First published in 1668, The Miser (L'Avare) is one of Molière's sharpest comedies. Set in Paris, it revolves around Harpagon, a wealthy widower whose obsession with money has completely warped his life and his relationships with his two grown children, Cléante and Élise.

The Story

Harpagon is planning to marry Mariane, a young woman with little money but a kind heart. There's just one problem: his son, Cléante, is also madly in love with her. Meanwhile, Harpagon has arranged for his daughter, Élise, to marry Seigneur Anselme, a rich old man she doesn't love. Élise, however, is in love with Valère, the steward who manages their household. The play follows the children and their clever servants as they cook up various plans to get what they want—true love—while dodging their father's tyrannical and penny-pinching demands. The plot hits peak chaos when Harpagon's prized box of gold coins goes missing, sending him into a frenzy of accusations and despair that's both hilarious and a little tragic.

Why You Should Read It

What blew me away was how fresh this feels. Harpagon isn't just a cartoon villain; he's a painfully real portrait of how miserliness can hollow out a person. His love for money has replaced his love for his kids, and Molière shows this with brutal, funny clarity. The dialogue is witty and fast, the schemes are clever, and the emotional stakes for the young lovers feel genuine. You're not just watching silly antics; you're hoping these kids escape their father's toxic grip. It's a play about the things we value most, and how getting those priorities wrong can tear a family apart. The comedy comes from recognition—we've all known someone who takes frugality too far.

Final Verdict

This book is perfect for anyone who thinks classics are stuffy or hard to read. Molière's humor is accessible, physical, and smart. If you enjoy clever dialogue, family dramas with high stakes, or stories where the villain is a flawed human rather than a monster, you'll love this. It's a short, punchy play that delivers big laughs and some surprisingly deep thoughts about greed and love. A true classic that hasn't aged a day.