Close readings of farces and comedies of Moliere in context with selected comedies by Corneille, Rotrou,and Cyrano de Bergerac and selected satires by Boileau and La Fontaine. Themes include comedy as a form of social criticism and the sociocultural significance of such episodes of Moliere's career as the scandalous quarrels of L'ecole des Femmes and Tartuffe. Prereqs., FREN 3100, 3110, and 3120 or instructor consent.