Pierre Corneille, a contemporary of Molière, was a master of French tragic drama and significantly influenced Molière. His play Le Cid (1637) is set during the Roman Empire and revolves around a conspiracy against Emperor Augustus.

Molière's The School for Women or The School for Wives (1662) was a major hit upon its debut but sparked a controversy that persisted for over a year. The plot follows a man who, fearing the power of mature women, decides to marry a naive young woman, only to find himself at her mercy.

The Misanthrope (1666) is one of Molière's most famous works. Set in the fashionable society of seventeenth-century Paris, it tells the story of a young man who is repelled by the hypocrisy, injustice, and corruption of society. His disdain is further complicated by his love for a young woman who embodies the very social behaviors he despises.

Molière himself played the lead role in the first production of his play The Hypochondriac, also known as The Imaginary Invalid (1673). The character is a hypochondriac terrified of doctors, a role Molière tailored to fit his own struggle with a cough caused by tuberculosis. Tragically, he collapsed on stage during the fourth performance and died several hours later.

Phèdre (1677) is the crowning achievement of the renowned seventeenth-century tragic playwright Jean Racine. The play centers on a woman who is hopelessly in love with her stepson.

Molière was greatly influenced by the French writer Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592), who is credited with creating the essay as a literary form. The Essays of Michel de Montaigne (1991) is a comprehensive collection of Montaigne's significant works.