Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière (/mɒlˈjɛər, moʊl-/; French: [mɔ.ljɛːʁ]; 15 January 1622 – 17 February 1673), was a French playwright, actor and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and universal literature. His extant works include comedies, farces, tragicomedies, comédie-ballets and more. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed at the Comédie-Française more often than those of any other playwright today. His influence is such that the French language itself is often referred to as the "language of Molière".
