LEARNED LADIES, THE

by Moliere & Wilbur, Richard

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Richard Wilbur now offers us a sparkling new version of Les Femmes Savantes, Moliere’s witty examination of intellectual pretensions and the vicissitudes of love. Clitandre seeks the hand of Henriette, a match heartily approved of by her father, Chrysale. However, his wife, Philaminte, has other plans for her young daughter, namely marriage to Trissotin, a foppish wit who panders to Philaminte’s intellectual pretensions. Further complications arise in true Moliere fashion involving various other members of the family as well as a jealous scholar, Vadius. Needless to say, the course of true love does not run smooth as the pseudo-intellectual posturings of Philaminte and her coterie clash with the struggle between Chrysale and Philaminte over who shall ordain the disposition of their daughter’s hand. But happily and thanks to the manoeuvring of Chrysale’s brother, Ariste, all is set right in the end with hypocrisy exposed and true love made triumphant.