In Tartuffe Molière uses Alexandrine verse a style of poetic writing that dominated French poetic and play writing for centuries (Gainor 536). Lines with 12 syllables with each syllable containing one vowel or one semi-vowel characterize Alexandrine verse (Nell). Molière used these couplets because they were standard for the time period and formed a rhythmic flow to the line without using the classic iambic pentameter verse. This type of verse is still held in high regard with French poets (Nell). Tartuffe is a farcical satiric comedy of manners defined by the exaggeration of human nature and blissful ending. Generally comedies are characterized by jovial conclusion, obstacles to over come, and amplification of normal behavior. Comedies …show more content…
In his most basic form Tartuffe is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Characters including Dorine and Damis immediately see though his façade, while Orgon and Madame Pernelle take Tartuffe’s actions at face value until they face the deception head on. In the first scene in the play we are presented with two polar opposite impressions of Tartuffe. The holy kind “saint” and the “uncouth street bum.” Madame Pernelle makes her claim of Tartuffe’s goodness by telling Dorine, “He’s a man who should be listened to,” and “His very presents casts the devils out” (Molière 1.1.46, 1.1.160). Dorine quickly challenges this flawless version of Tartuffe by stating, “He’s a disaster” (Molière 1.1.69). In the succeeding acts we receive a much clearer version of Tartuffe and his motives, and it isn’t until Elmire tricks Tartuffe into removing his disguise of goodness that Tartuffe admits to his evil by disclosing, “I’m wicked through and through” (Molière 3.6.2). This plays into the social issues of the time by labeling religious figures as frauds. Throughout the play Molière uses many religious phrases to characterize Tartuffe including “saint”, “holy”, and “hypocrite” (Molière 1.1.73, 1.1.81, 1.1.74). This idea of false religiosity is summed up by Clèante’s simile “Religious passion worn as a facade” (Molière 1.5.128). When Tartuffe was originally …show more content…
Mariane represents the classical ideals that a young woman and daughter should follow, where Dorine challenges the standards for a lower class woman. Dorine’s early interactions with Orgon and Madame Pernelle give us a clear picture of her intentions to defy her place in society. Even through the degrading comments toward her constantly throughout the course of the show Dorine keeps her strength and spunk to combat the “plague” in the house (Molière 2.3.159). Her strength is a direct foil to Mariane’s weakness. When Orgon insists on Mariane’s marriage to Tartuffe, Dorine’s reaction is much stronger than Mariane’s. Mariane quickly succumbs to the idea even though her heart is set on Valère while Dorine confronts Orgon about the situation and calling the idea “prosperous” and “absurd” going as far as voicing to him “your daughter is not meant for this zealot- she’s too innocent” (Molière 2.2.6, 2.2.26-27). While Dorine merely goes along with the charade and says that to be a “proper daughter” she must marry Taruffe, so in order to get out of the marriage she must “kill [her] self” (Molière 2.3.57). This dissimilarity in characterization conveys the changing social structure of that was occurring during the time period that Tartuffe was written. The clash of the classical structure and the emerging middle class is represented perfectly by
In Tartuffe, Moliere's use's plot to defend and oppose characters that symbolize and ridicule habitual behavior's that was imposed during the neo-classical time period. His work, known as a comedy of manners, consists of flat characters, with few and similar traits and that always restore some kind of peace in the end. He down plays society as a whole by creating a microseism, where everyone in the family has to be obedient, respectful, and mindful of the head of the home, which is played by the father Orgon. Mariane shows her obedience when she replies "To please you, sir, is what delights me best." (Moliere 324,11) Shortly afterwards, Orgon commands Mariane to take Tartuffe as her husband even though she is not interested in him at all.
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin Moliere wrote Tartuffe during the beginning of the Age of Enlightenment. One of the main characteristics of the Age of Enlightenment was a push towards using reason over emotions to make decisions. The leaders of the enlightenment truly believed that the world could be made a better place if people did this. In Tartuffe, when the characters use their emotions to make their decisions they find themselves in undesirable situations. While those who let their emotions rule them find their lives spinning out of control, there are other characters in the play who try to approach them with reason and logic. Out of these characters the lady’s maid Dorine stands out as the voice of reason.
