Plus on aime quelqu'un, moins il faut qu'on le flatte:
À rien pardonner le pur amour éclate.
Act II, sc. iv
Le Misanthrope (1666)
Quotes from work
The Misanthrope
Molière
Original title
Le Misanthrope ou l'Atrabilaire amoureux
(French, 1666)
The Misanthrope, or the Cantankerous Lover is a 17th-century comedy of manners in verse written by Molière. It was first performed on 4 June 1666 at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal, Paris by the King's Players.The play satirizes the hypocrisies of French aristocratic society, but it also engages a more serious tone when pointing out the flaws that all humans possess. The play differs from other farces at the time by employing dynamic characters like Alceste and Célimène as opposed to the traditionally flat characters used by most satirists to criticize problems in society. It also differs from most of Molière's other works by focusing more on character development and nuances than on plot progression. The play, though not a commercial success in its time, survives as Molière's best known work today.
“It is a wonderful seasoning of all enjoyments to think of those we love.”
C'est un merveilleux assaisonnement aux plaisirs qu'on goûte que la présence des gens qu'on aime.
Act V, sc. iv
Le Misanthrope (1666)
“Each day my reason tells me so; But reason doesn't rule in love, you know.”
Source: The Misanthrope
“He's a wonderful talker, who has the art
Of telling you nothing in a great harangue.”
C'est un parleur étrange, et qui trouve toujours
L'art de ne vous rien dire avec de grands discours.
Act II, sc. iv
Le Misanthrope (1666)
“Anyone may be an honorable man, and yet write verse badly.”
On peut être honnête homme et faire mal des vers.
Act IV, sc. i
Le Misanthrope (1666)
“The world will not reform for all your meddling.”
Et c’est une folie, à nulle autre, seconde,
De vouloir se mêler de corriger le monde.
As published in Le Misanthrope, Molière, tr. Curtis Hidden Page, G.P. Putnam’s Sons (1913), p. 12
Variant translation: Of all follies there is none greater than wanting to make the world a better place.
As contained in The Columbia Dictionary of Quotations, ed. Robert Andrews, Columbia University Press (1993), p.772 : ISBN 0231071949
Act I, sc. 1, lines 155-156 (Philinte)
Le Misanthrope (1666)
“On some preference esteem is based;
To esteem everything is to esteem nothing.”
Sur quelque préférence une estime se fonde,
Et c'est n'estimer rien qu'estimer tout le monde.
Act I, sc. i
Le Misanthrope (1666)
Si de probité tout était revêtu,
Si tous les cœurs était francs, justes et dociles,
La plupart des vertus nous seraient inutiles,
Puisqu'on en met l'usage à pouvoir sans ennui
Supporter dans nos droits l'injustice d'autrui.
Act V, sc. i
Le Misanthrope (1666)
“Doubts are more cruel than the worst of truths.”
Les doutes sont fâcheux plus que toute autre chose.
Act III, sc. v
Le Misanthrope (1666)
“You see him laboring to produce bons mots.”
On voit qu'il se travaille à dire de bons mots.
Act II, sc. iv
Le Misanthrope (1666)
“He makes his cook his merit,
And the world visits his dinners and not him.”
Que de son cuisinier il s'est fait un mérite,
Et que c'est à sa table à qui l'on rend visite.
Act II, sc. iv
Le Misanthrope (1666)
