During this time, Molière appealed to the king on behalf of his banned play Tartuffe, famously writing in his first appeal, “the purpose of the comedy is to correct the faults of men,” and arguing for the moral necessity of the play. ... Molière continued to write, perform, and innovate until his death in 1673.

What was Tartuffe originally written in?

Tartuffe, comedy in five acts by Molière, produced in 1664 and published in French in 1669 as Le Tartuffe; ou, l'imposteur (“Tartuffe; or, The Imposter”). It was also published in English as The Imposter.

Why was Tartuffe banned?

King Louis XIV issued a ban against the public performance of Moliere's Tartuffe because of its depiction of a member of the clergy as an impostor and a hypocrite.