The Bores - Molière

Summary

Les Fâcheux (The Bores) by Molière is a comédie-ballet in three acts that centers on the young lover, Éraste, and his desperate attempts to meet and court Orphise. Éraste's plans are continuously thwarted by a seemingly endless succession of bothersome and self-absorbed individuals—the "fâcheux"—each obsessed with their own particular passion or annoying habit. From a meticulous duelist to an obsessive hunter, a loud card player, a bad poet, and an overly patriotic bore, these characters interrupt Éraste at every turn, preventing him from ever having a private moment with Orphise or her stern guardian, Damis. Éraste's escalating frustration culminates in a dangerous encounter that, ironically, finally resolves his romantic predicament. The play satirizes various social types and the exasperating nature of unsolicited advice and egocentric conversation.

Book Sections

Section 1

Éraste, deeply enamored with Orphise, has arranged a secret rendezvous with her in a public garden. He is filled with anticipation, hoping this meeting will allow him to declare his love and win her over, despite the disapproval of her guardian, Damis, who keeps them apart. However, Éraste's plans are immediately disrupted. The first "fâcheux" to appear is Lysandre, who, oblivious to Éraste's clear disinterest and growing impatience, insists on detailing his meticulous preparations for an upcoming duel. Éraste tries repeatedly to escape, but Lysandre follows him, convinced Éraste is fascinated.

After Lysandre finally departs, Éraste spots Orphise. Just as he is about to approach her, another bore, Alcandre, accosts him. Alcandre is a pretentious courtier who rambles about his influence and the latest gossip, then attempts to recount a tedious play, completely missing every cue of Éraste's agitation. The scene continues with Orcan, a self-important fashionista obsessed with his attire, and Caritidès, a verbose scholar who demands Éraste's opinion on an impossibly long and dull Latin speech he has composed. Each encounter further delays Éraste from reaching Orphise, who is now growing impatient herself, and he is unable to utter a single word to her.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Éraste	Young, handsome, ardent lover, somewhat naive, increasingly frustrated.	To meet Orphise, declare his love, and win her hand in marriage.
Orphise	Beautiful, desirable, Éraste's beloved, kept under strict guardianship.	To meet Éraste, express her affection, and marry him despite her guardian.
Damis	Orphise's stern and traditional guardian, initially disapproves of Éraste.	To protect Orphise, ensure her safety, and choose a suitable husband for her.
La Montagne	Éraste's valet, pragmatic, often tries to help Éraste navigate the bores.	To serve Éraste, assist in his romantic endeavors, and help him avoid trouble.
Lysandre	A meticulous and pedantic duelist, obsessed with honor and combat protocol.	To recount his duel preparations in painstaking detail, seeking validation and attention.
Alcandre	A pretentious courtier, gossipy, tries to impress with his supposed connections and cultural knowledge.	To display his supposed importance and knowledge, enjoying the sound of his own voice.
Orcan	A vain and self-absorbed fashionista, obsessed with his clothing and appearance.	To showcase his attire, elicit compliments, and talk endlessly about fashion.
Caritidès	A verbose and pedantic scholar, obsessed with classical rhetoric and his own compositions.	To recite his Latin speech, demonstrate his erudition, and seek Éraste's forced admiration.

Section 2

Éraste's situation does not improve as the second act unfolds; in fact, it worsens. After managing to briefly speak to Orphise and learn that Damis is planning to marry her off to another man, Éraste becomes even more desperate to speak with her guardian. However, a new wave of bores descends upon him. First is Philinte, an obsessive hunter who forces Éraste to listen to his detailed accounts of hunts, dogs, and game, completely oblivious to Éraste's frantic attempts to escape.

Next, Cliante, a passionate card player, drags Éraste into an interminable discussion about the rules, strategies, and injustices of a game he clearly cares nothing about. Following him is Dorante, a self-proclaimed expert in dueling (different from Lysandre, more focused on the art of the duel), who insists on demonstrating fencing moves and recounting his past challenges. Each bore is entirely self-centered, using Éraste as a captive audience for their singular passion. Éraste's frustration mounts to a fever pitch, as he watches Orphise disappear into the house with Damis, unable to intervene or even catch their attention. He begins to despair of ever speaking to either of them privately, trapped in a social purgatory of unsolicited monologues and tiresome exhibitions. La Montagne tries to offer advice, but Éraste is too exasperated to listen.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Philinte	An obsessive hunter, animated and loud, consumed by the details of the chase.	To recount his hunting exploits, share his passion for the sport, and impress others with his prowess.
Cliante	A fervent card player, verbose and opinionated about gambling strategy and fairness.	To analyze and discuss card games, often complaining about bad luck or unfair play, seeking sympathy or agreement.
Dorante	A fencing enthusiast and duelist, obsessed with the technicalities and honor of combat.	To demonstrate his fencing skills, recount his dueling experiences, and emphasize the importance of honor.

