Moliere: A Playwright and his Audience (Paperback)

List of illustrations; General preface to the series; Acknowledgements; Introduction; Part I. The Background: 1. The formation of an actor; 2. A playwright and his audience; 3. Comic drama before Moliere; Part II. The Plays: 4. The legacy of farce; 5. Comedy and character; 6. Laughter and 'le rire dans l'ame'; 7. From satire to comedy of ideas; 8. Comedy and ballet; Part III. The Aesthetic of Comedy: 9. The playwright as poet; 10. Moliere's comic vision; Translation of French passages quotes; Appendices; Bibliography; Index.