The School for Wives

The School for Wives is a translation of Molière's 1662 comedy "L'École des femmes" by American poet Richard Wilbur. The play centers on Arnolphe, a wealthy man who believes he can create the perfect wife by raising a young girl in complete innocence and ignorance. Arnolphe's plans face complications when a young man named Horace arrives and takes an interest in Agnès, the girl Arnolphe has sheltered. The story follows Arnolphe's increasingly desperate attempts to maintain control of his carefully constructed situation. Through rhyming couplets and sharp dialogue, Wilbur's translation maintains the wit and rhythm of Molière's original French verse. The translation preserves the play's essential humor while making it accessible to English-speaking audiences. The play explores themes of power, education, and the relationship between men and women in society. At its core, it questions whether control and manipulation can ever lead to genuine love or happiness.

Readers praise Wilbur's translation of Molière's play for maintaining the rhyming scheme while keeping the dialogue natural and witty. Several review comments note that the text works well for both reading and performance. Positive comments focus on: - Clear, flowing verse that doesn't feel forced - Humor that translates effectively for modern audiences - Accessibility compared to other translations Common criticisms: - Some passages feel dated or too literal - A few readers found the rhyming occasionally distracting - Limited availability of the printed edition Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (483 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (12 reviews) Notable reader comment from Goodreads: "Wilbur manages to keep the spirit and humor of Molière while crafting verses that sound completely natural in English - no small feat." No significant presence on other major review sites, likely due to being a translation of a classic play rather than an original work.

The Misanthrope by Molière This verse translation captures the wit and social satire of French high society through the story of a cynical man who falls in love despite his contempt for social hypocrisies.

Tartuffe by Molière The tale of a religious hypocrite who schemes to marry into a wealthy family demonstrates the same sharp social commentary and poetic dialogue found in The School for Wives.

The Marriage of Figaro by Pierre Beaumarchais This French comedy of manners centers on a servant outsmarting his master in matters of love and marriage, featuring clever dialogue and social criticism.

The Imaginary Invalid by Molière The story of a hypochondriac attempting to marry off his daughter to a doctor presents themes of arranged marriage and paternal authority similar to The School for Wives.

The Way of the World by William Congreve This Restoration comedy explores marriage, manipulation, and social conventions through complex verbal wordplay and satirical commentary on aristocratic society.

🎭 "The School for Wives" is a translation of Molière's French play "L'École des femmes," masterfully adapted by Richard Wilbur while maintaining the original's rhyming verse structure. 📝 Richard Wilbur was appointed the second Poet Laureate of the United States in 1987 and won two Pulitzer Prizes for his poetry during his career. 🎪 The play caused considerable controversy when it first premiered in Paris in 1662, as it challenged contemporary views about marriage and the education of women. ✨ Wilbur's translation is widely considered the definitive English version of the play and is frequently used in theatrical productions across English-speaking countries. 🏆 This translation helped earn Richard Wilbur the prestigious Bollingen Prize for translation, awarded by Yale University for his outstanding work translating French classical drama.