Introduction

Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme is a comédie-ballet written by Molière that ridicules social climbing in 17^th century French society, where the highly pretentious Monsieur Jourdain, a rich bourgeois, heavily idealizes French nobility and tries to become socially recognized as a nobleman¹. He makes a fool of himself as he wears overly extravagant clothes and develops frivolous relations with nobles who take pleasure in his idiocy and exploit him for his money. Molière critiques both the bourgeois as well as the nobility, where both are subject to corruption and driven by superficial desire. Moreover, Monsieur Jourdain is never able to socially establish himself as an aristocrat, yet he succeeds within his own fantasies. By critiquing these social classes and emphasizing the paradox of Monsieur Jourdain’s failing and succeeding to become nobility, Molière ultimately challenges the worth of the classist foundations of French society.

I have picked two excerpts from Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme that illustrate how Monsieur Jourdain’s desperation to climb social rank has led to people abusing him. In my first selection, two people of high rank, Dorante and Dorimène come to Monsieur Jourdain’s home for dinner, and Monsieur Jourdain attempts to pursue Dorimène as a romantic partner. It should be noted that Dorante befriends Jourdain while secretly despising him in order to obtain his money. Dorante is in fact in love with Dorimène, yet he sustains Jourdain’s hopes of being with her with empty promises. In my second selection, as a result of Jourdain’s refusal to marry off his daughter to any man other than a noble man, the rich bourgeois Cléonte disguises himself as the son of the Grand Turk in order to win Monsieur Jourdain’s support. Cléonte and his valet fool him with the aid of Dorante, Dorimène, and Madame Jourdain, who greatly objects Monsieur Jourdain’s attempts at social climbing.

For transcribing this text, I attempted to preserve the verbal etiquette of 17^th century French society while modernizing the flow of the speech, so it is more digestible for readers. I did not want to diminish certain nuances within the dialogue, since they offered indications of classism and various tones exchanging between different characters. To mediate this, I focused on transferring the French connotation of words as well as their literal meaning.

Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme

First Selection:

ACT III: SCENE XV

Dorimène, Dorante, Lackey

Lackey: Monsieur said that he is going to be here soon.

Dorante: That’s fine.

Dorimène: I don’t know, Dorante, I feel strange letting you bring me here to a house where I don’t know anyone.

Dorante: What other location would you want, Madame, for my love to treat you, since you want neither your house nor mine to avoid scandal?

Dorimène: But you do not mention that each day I prepare myself imperceptibly to receive too grand demonstrations of your passion? No matter how much I have defended myself, you wear down my resistance, and you have a civilized persistence which makes me come gently to whatever pleases you. The frequent visits started, declarations came next, then after those came serenades and treats in train, which presents then followed. I opposed all of that, but you do not give up at all, and step by step you conquer my will. As for me, I can no longer respond with anything, and I believe that at the end you will bring me to marriage, which I have so far avoided.

Dorante: My faith! Madame, you should have already come to marriage. You are a widow, and you depend on nothing but yourself. I am my own master, and I love you more than my own life. Why shouldn’t you be all of my happiness from today onward?

Dorimène: Goodness! Dorante, it requires two people of good quality to live happily together; and two of the most reasonable persons in the world often have trouble making a union of which both are satisfied.

Dorante: You fool yourself, Madame, in inventing so many difficulties, and the experience of your one marriage concludes nothing for others.

Dorimène: Finally, I will always come back to this. The expenses that I see you take for me trouble me for two reasons: the first is that they involve me with you more than I would like, the second is that I am sure of – not meaning to displease you -- is that you spend so much that you financially inconvenience yourself, and I don’t want that at all.

Dorante: Ah! Madame, these are trifles, and it isn’t by that...

Dorimène: I know what I ‘m talking about, and, compared to other gifts, the diamond that you forced me to accept was of a price...

Dorante: Oh! Madame, mercy, do not put any value on something that my love finds undeserving of you², and tolerate... Here’s the master of the house.

ACT III: SCENE XVI

Monsieur Jourdain, Dorimène, Dorante, Lackey

Monsieur Jourdain (left) and Dorante (right)

Monsieur Jourdain: (After having made two bows, he finds himself too close to Dorimène) A little farther, Madame.

Dorimène: What?

Monsieur Jourdain: A step, if you please.

Dorimène: What is this?

Monsieur Jourdain: Step back a little, for the third.

Dorante: Madame, Monsieur Jourdain is very knowledgeable.

Monsieur Jourdain: Madame, it is the greatest honor to me to see me so fortunate to be so happy as to have the happiness that you should have had the goodness to accord me the graciousness of giving me the honor of honoring me with the favor of your presence; and, if I would also have the merit to merit a merit like yours, and that the Heavens... envious of my own good... should have accorded me... the advantage of seeing me dignified... of the...³

Dorante: Monsieur Jourdain, that is enough: Madame doesn’t like grand compliments, and she knows that you are a man of wit. (Aside, to Dorimène) He’s a good bourgeois that is very ridiculous, as you see, in all his manners.

