Chapter 36 - Digital Molière

Summary

Thanks to the rise of the digital humanities, Molière’s works are now available online, together with new research tools and a rich supply of scholarly documentation. The availability of these digital materials – unprecedented for an early modern author – means that the internet is now indispensable for any scholarly investigation into Molière. This chapter proposes, therefore, an overview of what these make possible where Molière is concerned. First, the texts of the plays are available online in different forms: as photographic reproductions (Google Books, Gallica), in text mode (OBVIL, Théâtre classique), or even as an annotated critical edition of the complete works (Toutmolière). Next, a number of documentary databases and innovative tools assist with the comprehension of Molière’s plays thanks to various notices and functions (MOLIÈRE21), or via a series of textual documents that facilitate a better understanding of the production conditions or the reception of Molière’s output (OBVIL). Finally, the site Molière auteur des oeuvres de Molière is highlighted, which uses the essay form to combat the various conspiracy and denial theories that surround the authorship of Molière’s works.