A society comedy in five acts and verse, The Misanthrope by Moliere is a masterpiece in satire, focusing on the absurdities of social and literary pretension. The play highlights the flaws of human nature, using dynamic characters to criticize French aristocratic society in a nuanced way. Despite not being a commercial success in its time, it is now recognized as Moliere's best-known work and has universal appeal due to its exploration of misanthropy that transcends cultural barriers.