Section 3

The final act brings Éraste's trials to a head. He is now completely desperate, as Damis has set the wedding for Orphise for that very evening, and Éraste still hasn't had a proper conversation with Damis or Orphise. The bores, however, are far from finished with him. He encounters Égavne, an overly enthusiastic dancing master who insists on showing Éraste new steps and formations, dragging him into an impromptu performance. Then comes Ormin, an orator who delivers a bombastic speech, attempting to impress Éraste with his rhetorical flair.

Éraste is on the verge of giving up when a dramatic event unfolds. One of the bores from earlier, the overly passionate duelist Dorante, misinterprets something Éraste said and decides to challenge him. The situation escalates quickly, and Dorante actually attempts to attack Éraste. In a stroke of ironic luck, Damis witnesses this attack. He is impressed by Éraste's composure and bravery in the face of danger (or perhaps just Éraste's general victimhood to these ridiculous people). Damis intervenes, protects Éraste, and seeing Éraste's genuine distress and the absurdity of the situation he's been placed in, he has a change of heart. Damis realizes Éraste is a good man and worthy of Orphise. He immediately gives his consent for Éraste and Orphise to marry. The play concludes with the happy couple, and Éraste's torment from the "fâcheux" finally ends, proving that even the most annoying interruptions can sometimes lead to an unexpected resolution.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Égavne	An excessively enthusiastic dancing master, obsessed with new dance steps and choreography.	To demonstrate his dancing skills, share his passion for dance, and seek admiration for his art.
Ormin	A bombastic and self-important orator, fond of grand speeches and rhetorical flourishes.	To deliver impressive speeches, showcase his eloquence, and receive applause for his public speaking.

Literary Genre:
Comédie-ballet. This genre, pioneered by Molière and Jean-Baptiste Lully, combines spoken comedy with music and dance, creating a theatrical experience that was particularly popular at the court of Louis XIV.

Author Facts:

• Full Name: Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière.
• Birth/Death: Born in Paris in 1622, died in Paris in 1673.
• Profession: Playwright, actor, and director.
• Royal Patronage: He enjoyed the patronage of King Louis XIV, though some of his more controversial plays (like Tartuffe) faced initial bans.
• Legacy: Molière is considered one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature, known for his witty dialogue, satirical portrayals of society, and memorable character types.

Moral of the Book:
The primary moral of Les Fâcheux is to highlight the pervasive annoyance and social burden of individuals who are entirely self-absorbed, lack self-awareness, and impose their singular passions or trivial concerns upon others without regard for their audience's interest or situation. It implicitly suggests the value of discretion, empathy, and conciseness in social interactions. Ultimately, it also shows that patience (or perhaps, prolonged suffering) can sometimes lead to an unexpected resolution, even if born from absurdity.

Curiosities of the Book:

• Commissioned by Louis XIV: Les Fâcheux was famously commissioned by King Louis XIV for a grand outdoor fête at Vaux-le-Vicomte in 1661, hosted by Nicolas Fouquet, his Superintendent of Finance. The King was so delighted with the performance that he later had it staged at Fontainebleau.
• Rapid Creation: Molière wrote the play in a remarkably short period (around two weeks) to meet the King's demand for the fête. He famously asked the King if there were any "fâcheux" at court he should include, and Louis XIV reportedly pointed out one specific courtier.
• First Comédie-Ballet: This play is often considered Molière's first true comédie-ballet, seamlessly integrating the ballet interludes into the plot rather than having them as separate diversions. The dances and music by Jean-Baptiste Lully were integral to the performance.
• Actor's Role: Molière himself played the role of Éraste, adding an extra layer of comedic performance to the physical and verbal exasperation of the character.
• Satire of Court Life: The play served as a subtle satire of the various types of self-important and tiresome individuals that populated the French court, from gossips and duelists to pretentious scholars and artists.