How is "The Misanthrope" by Moliere, a comedy of manners?

Answer 1

The comedy of manners satirizes the manners and affectations of a social class, often represented by stock characters, such as the miles gloriosus in ancient times, the fop and the rake during the Restoration, or an old person pretending to be young. The plot of the comedy, often concerned with an illicit love affair or some other scandal, is generally less important than its witty and often bawdy dialogue.The best-known comedies of manners, however, may well be those of the French playwright Molière, who satirized the hypocrisy and pretension of ancient régime in such plays as L'École des femmes (The School for Wives, 1662) and Le Misanthrope (The Misanthrope, 1666).
This work centers on the protagonist Alceste, whose wholesale rejection of his culture's polite social conventions make him tremendously unpopular. This manifests itself in the primary conflict of the play, which results from Alceste's refusal to compliment a sonnet by Oronte, a character who lacks Alceste's respect for unabashed sincerity. The plot then thickens to involve court justice, the courting of a woman, and her coquettishness that eventually leads to her downfall. The most memorable part of the play is the constant play on words and the extremely humorous jibes at society and its rules, as well as the pompous Oronte.

Answer 2

"The comedy of manners satirizes the manners and affectations of a social class, often represented by stock characters, such as the miles gloriosus in ancient times, the fop and the rake during the Restoration, or an old person pretending to be young. The plot of the comedy, often concerned with an illicit love affair or some other scandal, is generally less important than its witty and often bawdy dialogue."

"The Misanthrope" is a comedy of manners showing the hypocrisy that the author saw in the court during his time. The play is a critique of the manners and behavior of the French court, where frivolity, hypocrisy, and insincere flattery were the tactics used by courtiers to win favor with the king and advance socially. He shows through the play that one should not be painfully frank all the time and not always be insincere, either. One must find a balance between the two where the truth can be conveyed with tact.