The Miser

by Molière

"The Miser" by Molière is a five-act comedy first performed in 1668. The play centers on Harpagon, an elderly widower consumed by greed, who guards his gold obsessively while plotting marriages for himself and his daughter. He remains oblivious that his intended bride loves his own son, or that his daughter has her own romantic attachment. When Harpagon's treasured cash box is stolen, his paranoia explodes, and he suspects everyone—even the audience. Through sharp satire and farce, Molière crafts a timeless portrait of avarice and its absurd consequences.