In spit of the fact that Mariane wishes to marry with Valere; but she wants to please her father as well. Dorine, Mariane's maid, questions Orgon by saying,
Jean-Baptiste Moliere, who was originally named Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, was one of the greatest and well-known comic dramatists. He was known as one of the greatest and famous comic writers mainly because his works challenged the imprudence of trusting reason for different life events. One of Moliere’s most famous works includes Tartuffe primarily for the amount of controversy it sparked related to satire. Tartuffe is a play that tells about a man named Orgon, who is a wealthy family man, who takes a stranger into his home named Tartuffe. He later indeed is discovered to be a religious hypocrite. He doesn't have any morals or indeed values religion. Tartuffe simply used religion as a disguise to manipulate people and do his crimes. He pretends to be extremely religious, but from his actions and behavior, it goes entirely against the morals of religion. For example, when Tartuffe sees Dorine in Act 3, Scene 2, he tells her:
The seventeenth century play Tartuffe, by French writer Molière, is essentially governed by the central theme of reason. Molière illustrates the importance of reason and logic by highlighting it in some of the main characters, and exaggerating lack thereof in others. Like many other French works from the seventeenth century, he emphasizes the significance of having the ability to reason, and in doing so brings attention to the religious hypocrisy associated with this period of enlightenment. Although he focuses on this theme through most of the characters in the play, I feel that Dorine and Clèante are the two characters that essentially serve to represent or personify the voice of reason.
In Moliere’s “Tartuffe,” although many things and behaviors are satirized, the play focuses mainly on the issue of religious hypocrisy. Whereas Tartuffe is the obvious hypocrite and
In Tartuffe, Moliere's use's plot to defend and oppose characters that symbolize and ridicule habitual behavior's that was imposed during the neo-classical time period. His work, known as a comedy of manners, consists of flat characters, with few and similar traits, and that always restore some kind of peace in the end. He down plays society as a whole by creating a microseism, where everyone in the family has to be obedient, respectful, and mindful of the head of the home, which is played by the father Orgon. Mariane shows her obedience when she replies "To please you, sir, is what delights me best." (Moliere 324,11) Shortly afterwards, Orgon commands Mariane to take Tartuffe as her husband even though she is not interested in him at all. Orgon's command shows how men are dominate
The context surrounding the period in which Tartuffe was written in, the 17th Century is remembered as being a time of extreme power for the French Monarchy. King Louis XIV and Cardinal Richelieu transformed France’s feudal monarchy to an absolute monarchy. What must also be noted about this time is the fact that the Catholic Church and Politicians had a great deal of power over authors and playwrights. In this time of social and religious persecution, Molière created Tartuffe , a comedy dealing with hypocrisy and to a great extent, religion and how religion can be used in a negative way, to mask sin. The play is known to be offensive towards the Catholic Church and religion in general. When it was first performed in 1664, it was censored,
The extreme level of Orgon's devotion to Tartuffe is obvious. At the end of Act I, Scene 2, Dorinne, the maid, remarks on Orgon's complete infatuation with Tartuffe. She tells Clèante, Orgon's brother-in-law that "he's quite loss his senses since he fell / Beneath Tartuffe infatuating spell. / He calls him brother, and loves him as his life, / Preferring him to mother, child, or wife. / In him and him alone will he confide; / He's made him his confessor and his guide" (18). While this appears to be an exaggeration on Dorinne's part, it is soon clear that she is correct. Throughout Act I, Scene IV, Dorinne tries repeatedly to tell Orgon about his wife's illness. He never once expresses concern or sympathy for his own wife Elmire. In contrast, Tartuffe has been eating enough for several men, drinking wine heavily, and sleeping soundly. However, every time Dorinne begins to talk about the fever and headaches, Orgon repeats, "Ah. And Tartuffe?" or "Poor fellow" (20-23). Furthermore, Orgon himself even admits openly that through Tartuffe, his "soul [has] been freed / From earthly loves, and every human tie: / My mother, children, brother, and wife could die, / And I'd not see a single moment's pain" (25). The blindness Orgon exhibits, therefore, robs him of every human sympathy. The loving husband and father
Jean-Baptitste Poquelin Moliere’s Tartuffe, is undoubtedly a satirical comedy. In Moliere’s description of a satire, he was very direct as to the function and objectives of one are. The function is to correct men’s vices, using satire to ridicule them and expose them to public laughter (Moliere, p.14). Although this satire is making fun of many things in the church and organized religion, which is not the only objective Moliere had in mind. Tartuffe has many themes that reoccur through out the play. The time period, in which this play was written, was known as the Age of Reason. One of the main ideas and attitudes during this time was, reason must always control passion. Due to this
Throughout time, man has used many forms of deception to get what they want. Moliere’s play Tartuffe is a classical story about deception and how a “mask” is used to hide someone’s true intentions. Moliere applies the idea of a mask and a theme of deception to exploit the power struggles within a traditional household. The character Tartuffe employs deception so he can achieve social and economical standings while Elmire, Mariane, and Dorine use deception to defy the authority of Orgon over the entire household and to help bring back family harmony.
