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CliffsNotes on Moliere's Tartuffe, The Misanthrope and The Bourgeois Gentleman

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This Cliffs Notes volume by Denis M. Calandra and James L. Roberts examines three Neoclassical comedies by Moliere. The volume begins with a section on the Life and Background of the author and an excellent section that distinguishes "Neoclassical Comedy" of Moliere from the "Romantic Comedy" epitomized by Shakespeare. Following a concise explication of Moliere's Comic Technique, Calandra and Roberts look at "Tartuffe," "The Misanthrope" and "The Bourgeois Gentleman." Each play is examined with a List of Characters, a General Plot Summary, Summaries and Commentaries that look at each of the five acts in turn looking at one or two scenes at a time, and then Character Analyses of the main characters. As always, the best way of making use of this little yellow book with the black stripes is to read the commentaries after you have read the corresponding scenes in the play. The greatest strength of this particular Cliffs Notes is the set up of Neoclassical Comedy and Moliere's comic technique. For those teaching/reading these plays that background information will allow better understanding of any one of these plays.