Moliere’s The Learned Ladies is not so much a battle of wits as it is a battle over the value of wit itself. Young lovers Henriette and Clitandre plan to marry, but there is a problem: Henriette’s mother, Philaminte, is determined that Henriette should marry Trissotin, a pretentious yet mediocre academic and poet. Her father, Chrysale, enthusiastically supports her marriage to Clitandre, but Philaminte has the power in the family and refuses to consent. Written in verse and first performed in 1672, the play satirizes pretentious scholars and the place of women in academics. It was one of Moliere’s most popular comedies and continues to be performed today.
The Learned Women guide sections
