Discus the theme of marriage in Imaginary Invalid.

Love and marriage in seventeenth-century Paris are important themes both in the play itself and in its pastoral musical interludes, which involve shepherds, mythological figures, and gypsies dancing and singing. All the musical interludes, with the exception of the finale, dwell on the wonder and greatness of youthful love, which underlies the play's main conflict of Angélique's struggle to marry her true love, Cléante. The struggle exists between the force of young love and Argan's bourgeois desire to save money and continue his absurd obsession, since Argan has complete control over his daughter's wealth and love life. The villain in this struggle is Béline and the false love and greedy manipulation she represents.

Molière portrays the young lovers as completely under the power of Argan's wishes, although they do have the ability, like Béline, to manipulate him onto their side. It is possible that the play criticizes the father's power over arranged marriages, since Argan is so selfish and petty, although it is unclear that Molière would actually advocate any serious institutional change. Also, it is not necessarily clear that pleasure-seeking young love is actually the solution to the play's problems of selfishness, greed, and incompetence.