About the work
The Miser is a five-act prose comedy by Molière, first performed on 9 September 1668 at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris. The plot draws on the ancient Roman comedy Aulularia by Plautus.
Plot
The wealthy but obsessively stingy Parisian Harpagon has secretly buried a cashbox of gold in his garden while courting the penniless Mariane. His children Cléante and Élise are in love with partners he disapproves of, setting them against their father. When the cashbox is stolen, Harpagon is driven to distraction until a series of family revelations resolves the conflicts and unites the young couples.
Cultural significance
Harpagon remains one of the best-known characters in theatre history, and the play is considered one of Molière's principal works. It has since been translated, filmed and staged across Europe many times over.