The School for Wives concerns an insecure man who contrives to show the world how to rig an infallible alliance by marrying the perfect bride; The Learned Ladies centers on the domestic calamities wrought by a domineering woman upon her husband, children, and household. “Wilbur...makes Molière into as great an English verse playwright as he was a French one” (John Simon, New York). Introductions by Richard Wilbur.

In these two masterpieces of 17th-century theater, Molière’s satirical genius takes aim at the follies of love, marriage, and intellectual pride.

• Richard Wilbur Translation: Experience Molière’s genius through the celebrated, sparkling English verse that makes these classic plays feel vital and contemporary.
• A Foolproof Marriage Scheme: In The School for Wives, watch the elaborate plans of a man terrified of being cuckolded unravel when his sheltered, ignorant ward discovers the power of love.
• Satire of Pretension: In The Learned Ladies, a household is turned upside down by a wife’s ambition to create a high-minded salon, sacrificing her family’s happiness for intellectual glory.
• 17th-Century French Comedy: Explore two of the finest examples of French classic drama, filled with sharp wit, memorable characters, and timeless social commentary.