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Overview
Synopsis
When Isabella and Leonor are orphaned at a young age, their father leaves their guardianship to two brothers, Sganarelle and Ariste. Sganarelle takes Isabella as his ward, while Ariste raises Leonor. However, the two men differ in their opinions on how best to raise the sisters. While Sganarelle believes that restraining and prohibiting Isabella from engaging with the outside world will best protect her innocence and fidelity, Ariste firmly believes that he must allow Leonor the freedom to choose the life she wants. The girls are now young women and, with Sganarelle’s plans to marry his ward fast approaching, Isabella takes desperate steps to ensure that she is not tied to her strict guardian forever. With the help of her lover, Valere, Isabella plays on Sganarelle’s vanity and self-satisfied presumption to escape his house and marry Valere right under his nose!
Show Information
- Book
- Moliere
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1661
- Genres
- Comedy, Satire
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Paris, Seventeenth Century
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Male, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
The School for Husbands is one of Moliere’s first full-length plays and precedes his well-known comedy, The School for Wives. It premiered on June 24, 1661 and achieved popular success. Moliere wrote it for his own theatrical troupe and played the lead role of Sganarelle. In the inventory of Moliere’s goods following his death, his original costume was recorded: "A dress for The School for Husbands, consisting of breeches, doublet, cloak, collar, purse and girdle, all of a kind of brown
to read the context for The School For Husbands and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
As the play opens, brothers Sganarelle and Ariste are discussing their opposing views on how to raise their wards, Isabella and Leonor. Sganarelle scorns his older brother, believing him to be out of touch with the realities of raising a young woman. While Ariste chooses to give Leonor freedom and social interaction, Sganarelle will not let Isabella out of the house without him. He dislikes Leonor’s influence over her sister, and wishes that Ariste would stop coming to his house.
to read the plot for The School For Husbands and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
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Videos
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher