The School for Wives and The Learned Ladies, by Moliere: Two comedies in an acclaimed translation.

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.