Strepsiades, the character who learns from Socrates in Aristophanes' The Clouds, is a precursor of MONSIEUR JOURDAIN. The play is a ballet as it includes music and dance. Louis XIV irked by the criticism of a Turkish ambassador, asked Moliere and the ingenious Italian composer Lulli, to collaborate on some sort of Turkish operetta buffa.
Today, most readers recognize MONSIEUR JOURDAIN, as the middle-aged, low-educated, innocent, yet avid learner, and determined social climber. In addition, his immortality is due to the epiphany he has when he exclaims: "Bless my soul! I've been talking prose for over forty years without knowing it."
Our version of the play has removed many archaisms, which today would be unintelligible to many readers. Any obscure references have been woven into the text, thereby obviating the need for footnotes.
