Le Médecin malgré lui

Le Médecin malgré lui (French pronunciation: [lə medsɛ̃ malɡʁe lɥi]; "The doctor/physician in spite of himself") is a farce by Molière first presented in 1666 (published as a manuscript in early 1667) at le théâtre du Palais-Royal by la Troupe du Roi. The play is one of several plays by Molière to center on Sganarelle, a character that Molière himself portrayed, and is a comedic satire of 17th century French medicine. The music composed by Marc-Antoine Charpentier is lost.

The play initially focuses on Sganarelle, an impoverished woodcutter (logger, timber cutter) who is both alcoholic and gluttonous. He spends his meager income on food and drink for himself. One day, he beats his wife during an argument between them. In revenge, the wife convinces the servants of a wealthy man that Sganarelle is an eccentric physician who needs beatings to admit his identity and work.

The initially unwilling Sganarelle is forced to pretend to be an educated physician. He is tasked with curing Lucinde, the wealthy man's daughter who is supposedly suffering from muteness. The patient is actually faking her illness to avoid an arranged marriage.