“Moliere’s School of Husbands” in brief
The text of the play is preceded by the author’s dedication to the Duke of Orleans, the King’s only brother.
The brothers Sganarelle and Arist are unsuccessfully trying to convince each other of the need to change. Sganarelle, always morose and unsociable, condemning the whims of fashion, chides his older brother for levity and panache: “That is the true old man: he cleverly fools us / And a black wig to cover up gray hair wants!” The sisters of Leonor and Isabella appear, accompanied by Lisette’s maid. They continue to discuss the brothers, not noticing their presence. Leonora assures Isabella that she will support her and protect her against the faults of Sganarelle. The brothers enter into a conversation – Sganarelle demands that Isabella return home, and Leonora and Arist try to persuade him not to stop the girls from enjoying the walk. Sganarelle objects, he recalls that the father of the girls before their death entrusted them to the care
Lisette’s maid interferes in the conversation, outraged that Sganarelle is going to keep Isabella locked up, as is customary in Turkey, and warns the unreasonable guardian that “They threaten the one who will contradict us.” Arist calls on his younger brother to think about and reflect on the fact that “the school is secular, inspiring a good tone, / Teaches us no less than the book is great” and that we should be a husband, but not a tyrant. Sganarelle persists and orders Isabella to retire. Everyone leaves behind, leaving Sganarelle alone.
At this time appear Valer, in love with Isabella, and his servant Ergast. Noticing Sganarelle, whom Waler calls “my awful argument, / The cruel guardian and my beautiful guardian,” they intend to enter into a conversation with him, but this does not immediately succeed. Having managed to attract the attention of Sganarelle, Valer could not achieve the desired result to get close to his neighbor, pursuing the only goal – to be able to see Isabella. Left alone with his servant, Valer does not hide
Appear Sganarelle and Isabella, and their remarks it is clear that they continue the conversation for a long time, and it is clear that the trick Isabella failed – she managed to convince Sganarelle the need to talk to Valerie, who the girl’s name, supposedly by accident, heard somewhere. Sganarelle, left alone, burns with the desire to immediately get even with Valer, since he took Isabella’s words at face value. He is so absorbed in his thoughts that he does not notice his mistake – he knocks on his own door, believing that he has approached Valer’s house. The young man begins to justify himself for his presence in the house of Sganarelle, but soon realizes that a misunderstanding has occurred. Not noticing that he is in his own house, Sganarelle, refusing the proposed chair, hurries to talk with Valer. He reports that he intends to marry Isabella, and therefore wants, “that your indiscreet look does not disturb her.” Valer is surprised and wants to know where Sganarelle found out about his feelings for Isabella, because he could not get close to her for months. Young man surprised even more when Sganarelle says that he learned about everything from the most Isabella, who could not hide from the beloved incivility Valera, Surprise Valera Sganarelle convinced that the voice of Isabella truthful. Valer, accompanied by Ergast, hurries to leave, so that Sganarelle does not understand that he is in his own house. Isabella appears, and the guardian tells her about how the conversation with Valer passed, as the young man tried to deny everything, but became embarrassed quiet when he learned that Sganarelle was acting on Isabella’s orders. Valer is surprised and wants to know where Sganarelle found out about his feelings for Isabella, because he could not get close to her for months. The young man is even more surprised when Sganarelle reports that he learned everything from Isabella herself, who could not hide Valer’s impoliteness from the man he loved. Valer’s surprise convinces Sganarelle that Isabel’s speeches are true. Valer, accompanied by Ergast, hurries to leave, so that Sganarelle does not understand that he is in his own house. Isabella appears, and the guardian tells her about how the conversation with Valer passed, as the young man tried to deny everything, but became embarrassed quiet when he learned that Sganarelle was acting on Isabella’s orders. Valer is surprised and wants to know where Sganarelle found out about his feelings for Isabella, because he could not get close to her for months. The young man is even more surprised when Sganarelle reports that he learned everything from Isabella herself, who could not hide Valer’s impoliteness from the man he loved. Valer’s surprise convinces Sganarelle that Isabel’s speeches are true. Valer, accompanied by Ergast, hurries to leave, so that Sganarelle does not understand that he is in his own house. Isabella appears, and the guardian tells her about how the conversation with Valer passed, as the young man tried to deny everything, but became embarrassed quiet when he learned that Sganarelle was acting on Isabella’s orders. when Sganarelle reports that he learned everything from Isabella herself, who could not hide Valer’s impoliteness from a beloved person, Valer’s surprise convinces Sganarelle that Isabel’s speeches are true. Valer, accompanied by Ergast, hurries to leave, so that Sganarelle does not understand that he is in his own house. Isabella appears, and the guardian tells her about how the conversation with Valer passed, as the young man tried to deny everything, but became embarrassed quiet when he learned that Sganarelle was acting on Isabella’s orders. when Sganarelle reports that he learned everything from Isabella herself, who could not hide Valer’s impoliteness from a beloved person, Valer’s surprise convinces Sganarelle that Isabel’s speeches are true. Valer, accompanied by Ergast, hurries to leave, so that Sganarelle does not understand that he is in his own house. Isabella appears, and the guardian tells her about how the conversation with Valer passed, as the young man tried to deny everything, but became embarrassed quiet when he learned that Sganarelle was acting on Isabella’s orders.
