The Miser (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A French Neoclassical Comedy of Avarice, Family Conflict, Arranged Marriages, and Seventeenth-Century Social SatireBy Molière
Length4h 16m
About this audiobook
Molière's The Miser (L'Avare, 1668) is a sharply constructed prose comedy that anatomizes greed through the figure of Harpagon, a widowed patriarch whose obsession with money deforms every bond of family, love, and civic trust. Drawing on Plautus's Aulularia while adapting classical intrigue to the social realities of seventeenth-century France, the play combines farce, verbal wit, and moral satire. Its elegant machinery of disguises, blocked marriages, and sudden recognitions reveals a world where economic self-interest threatens natural affection and social harmony. Molière, born Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, was the preeminent comic dramatist of Louis XIV's France and a central figure in the development of modern European theatre. As actor-manager and playwright, he understood both the stage's practical rhythms and comedy's capacity for social criticism. His recurring interest in obsession—religious hypocrisy, medical pedantry, bourgeois pretension—finds in Harpagon one of its most enduring embodiments. The Miser is recommended to readers seeking a classic that remains startlingly contemporary. Its portrait of avarice is not merely humorous but psychologically acute, exposing how money can become a substitute for love, authority, and identity.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreLiterary Classics
Length4 hrs 16 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateNov 21, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Miser (Annotated)
2Introduction
3Synopsis
4Historical Context
5Author Biography
Show all chaptersShow less
6(L'AVARE.)
7MOLIÈRE
8CHARLES HERON WALL
9PERSONS REPRESENTED.
10THE MISER.
11ACT I.
12SCENE I.——VALÈRE, ÉLISE.
13SCENE II.——CLÉANTE, ÉLISE,
14SCENE III.——HARPAGON, LA FLÈCHE.
15SCENE IV.——HARPAGON (alone .)
16SCENE V.——HARPAGON, ÉLISE and CLÉANTE are seen talking together at the back of the stage .
17SCENE VI.——HARPAGON, ÉLISE.
18SCENE VII.——VALÈRE, HARPAGON, ÉLISE.
19SCENE VIII.——ÉLISE, VALÈRE.
20SCENE IX——HARPAGON, ÉLISE, VALÈRE.
21SCENE X.——HARPAGON, VALÈRE.
22ACT II.
23SCENE I.——CLÉANTE, LA FLÈCHE.
24SCENE II.——HARPAGON, MR. SIMON (CLÉANTE and LA FLÈCHE at the back of the stage) .
25SCENE III.——HARPAGON, CLÉANTE.
26SCENE IV.——FROSINE, HARPAGON.
27SCENE V.——LA FLÈCHE, FROSINE.
28SCENE VI.——HARPAGON, FROSINE.
29ACT III.
30SCENE I.——HARPAGON, CLÉANTE, ÉLISE, VALÈRE, DAME CLAUDE (holding a broom) , MASTER JACQUES, LA MERLUCHE, BRINDAVOINE.
31SCENE II.——HARPAGON, CLÉANTE, ÉLISE, VALÈRE, MASTER JACQUES, BRINDAVOINE, LA MERLUCHE.
32SCENE III.——HARPAGON, CLÉANTE, ÉLISE, VALÈRE, MASTER JACQUES.
33SCENE IV.——HARPAGON, CLÉANTE, VALÈRE, MASTER JACQUES.
34SCENE V.——HARPAGON, VALÈRE, MASTER JACQUES.
35SCENE VI.——VALÈRE, MASTER JACQUES.
36SCENE VII.——MARIANNE, FROSINE, MASTER JACQUES.
37SCENE VIII.——MARIANNE, FROSINE.
38SCENE IX.——HARPAGON, MARIANNE, FROSINE.
39SCENE X.——HARPAGON, ÉLISE, MARIANNE, FROSINE.
40SCENE XI.——HARPAGON, MARIANNE, ÉLISE, CLÉANTE, VALÈRE, FROSINE, BRINDAVOINE.
41SCENE XII.——HARPAGON, MARIANNE, ÉLISE, CLÉANTE, VALÈRE, FROSINE.
42SCENE XIII.——HARPAGON, MARIANNE, ÉLISE, VALÈRE, FROSINE, BRINDAVOINE.
43SCENE XIV.——HARPAGON, MARIANNE, ÉLISE, CLÉANTE, FROSINE, LA MERLUCHE.
44SCENE XV.——HARPAGON, VALÈRE.
45ACT IV.
46SCENE I.——CLÉANTE, MARIANNE, ÉLISE, FROSINE.
47SCENE II.——HARPAGON, MARIANNE, ÉLISE, FROSINE.
48SCENE III.——HARPAGON, CLÉANTE.
49SCENE IV.——HARPAGON, CLÉANTE, MASTER JACQUES.
50SCENE V.——HARPAGON, CLÉANTE.
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