About the work
The Doctor in Spite of Himself (Le Médecin malgré lui) is a three-act prose comedy by Molière, first performed on 6 August 1666 at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris. It blends commedia dell'arte, French farce and medieval fabliaux.
Plot
The woodcutter Sganarelle is passed off by his wife Martine, out of spite, as a famous physician. Beaten by two servants until he accepts the role, he is brought to the wealthy Géronte, whose daughter Lucinde has apparently lost her speech. In truth she is feigning illness to avoid an unwanted marriage, while her beloved Léandre infiltrates the house disguised as an apothecary. The couple is finally allowed to marry, leaving Sganarelle established as a supposed doctor.
Cultural significance
The play was an immediate success at its premiere and remains one of Molière's most frequently performed farces. It was set as an opera by Charles Gounod in 1858, among other adaptations.