Der Menschenfeind (Molière) | Der zerbrochene Krug (Kleist)

Alceste despises the hypocrisy of his fellow men and swears to always tell the truth, no matter how painful it may be. Consequently, he sharply criticizes Philinte for his superficial politeness and the dishonest compliments he pays to others. He argues that a certain degree of politeness and conformity is necessary to survive in society. This argument reveals the basic conflict of the play: Alceste's uncompromising honesty versus Philinte's pragmatic conformity.
The scene that Schauspiel Zentrum shows from the Molière classic illuminates the tensions between idealism and social conventions. A topic that is still relevant today when it comes to authenticity and social conformity.
This will be followed by a short monologue from Kleist's "The Broken Jug".