The Learned Ladies [8] - Clitandre

From The Big Book of Molière Monologues by actor/author Timothy Mooney. A collection of over 160 of Molière's funniest monologues in new rhymed iambic pentameter versions. Molière did not hesitate to indulge his humor wherever he found it. And while his The School for Wives might have pointed the way towards the woman’s movement, his The Learned Ladies would argue the opposing point of view. Here we find Philaminte and her female confidantes clearly overreaching the limits of their wit, expecting the world to cater to the whim of their wisdom. It is clear that, in this play at least, Molière has sided with the patriarchy. Depending on what works of Molière one reads, one may form a wildly divergent opinion of Molière’s political stance. Feminists familiar with The School for Wives embrace Molière as their enthusiastic patron. Whereas, those who know him through The Learned Ladies may choose, rather, to vilify him. Wherever Molière saw excess, he saw a target for his satire. Neither men nor women have a monopoly on stupidity, arrogance, pretentiousness or narrow-mindedness, and Molière could hardly resist puncturing that balloon wherever he saw it.see less