This portrait of the French seventeenth century playwright, novelist and short story writer Moliere was written by a Russian satarist of the twentieth century Bulgakov, both seen as fearless and uncompromising in speaking of what they saw and whose work was banned by their respective governments. Bulgakov is a well-known Russian novelist. He has also written The Master and Margarita and The White Guardamong others. In 1987 the BBC televised his play about Moliere, The Cabal of the Hypocrites, Bulgakov's play about Moliere, starring Anthony Sher.