About the work
Molière wrote "The Forced Marriage" in 1664 as a one-act comedy-ballet in prose, created together with composer Jean-Baptiste Lully and choreographer Pierre Beauchamp. It premiered on 29 January 1664 at the Louvre before Louis XIV, who danced in the performance himself; the public premiere followed on 15 February at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris.
Plot
The wealthy Sganarelle, in his mid-fifties, wants to marry the young Dorimène. A friend advises against it, and two philosophers and two fortune-telling gypsies only add contradictory advice. When Sganarelle overhears Dorimène telling her lover that she only cares about his fortune and his imminent death, he tries to call off the engagement – but her pugnacious brother forces him into the marriage with threats of a duel.
Cultural significance
The play was reportedly written within just a few days and counts among Molière's early collaborations with Lully that gave rise to the comédie-ballet genre. It remains part of the Comédie-Française repertoire today.