The Miser
The Miser (L'Avare), written in 1668, is one of the more famous plays by Moliere.
The eponymous greedy miser is Harpagon, ruling his house with an iron hand, whose children are caught up in a number of complex love problems; son Cléante wishes to marry Marianne, whom Harpagon himself intends to marry, while daughter Élise loves Valère, who works in Harpagon's house in order to be closer to his beloved. Harpagon, however, intends to marry Élise off to old Mr. Anselme. As usually in comedies the children, with some help, try and find out a way out of the mess.
The play (translated by Charles Heron Wall) can be found on Project Gutenberg.
- A MacGuffin Full of Money: Harpagon's cash-box with ten thousand crowns.
- Arranged Marriage
- Aside Comment: Subverted--Snarky servant Flèche says a couple of such comments, only for Harpagon to actually hear them and ask who is Flèche talking to.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: As Harpagon is freaking out over the theft of his cash-box, he notices a "crowd of people", all of whom "look at [him] and laugh".
- Harpo Does Something Funny: When Jacques lists the countless meals he intends to serve at the dinner held by Harpagon, the actor is supposed to come up with his own list of exotic, expensive dishes. (If your edition of the play doesn't include the relevant footnote, then it looks as if Harpagon is freaking out over the very possibility of giving food to other people.)
- Hypocritical Humour:
Harpagon: Always money! I think they have nothing else to say except money, money, money! Always that same word in their mouth, money! They always speak of money! It's their pillow companion, money!
- Insane Troll Logic: Frosine uses it in act II, scene VI in hopes of convincing Harpagon that marrying Marianne will give him "a clear twelve thousand francs a year", by listing all the expensive things that Marianne does not indulge in.
- Luke, I Am Your Father: Pops up out of nowhere at the end, where Anselme turns out to be Valere's father, and Marianne his sister.
- The Matchmaker: Frosine.
- Nervous Wreck: Harpagon.
- One Dialogue, Two Conversations: Harpagon and Valere's conversation about Valere's roguish thievery--Harpagon is convinced that Valere has stolen his cash-box and demands him to return that, while Valere is certain that Harpagon is talking of Valere's love for Elise (which Harpagon doesn't actually know of).
- The Scrooge: Harpagon, who else.
- Servile Snarker
- Stealth Insult: Harpagon wants Elise to marry Mr. Anselme, because he'd take her without dowry. When Valère hears this, he comments: "When a man offers to marry a girl without a dowry, we ought to look no farther. Everything is comprised in that, and "without dowry" compensates for want of beauty, youth, birth, honour, wisdom, and probity." Harpagon takes it completely seriously.
- Suspiciously Specific Denial: Harpagon goes to great lengths to tell his son how he totally doesn't have a money-filled cash-box hidden.
- Written in Infirmity: Moliere, who suffered from a chronic cough, played Harpagon in the premiere; Harpagon is mentioned to be plagued by coughing as well.
- Yes-Man: Valere acts like this towards Harpagon.