Dorimène: (Aside, to Dorante) It is not difficult to perceive it.

Dorante: Madame, he is the best of my friends.

Monsieur Jourdain: You do me too much honor.

Dorante: I hold great esteem for him.

Monsieur Jourdain: I have not done anything yet, Madame, to deserve this favor.

Dorante: (Aside, to Monsieur Jourdain) Take care to not talk to her at all about the diamond that you gave her.

Monsieur Jourdain: Can I not just ask her how she likes it?

Dorante: What? Beware of this: that would be terrible of you; and to act as a gallant man, you must act as if it were not you who gave her this present. (Aloud) Monsieur Jourdain, Madame, said that he is delighted to see you in his home.

Dorimène: He honors me greatly.

Monsieur Jourdain: (Aside, to Dorante) How I am obliged to her, Monsieur, to talk to her this way for me!

Dorante: (Aside, to Monsieur Jourdain) I have endured frightful trouble getting her to come here.

Monsieur Jourdain: (Aside, to Dorante) I do not know how I can repay you.

Dorante: He said, Madame, that he finds you to be the most beautiful in the world.

Dorimène: He does me a great favor.

Monsieur Jourdain: Madame, it is you who does the favors; and...

Dorante: Let’s consider eating.

Lackey: All is ready, Monsieur.

Dorante: Come, let us sit at the table, and bring in the musicians.

Second Selection:

ACT V: SCENE IV

Cléonte, Coveille, Monsieur Jourdain, etc.

Dorante: Monsieur, we come to bow to Your Highness as friends of Monsieur, your father-in-law and to assure you with respect of our very humble services.

Monsieur Jourdain: Where’s the interpreter to tell him who you are and make him understand what you say? You will see that he will respond to you and that he speaks Turkish marvelously. Hey there! Where in the devil did he go? (To Cléonte) Strouf, strif, strof, straf⁴. Monsieur is a grand Segnore, grande Segnore, grande Segnore; and Madame is a granda Dama, granda Dama. Ahi, he, Monsieur, he is a French Mamamouchi, and Madame is a French Mamamouchie. I cannot speak more clearly. Good, here’s the interpreter. Where were you going? We won’t know how to say anything without you. Tell him that Monsieur and Madame are persons of great quality, who have come to bow before him, as my friends, and to assure him of their services. You will see as he will respond.

Coveille: Alabala crociam acci boram alabamen.

Cléonte: Catalequi tubal ourin soter amalouchan.

Monsieur Jourdain: Do you see?

Coveille: He said that the rain of prosperity will water your family’s garden forevermore!

Monsieur Jourdain: I told you that he speaks Turkish.

Dorante: It’s wonderful.

ACT V: SCENE V

Lucile, Monsieur Jourdain, Dorante, Dorimène, etc.

Monsieur Jourdain: Come, my daughter, come here and give your hand to the gentleman who does you the honor of asking your hand in marriage.

Lucile: What! My father, what have you done? Are you paying in a comedy?

Monsieur Jourdain: No, no, this is not a comedy, this is a very serious matter, and the most honor you could have ever wished for. Here is the husband that I am giving you.

Lucile: To me, father!

Monsieur Jourdain: Yes, to you. Go place your hand on his and say grace to the Heavens for your happiness.

Lucile: I absolutely do not want to marry.

Monsieur Jourdain: I want it, I, who am your father.

Lucile: I will do nothing of the sort.

Monsieur Jourdain: Oh! What noise! Let’s go, I tell you. There, your hand.

Lucile: No, my father, I already told you, there is no power that can oblige me to take any husband other than Cléonte; and I would rather go to extreme measures than … (Recognizing Cléonte) It is true that you are my father, I should be entirely obedient to you, and it is for you to dispose of me as you wish.

Monsieur Jourdain: Ah! I am delighted to see you return so promptly to your duty, and it pleases me to have an obedient daughter.

ACT V: SCENE VI

Madame Jourdain, Monsieur Jourdain, Cléonte, etc.

Monsieur Jourdain (left) followed by Coveille, Cléonte, Dorante, and Dorimène (right).

Madame Jourdain: What now? What is this? You say that you want to marry your daughter off to a carême-prenant⁵?

Monsieur Jourdain: Would you shut up, you impertinent woman? You always come to throw your absurdities on everything, and there’s no way of teaching you to be reasonable.

Madame Jourdain: It is you who cannot be taught to be reasonable, and you go from folly to folly. What is your plan, and that what do you want to do with this assembly?

Monsieur Jourdain: I want to marry our daughter to the son of the Grand Turk.

Madame Jourdain: To the son of the Grand Turk!?

