Tartuffe Essay Topics

Essay On Hypocrisy In Tartuffe
Moliere during his creation of Tartuffe wanted to bring to attention the underlying issues which
were occurring in society as people began to accept the change in social order and the way of doing
things. This was when the people who were lowly ranked by the aristocrats began to get the
attention they deserved because of the changes and the impact they were making in the society.
Moliere in Tartuffealso wanted to show the hypocrisy which was evident in I'm institutions like
aristocracy, church and the working class citizens. Moliere fixed opposite attributes to the characters
from the play so that they could they could represent how irrationality, hypocrisy, and corruption
could manifest themselves to the members of the society who seemed...show more content...
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 exemplifies the desire for equality and dignity for all irrespective of the social standings
because in the midst of all the drama that was
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Tartuffe, By Jean Baptiste Moliere
Tartuffe, a play written in 1664 by Jean–Baptiste Moliere, is a commentary about hypocrisy and
transgression. The play focuses around Orgon and his family, including his wife Elmire, his son
Damis, his daughter Mariane, and his mother Madame Pernelle. These characters interact with the
servants of the house, Dorine who is maid to Mariane and their house guest, Tartuffe. The genre of
the play is comedy and is separated into five acts. Orgon, the main character, starts off at the
beginning of play with an infatuation towards his guest Tartuffe. Tartuffe uses this to his advantage
and persuades Orgon to hand over his daughter's hand in marriage instead of the man that she had
previously been promised too. Throughout the play, Tartuffe shows his true self to everyone
except Orgon and works his plan to take over everything that Orgon has. Everyone tries to
convince Orgon that Tartuffe is just playing him, but Orgon continues to take the side of Tartuffe
and accuses his family of being liars. Finally, Elmire convinces Orgon to hide in the room while
she has a conversation with Tartuffe, so that she is able to get Tartuffe to show himself without
knowing it. This is a crucial point in the play, because Orgon and his mother, madame Pernelle were
the only two people that were backing Tartuffe and that were on his side. After hearing the advances
that Tartuffe makes towards his wife, Orgon changes his view on Tartuffe and goes on a rampage
against the "holy" man. This changes

Tartuffe Essay
Tartuffe: Theater Critique
Tartuffe, a comedy set back in the 1750's was both proper and comical. Within one household the
father, Orgon, offers his daughter Mariane, hand in marriage to the despicable Tartuffe, which has
an eye for Orgon's wife, Elmire. Everyone besides the father, Orgon is blind to Tartuffes true
intentions, as they are no good. Tartuffeuses his manipulative personality to con the father of all his
assets, including his home. When Tartuffe goes to the king, the king is not tricked by the con artist.
Instead Tartuffe is arrested, and the deed to the home, along with other important documents are
returned to the rightful owner. The play ends happy, as Mariane gets to marry her true love Valere.
The characters hit the 1750's...show more content...
Elmire hides her husband under a table with a sheet comically, as the husband is not cooperating.
Once he is hidden, Tartuffe barges into the room quite arrogantly. The characters began to talk, as
Orgon hides under the table. Tartuffe starts to get his grove on trying to swindle Elmire. His actions
become quite comical as he lays on top of her licking her ear. Though Tartuffes actions become more
and more comical, the underling joke is not of Tartuffe, but the amount of time it takes the husband
to come from under the table and stop Tartuffe from putting his hands on Elmire. The play continues
to be quite comical even during the event that Orgon realizes what a huge mistake he had made
trusting the manipulative Tartuffe.
The play was very simple and to the point. Characters didn't undergo any costume changes, and the
set stay the same besides some prop changes. The lighting was constant through the play, and only
changed during the changing of the set. The actors projected their voices nicely and clearly so that
everyone within the audience was able to understand what was being said. Though not much
changed during the duration of the play, the audience was still able to walk away feeling that they
were just told a story. Overall I enjoyed Tartuffe and the story I was

Tartuffe, Religion Essay
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, MoliГЁre
created Tartuffe , a comedy dealing withhypocrisy 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,...show more
content...
He is at the beginning of the play seen as a God like figure, particularly to Orgon and Madame
Pernelle, by this he is strong and inspirational, however, when he does realises he has been found
out for being in the wrong, his persona changes to guilty and even vulnerable. This is shown in Act
III scene 6 when Damis accuses Tartuffe of trying to seduce Elmire, Tartuffe uses reverse
psychology to win Orgon over by confessing the all things awful, to an extent in which Orgon begins
to sympathise with him. It is clearly shown that Tartuffe goes to the absolute extreme when he
apologises to Orgon;
Oui mon frГЁre, je suis un mГ©chant, un coupable,
Un malheureux pГ©cheur tout pleine iniquitГ©,
Les plus grand scГ©lГ©rat qui jamais ait Г©tГ©;
Chaque instant de ma vie est change de souillures;
Elle n'est qu'un amas de crimes et d'ordures;
Et je vois que le ciel, pour ma punition,
Me veut mortifier en cette occasion. The language used is extremely depressing, almost showing
that it is out of character for Tartuffe to do such a thing, he just feels that he should confess as he is
under Orgon's roof and shouldn't make his son out to be a liar. This is what Orgon believes, and
although the audience knows differently, Damis is still asked to leave Orgon's house, showing
Orgon, a very religious man, being completely hypocritical, as he is undermining his family. Orgon