The girl wants to be sure that Valer quite understood her intentions, so she resorts to a new trick. She informs the guardian that Valera’s servant threw a casket with a letter to her in the window, she wants to immediately return it back. At the same time, Sganarelle should let Valera know that Isabella did not even want to open the letter and does not know its content. The duped Sganarelle is delighted with the virtues of her pupil, is ready to fulfill exactly her mission and goes to Valera, without ceasing to admire and extol Isabel.
The young man, opening the letter, no longer doubts the location of the young beauty, ready to unite with him as soon as possible, otherwise the hated guardian Sganarelle will manage to marry her himself.
Sganarelle appears, and Valer admits with humility that he understood the futility of his dreams of happiness with Isabella and will keep his unrequited love to the grave. Confident of his celebration, Sganarelle in detail retells to his pupil a conversation with a young man, without knowing it himself, passes Isabella’s response to his beloved. This story prompts the girl to act further, and she persuades the guardian not to trust the words of Valera, who, she says, intends to kidnap the bride of Sganarelle. The newly-duped guardian goes to Valera and informs that Isabella has revealed to him the black intentions of a disrespectful neighbor who has planned to kidnap another’s bride. Valer denies everything, but Sganarelle, acting on the orders of her pupil, is ready to take the young man to Isabel and give him the opportunity to see the veracity of his words. Isabella skillfully depicts indignation, scarcely seeing Valera. Sganarelle convinces her that there was only one way to get rid of annoying courtship – to let Valery listen to the verdict from the mouth of the object of his passion. The girl does not miss the opportunity to describe her position and express her wishes: “I expect that my dear, will not hesitate to take measures / And take all the awkward hope away.” Valer is convinced that the girl is fascinated with them and ready to become his wife, and the unlucky guardian does not understand anything.
Isabella continues to weave her nets and convinces Sganarelle that her sister Leonora is in love with Valera. Now that Valer is embarrassed by the virtues of Isabella and must leave, Leonora dreams of seeing him and asks for help from her sister. She wants, pretending to be Isabella, to meet with Valer. The guardian pretends that he is sorry for his brother, locks the house and goes after Isabella, believing that he is following Leonor. Making sure that the imaginary Leonora went to Valera, he runs after the commissar and the notary. He convinces them that a girl from a good family is seduced by Valer and now there is the opportunity to combine them with an honest marriage. He himself hurries after his brother Arist, who is sure that Leonora is at the ball. Sganarel gloats and reports that this ball is in Valera’s house, where Leonora actually went. Both brothers join the commissioner and notary, it turns out, that Valer has already signed the necessary documents and it is necessary to enter only the name of the lady. Both brothers sign their consent to the marriage with Valery of their pupil, while Arist thinks that this is Isabella, and Sganarelle – what about Leonor.
Leonora appears, and Arist complains to her that she did not tell him about her feelings for Valera, since her guardian has never hampered her freedom. Leonora admits that she only dreams of marrying Aristom and does not understand the reasons for his distress. At this time from the house of Valera there are newlyweds and representatives of power. Isabella asks the sister for forgiveness for using her name to get her desires fulfilled. Valer thanks Sganarelle for having received his wife from his hands. Arist advises the younger brother with a meekness to perceive what happened, because “the cause of all is your actions alone, / and in your fate all the sadder is that / no one pities you in such a misfortune.”
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