Du Croisy An outgoing, seemingly confident man who also loves Célimène for a time. His insecurity is revealed when he is unable to handle Alceste's criticism of his love sonnet. Arsinoé, orig. Mlle de Brie A highly moralistic older woman who is jealous of the attentions which Alceste pours onto Célimène. Éliante, orig. Mlle Du Parc Love interest to Philinte and cousin to Célimène, who initially pines for Alceste. She possesses a good balance between societal conformity and individual expression. Clitandre, orig. La Thorillière Another marquis who attempts to woo Célimène and win her love, and enjoys gossiping with her about notable social figures. Basque Célimène's loyal manservant. Du Bois, orig. Louis Béjart Alceste's farcically blundering manservant. Guard, orig. Mr. de Brie? A messenger of the Marshals of France who asks Alceste to answer for his criticism of Oronte's poetry. Synopsis Much to the horror of his friends and companions, Alceste rejects la politesse, the social conventions of the seventeenth-century French ruelles (later called salons in the 18th century). His refusal to "make nice" makes him tremendously unpopular and he laments his isolation in a world he sees as superficial and base, saying early in Act I, "... Mankind has grown so base, / I mean to break with the whole human race." Despite his convictions, however, Alceste cannot help but love the coquette and playful Célimène, a consummate flirt whose wit and frivolity epitomize the courtly manners that Alceste despises. Though he constantly reprimands her, Célimène refuses to change, charging Alceste with being unfit for society because he hates humanity. Despite his sour reputation as the misanthrope, Alceste does have women pining for him, particularly the prudish Arsinoé and the honest Éliante. Though he acknowledges their superior virtues, his heart still lies with Célimène. His deep feelings for her primarily serve to counter his negative expressions about mankind, since the fact that he has such feelings includes him amongst those he so fiercely criticizes. When Alceste insults a sonnet written by the powerful noble Oronte, he is called to stand trial. Refusing to dole out false compliments, he is charged and humiliated, and resolves on self-imposed exile. Arsinoé, in trying to win his affections, shows him a love letter Célimène wrote to another suitor. He discovers that Célimène has been leading him on. She has written identical love letters to numerous suitors (including to Oronte) and broken her vow