Monsieur Jourdain: Yes, do give him your compliments through the interpreter there.

Madame Jourdain: I don’t need an interpreter, and I’ll tell him to his face that there is no way he’ll have my daughter.

Monsieur Jourdain: I ask again, would you silence yourself?

Dorante: What! Madame Jourdain, do you oppose a fortune such as this? You refuse His Turkish Highness as a son-in-law?

Madame Jourdain: My Goodness, Monsieur, keep to your own affairs.

Dorimène: It is a great glory, which ought not be rejected.

Madame Jourdain: Madame, I beg you not to concern yourself in matters that do not involve you.

Dorante: It’s the friendship that we have for you that makes us involved in your affairs.

Madame Jourdain: I’ll do quite well without your friendship.

Dorante: Your daughter agrees with the will of her father.

Madame Jourdain: My daughter agrees to marry a Turk?

Dorante: Without doubt.

Madame Jourdain: She can forget Cléonte?

Dorante: What wouldn’t one do to become a great lady?

Madame Jourdain: I will strangle her with my hands if she did something like that.

Monsieur Jourdain: What gibberish. I tell you; this marriage will happen.

Madame Jourdain: Here I am telling you that there is no way it will happen.

Monsieur Jourdain: Oh! What noise!

Lucile: Mother!

Madame Jourdain: Go away, you are naughty.

Monsieur Jourdain: What? You quarrel with her for obeying me?

Madame Jourdain: Yes. She is mine just as much as she is yours.

Coveille: Madame.

Madame Jourdain: What do you want to tell me?

Coveille: A word.

Madame Jourdain: I want nothing with your word.

Coveille: (To Monsieur Jourdain) Monsieur, if she will hear a word in private, I promise you to make her consent to what you want.

Madame Jourdain: I will consent to nothing.

Coveille: Just listen to me.

Madame Jourdain: No.

Monsieur Jourdain: Hear him out.

Madame Jourdain: No, I don’t want to listen to him.

Monsieur Jourdain: He will tell you...

Madame Jourdain: I don’t want him to say a word.

Monsieur Jourdain: There you go, the great stubbornness of a woman! Will it hurt you to hear him out?

Coveille: Just listen to me; after that you can do as you please.

Madame Jourdain: Fine! What?

Coveille: (Aside) For an hour, Madame, we have tried to tell you. Do you not see that all this is done only for accommodating the fantasies of your husband, that we fool him under this disguise, and that it is Cléonte himself who is the son of the Grand Turk?

Madame Jourdain: Ah, ah!

Coveille: And I, Coveille, am the interpreter?

Madame Jourdain: Oh! If it’s like that, I surrender.

Coveille: Act like you know nothing.

Madame Jourdain: (Aloud) Yes, it’s done, I agree to the marriage.

Monsieur Jourdain: Ah! Now everyone is reasonable⁶. You did not want to listen to him. I know very well that he explained what it means to be the son of the Grand Turk.

Madame Jourdain: He explained to me very well, and I was satisfied with it. Let’s send for a notary.

Dorante: That is well said. And finally, Madame Jourdain, so you can have a completely happy spirit, and you may lose today all of the jealously that you could have conceived of your husband, the same notary will serve for marrying us, Madame and me.

Madame Jourdain: I also consent to that.

Monsieur Jourdain: (Aside, to Dorante) That is to make her believe us?

Dorante: (Aside, to Monsieur Jourdain) We need to amuse her with this pretense.

Monsieur Jourdain: Good, good. Let us quickly fetch the notary.

Dorante: While he comes and addresses the contacts, let us watch our ballet, and divert His Turkish Highness with it.

Monsieur Jourdain: This is well advised. Let us take your places.

Madame Jourdain: And Nicole?

Monsieur Jourdain: I give her to the interpreter; and my wife to whoever wants her.

Coveille: Monsieur, I thank you. (Aside) If one could find anyone more foolish, I’ll go to Rome to talk about it.

The comedy finishes by a little ballet.

Bibliography

Dickson, Jesse. “Non-Sens et Sens Dans Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme.” The French Review, vol.

51, no. 3, 1978, pp. 341–52, https://www.jstor.org/stable/388754.
Gross, Nathan. “Values in ‘Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme.’” L’Esprit Créateur, vol. 15, no. 1/2,

1975, pp. 105–18, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26280120.
Meyer, Jean, director. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme. René Château Vidéo, 1958.

Schalk, Ellery. From Valor to Pedigree: Ideas of Nobility in France in the

Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, Princeton University Press, 1986. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/washington/detail.action?docID=1701147.

Welch, Ellen R. “Going behind the Scenes with Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme: Staging Critical

Spectatorship at Louis XIV’s Court.” The French Review, vol. 85, no. 5, 2012, pp. 848–60, https://www.jstor.org/stable/23213977.