Lettre sur la comédie de l’Imposteur

The Lettre sur la comédie de l'Imposteur is a defense of Molière's play Tartuffe, written in 1667. In this work, Molière articulates his concept of comedy, stating that the comic arises from incongruity and the outward appearance of something being different from its reality. He argues that comedy should hold a mirror to nature, presenting living types that reveal the absurdities and contradictions in human behavior.12

Molière faced significant harassment from authorities, particularly religious ones, who saw his plays as challenging orthodoxy. Despite these setbacks, he continued to write and stage plays, often defending them publicly. The Lettre is considered a crucial statement of his artistic principles, emphasizing that the essence of the comic lies in "incongruity" and the exposure of "lying, disguise, cheating, dissimulation".1