are you joking? I’d rather die than to go against my word.

36
SGANARELLE
My goodness, I absolve you from it, and I…
ALCANTOR
Not at all. I promised her to you, and you will have her despite all the others
who wish they could have her.
SGANARELLE
The devil I will.
ALCANTOR
You see, I have a special respect and friendship for you and you alone. I would
refuse the offer of a Prince in order to give my daughter to you.
SGANARELLE
Mr. Alcantor, I am obliged by the way you honor me, but I declare to you that I
do not at all wish to get married.
ALCANTOR
Who, you?
SGANARELLE
Yes, me.
ALCANTOR
Why not?
SGANARELLE
The reason is that I don’t feel that I am fit for marriage, and I wish to imitate my
father, and all my ancestors, who chose to never marry.
ALCANTOR
Listen, the choice is yours, and I am not a man who will force anyone. You gave
me your word to marry my daughter, and everything is prepared for that. But
since you want to break your word, I will go see what can be done. You will
hear from me soon.
SGANARELLE
Wow, he is even more reasonable than I thought, and I thought it would have
been much harder to get out of this one. My goodness, when I consider it, this
was really a good move on my part to get out of this matter. I was about to take
a step that I might have regretted for a long time. Ah, here comes the son with
news to tell me.

37
 SCENE IX
Alcidas, Sganarelle

ALCIDAS
(Speaking in a gentle tone) Sir, I am your humble servant.
SGANARELLE
Sir, I am yours with all my heart.
ALCIDAS
My father told me, sir, that you came to him to get out of the agreement that you
had made with him.
SGANARELLE
Yes, sir, it’s regrettable, but…
ALCIDAS
Oh! Sir, there’s no harm done.
SGANARELLE
I am mad about it, I assure you, and I only wish…
ALCIDAS
There’s no harm done, I am telling you (taking out to swords and presenting
them to him) Sir, please choose one of these two swords, whichever one you
want.
SGANARELLE
Of these two swords?
ALCIDAS
Yes, please.
SGANARELLE
What for?
ALCIDAS
Sir, since you have refused to marry my sister, according to the oath you made, I
believe that you will not dislike this compliment that I come to give you.
SGANARELLE
How’s that?

38
ALCIDAS
Other people would come in and make a ruckus, and would prevail against you,
but we are people who deal with things like this delicately, so I am coming to tell
you civilly that we must, if you don’t mind, cut each other’s throats.
SGANARELLE
Not much of a compliment.
ALCIDAS
So please sir, choose.
SGANARELLE
I am your servant, but I don’t have a throat worth cutting. This is not going well
at all.
ALCIDAS
Sir, this must be, if you will.
SGANARELLE
Eh! Sir, please take back this compliment, I beg of you.
ALCIDAS
Let’s hurry up, sir. I have a little matter I have to see to.
SGANARELLE
I don’t want any of this, I am telling you.
ALCIDAS
You don’t want to fight?
SGANARELLE
Of course not, my goodness.
ALCIDAS
Not at all?
SGANARELLE
Not at all.
ALCIDAS
At the very least, sir, you must admit you can’t complain against us that we don’t
follow the rules. You break your word with us - I want to fight you. If you
refuse to fight me, I will have to beat you with a rod, and this is all according to
the rules. Surely you are too much of a gentleman to deny that this is how it
must be done.

39
SGANARELLE
What a demon of a man?
ALCIDAS
Come on, sir, you must act more gallantly. Don’t make me pull you by the ears.
SGANARELLE
Come on!
ALCIDAS
Sir, I don’t force anyone, but you must either fight me, or you have to marry my
sister.
SGANARELLE
Sir, I cannot do one or the other, I assure you.
ALCIDAS
You assure me?
SGANARELLE
I assure you.
ALCIDAS
Well then, with your permission
SGANARELLE
Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!
ALCIDAS
Sir, I have all the regrets in the world to be forced to abuse you this way, but I
won’t stop until you promise to either fight me or marry my sister.
SGANARELLE
Well then, I’ll marry her, I’ll marry her.
ALCIDAS
Ah sir, I am overjoyed that you have come to your senses, and that these things
will conclude gracefully, for you are the man in the world who I admire and
respect the most. I swear to you, I would have been absolutely downcast if you
had forced me to mistreat you. I am going to call my father to tell him that
everything is in order.

40
 SCENE X
Alcantor, Dorimene, Alcidas, Sganarelle
ALICDAS
My father, here he is, and he is perfectly reasonable. He has decided to do things
in good faith and you can give him to my sister.
ALCANTOR
Sir, here is my hand - you have only to give me yours. Praise be to heaven!
Here I am with my duties fulfilled; from now on it is your responsibility to look
after her behavior. We are going to rejoice and celebrate this happy marriage.

NOTES

Scene 1

1. When the play was performed in 1664, Geronimo counted to ’64, not ’68
as in the published version. The director may choose to count to the
present day.

41
42