She sees through Tartuffe’s deceit and tries to explain that to Madame Pernelle in the opening scene. “So you think he’s a saint. That’s what he wants. But he’s a hypocrite and merely flaunts This so-called godliness” (Molière; 1.1.73-75). We see this again when she gives Cléante additional insight into Orgon and Tartuffe’s relationship and how Tartuffe is using Orgon. “But what’s evil Is seeing the deception and upheaval Of the master and everything he owns. He hands him money. They’re not even loans—He’s giving it away. It’s gone too far. To watch Tartuffe play him like a guitar!” (1.2.37-42). Time and time again Dorine interjects herself to steady the madness around her. After Orgon tells Mariane that she will marry Tartuffe, Dorine intervenes and encourages Mariane and Valère to remain faithful to their love for each other until she can find a way to keep Mariane out of the arranged marriage to Tartuffe. “Here. Take each other’s hand and make a link. You love each other better than you think. . . This marriage to Tartuffe would be a crime, We have to stop it. . . He’ll take the pressure off, thereby freeing All of us to find a workable plan To keep you from a marriage with this man” (2.4.113-131). Without Dorine’s persistent involvement the play would of ended in a different
In his most notorious play Tartuffe, Molière relates the story of an attempt, by a manipulative hypocrite, to destroy the domestic happiness of a citizen who, charmed by his seeming piety, has taken him into his home as a respectable guest. The play was disallowed after its first performance because it was deemed anti-religion. However this ruling was made unfairly since true religion is never confounded with hypocrisy, but is upheld with warmth, which shows his characteristic hatred of imposture in any shape.
In Act, I scene I Madame Parnelle is irritated and irked by the servants in his son's house because they are paying the deserved attention to her even though she is not in need of any service. Her aristocracy upbringing demands that servants so are available to her beck and call and they should be nearby if a need arises. The boiling point of her anger is exemplified when Dorine who is a housemaid at Orgon’s house makes a remark against the guest Tartuffe “you may see him as a saint, but Im far less awed because I see right through him for the frauds that he is” (Moliere, p.9). This statement works to be true in the end because Tartuffe is exposed as a conniving fraud and Madame Parnelle words which had elevated Tartuffe proved to be false. In her defense of Tartuffe, Madame Parnelle had called Tartuffe “ a saint as we will ever find on this side of heaven”( Moliere, p.8). This is because Tartuffe is always quoting the bible in his conversations which make him seem pious in the eyes of the aristocrats which subscribed to religion a lot during the neo-classical period.
Tartuffe is a story written in the enlightenment period. It’s about a religious hypocrite named Tartuffe. Jean-Baptiste Moliere he was one of the great writers on the enlightenment period. Author Calandra said “Moliere was a master of the neoclassical comedy. He possessed a wide knowledge of the society in which he lived” (Calandra 8). When he wrote Tartuffe he applied his sense of society to the play and it is shown threw reasoning by the characters.