On Sunday, Google celebrated the works of French playwright, actor and poet Molière with a doodle. Today marks the day in 1673 when he premièred his play Le Malade Imaginaire (The Imaginary Invalid), a three-act play satirising the medical profession.
The doodle, in a carousel format, pays tribute to scenes from his most memorable plays, including The Imaginary Invalid , School for Wives , Don Juan , and The Miser .
Molière is considered as one of the greatest artists in the history of French theatre. According to the Google Doodle website, “his satirical plays fearlessly lampooned human folly and blended ballet, music, and comedy into a new genre that transformed buffoonery into witty social critique”.
Born Jean-Baptiste Poquelin in 1622, Molière decided to embark on a career on the stage at 21. In 1658, he performed for the King at Louvre in Paris. Molière was known for his bold writing, often risking offending the most powerful people in the country. His religious satire Tartuffe was banned by the court of King Louis XIV. The ban was lifted five years later.
In Le Malade Imaginaire , Molière starred in the role of a hypochondriac who tries to convince his daughter to break up with her true love and instead marry his doctor’s son, so as to save on medical bills.
