LINEAR EXPLANATION

Introduction :

- Contextualization: Molière: Jean-Baptiste Poquelin. A man of theater: director, playwright, actor... The greatest comic playwright (= author of comedies) of Classicism. Famous plays: The Imaginary Invalid, Tartuffe...

 The Misanthrope : a comedy of character in five acts and in verse. Protagonist: Alceste, the misanthrope, who hates humanity for its stupidity and vanity. Plot: his love for Célimène, a young coquette, who is his exact opposite.

- Presentation of the passage: Exposition scene: Act I, Scene 1. A dispute: Alceste addresses his friend Philinte and reproaches him for his politeness, which he considers hypocrisy. A verse tirade that presents Alceste and critiques the falseness of social relations.

- Reading project: A tirade that satirizes hypocritical social relations. 

- Text outline:  

I. Lines 1 to 8. The condemnation of social relations.

II. Lines 9 to 18. The justification of this condemnation.

III. Lines 19 to the end. The break with Philinte and the affirmation of Alceste's misanthropy.

Development:  

I. Lines 1 to 8. The condemnation of social relations.

• Beginning of the scene with "No," a sign of disagreement. The exposition scene presents Alceste and highlights the categorical and closed aspect of his reasoning. 
• "this cowardly method" (l. 1): a circumlocution that refers to politeness at court at the time. A derogatory adjective, which announces the blame he is about to make.
• (l. 2): "most of your fashionable people": refers to courtiers at Versailles. Alceste satirizes the morals at the court of Louis XIV.
• Lexicon of futility: “contortions” (l. 3), “frivolous” (l. 5), “useless” (l. 6). These adjectives show the little value, the negligible importance of displays of politeness. Alceste condemns courtly politeness.
• Designation of polite individuals using antiphrasis: “these affable givers” (l. 5) and: “these obliging speakers” (l. 6). False praise: Alceste criticizes using irony.
• Antithesis "and treat the honest man and the fop the same way" (l. 8). Alceste stands out by designating himself as an "honest man" (valorizing) and belittles others with "the fop" (derogatory). 

II. Lines 9 to 18. The justification of this condemnation.

• "What advantage do we have... in doing the same" (l. 9 to 12): Rhetorical question that supports the critique.
• Enumeration (l. 10): "swears friendship, faith, zeal, esteem, tenderness". Emphasis on the hypocrisy of overly polite individuals, mocking them.
• Use of many words related to "esteem": “esteem” (l. 14), “an esteem” (l. 17), “not esteem” (l. 18), “what to esteem” (l. 18). Alceste repeats words related to "esteem" to show its absence. Alceste thus satirizes, using irony.
• Hyperbole (l. 16). “as soon as we see that we are mingled with >the whole universe”: Alceste deliberately exaggerates the number of people to whom courtiers show their polite kindness. Alceste satirizes them.
• L. 18 "And it is to not esteem anything to esteem everyone": present of general truth and antithesis. Concludes and summarizes Alceste's argument against false politeness.

III. Lines 19 to the end. The break with Philinte and the affirmation of Alceste’s misanthropy.

• Exclamation: “Morbleu” (l. 20) showing his annoyance.
• "You are not to be among my people" (l. 20): a circumlocution. Alceste clearly indicates to Philinte that he rejects his friendship.
• "I refuse" (l. 21) / "I want" (l. 23): antithesis. These verbs help to better define Alceste's character. He does not tolerate opposition and affirms his categorical will. Comic character and even satire because it is an excessive character, opposed to the ideal of moderation of Classicism.
• Metaphor “and to cut it off clean” (l. 23): indicates that Alceste wants to express his opinion clearly and definitively. 
• (l. 24): “The friend of humankind is not at all my business”.: Alexandrine that clearly portrays Alceste: the misanthrope who does not appreciate humans and claims it.