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A Unique Spin On Marriage

Decent Essays

Katie Brennan
Dr. Deborah McCollister
3 November 2014
ENGL 2302.03
A Unique Spin on Marriage
In the play Tartuffe, Molière portrays marriage in a unique way. He expresses a different perspective on marriage that most people would disagree with. In the play, marriage never seems to base around love but rather seems to be a very serious part of their life. Mariane submits to her father because during this time period the father was able to choose whom his daughter would marry. This submission is not based on love but rather who her father enjoys the best. It puts a great deal of pressure on the father to make the right decision. Marriage to Tartuffe would have caused Mariane a lifetime of discontent and it would have also associated the …show more content…

Listening only to Tartuffe’s voice, He’d break four hearts at once-” (1.3.7) Damis makes it very clear that marriage a very serious matter. Love may be present, but it is more of a political affair to him. He does not hesitate to express how he truly feels. Damis spends a lot of time trying to fight with Tartuffe but never gets the chance. He is eager to marry Valère’s sister. He is determined to marry her but also keeps an open mind incase it does not work out. This optimistic mindset is a great quality Damis possesses. He knows exactly what he wants but stays positive incase it does not work out. This was something interesting about his character that distinguished him from the rest.
We also see view towards in marriage in a conversation with Cléante and Orgon. “Cléante says, "There 's one more thing-no more debate- I want to change the subject, if I might. I heard that you said the other night, To Valère, he’d be your son-in law." Orgon says, "I did." Cléante says, "And set the date?" Orgon says, "Yes" (1.5.179). Here we see marriage being talked about in political matter yet again. Cléante knows exactly what he wants and will not stop until Valère marries Mariane. He is confident everything will work out just as he has planned. Cléante has everything planned out but things don’t go his way. This was definitely a learning experience for him because he tried to force something to happen that

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