Reason In Tartuffe
Michelle Dixon
Response Paper #3
February 18, 2015 The seventeenth century play Tartuffe, by French writer MoliГЁre, is essentially
governed by the central theme of reason. MoliГЁre 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 ClГЁante are the two characters that essentially serve to represent or
personify the voice of reason....show more content...
Throughout the entire play, ClГЁante's calm and careful observations and rational suggestions serve
to illustrate that he is both knowledgeable and reasonable. His sensibility and rationality is
exemplified in his statement to Damis that "the King will put a stop to people who use violence to
get their way" (195). In this statement, ClГЁante is urging Damis to show some self–control, and
this conveys that ClГЁante's character serves as an example of maturity and good reasoning to
others. For the duration of the play, ClГЁante gives advice to several characters, and ultimately
reminds them all to show mercy to Tartuffe, despite his hypocrisy and deceitfulness. He says, "He
feels quite bad enough–no need to remonstrate. Its better you should hope that what's been done
today will coax his wayward heart to follow virtue's way" (206). In this statement, it is apparent that
ClГЁante's character is a symbol of reason, for despite Tartuffe's trickery, ClГЁante maintains his
sensibility, and convinces the others to do so as

Main Character Of Tartuffe
Tartuffe: Topic One Fast–forwarding two scenes in the second act of the playwright, Tartuffe, we
are introduced to some very noteworthy characters including, the morbidly compulsive figure
himself, Tartuffe. In the past, the word Tartuffe has been associated with words such as liar and
charlatan. This right off the bat gives us an idea of what kind of characteristics will be associated
with him. In the play we hear of Tartuffe, the peculiar figure that he is, attempt to destroy the
domestic happiness of other characters including Mariane's maid, named Dorine. Without hesitation
we can already from the first scene conclude that Dorine is the voice of reason in the play. Although
she is not the main character in Tartuffe, Dorine is recognized as an extremely significant figure
whether she's mocking Tartuffe, giving her two cents in almost every problematic situation, or
correcting the wrongdoings that other characters make throughout the play. In...show more content...
In Moliere's playwright of Tartuffe there are many faults and imperfections varying by the
character's appearance and emotion. The way Tartuffe is written specifically to represent all the
weaknesses built up inside of the play. In the play, the basic flaw in human nature is portrayed
through Orgon. Orgon falls into a daze of thinking of Tartuffe as an idolizing figure however he is
too selfish and over conceded to listen to others and sit back and watch as things travel along. In
Tartuffe, Orgon doesn't have his priorities in order from the very beginning of the play, to the end.
In his introduction statements he asks Dorine for the household news. Dorine fills him in on how
his wife, Elmire felt ill, but he didn't show any concern towards his wife. All Orgon was set on was
the well–being of Tartuffe. Throughout the play, we witness a series of Moliere's ideas about human
nature from both sides of mockery, contentment, and

Tartuffe Character Analysis
Tartuffe is a play that shows the dynamics of an aristocratic family and how they deal with an
unwanted guest. When a con artist manipulates his way into the family, he takes total control of the
household. Even though everything about him is obvious to those that are looking, one can still be
blinded by a grand performance. The family is thrown into dissension when Orgon refuses to see
Tartuffefor what he really is. Everyone's relationship comes under scrutiny. Moliere play
illustrates that having a direct knowledge of who and how God operates can help when the Devil
is standing in the shadows looking to devour. Hypocrisy is the main theme in the play Tartuffe.
The play focuses on the houseguest that just will not leave. Damis pleads, "Good God! Do you
expect me to submit To the tyranny of that carping hypocrite?" (p. 20). Damis cannot understand
why his father, is so willing to follow this outsider and believe in his every word. Another
example is how observant the maid is. She quickly recognizes his scheming ways. Dorine tells the
family, "You see him as a saint. I'm far less awed; In fact, I see right through him. He's a fraud."
(p. 20). The final example, Tartuffe is willing to take the family fortune even though is calls them
"friend". Cleante calls him out on this," But if he is a traitor, as you declare, How could you
condescend to be his heir?" (p. 66). Tartuffe, claims to be a moral man, but he is willing to be the
heir of a supposedly immoral

Reflection Of Tartuffe
Tartuffe by Jean–Baptiste Poquelin MoliГЁre Tartuffe was written by Jean–Baptiste Poquelin, also
known by his pen name MoliГЁre, in 1664. During this time the major religion of the region was
Catholicism under the direction of Pope Alexander VII; Louis XIV was France's monarch. The Pope
whom resides in Rome– capital of the Catholic faith, as well as a religious and political power at the
time– often conflicted with the French king about who should rule over France's Catholic Church.
The people of France did not like the thought of the Pope having more authority than their king– who
resides elsewhere, and across Europe "The Age of Enlightenment" was taking place. The people
were becoming more self–aware and relied more on their own sense of reasoning, rather than putting
all of their trust into authority figures. At this moment in history, the people of France began to
believe the church and its representatives to be hypocrites. At risk of...show more content...
First, let me say that what remarks I've made About the constant visits you are paid Were prompted
not by any mean emotion, But rather by pure and deep devotion, A fervent zeal... (55)"
Tartuffealso follows up on his speech's forwardness towards Elmire by: grabbing her hands,
placing his hand on her knee, pulling after her, and fondling the lace collar of her gown. All of these
actions were considered unacceptable behavior by ladies and gentleman during the seventeeth
century. Tartuffe also shows signs of hypocrisy when he persuades Orgon to give him his daughter,
Mariane's, hand in marriage. In Act III, Scene 3, Tartuffe says:
"...But soon, fair being, I became aware
That my deep passion could be made to square
With rectitude, and with my bounden duty.
I thereupon surrendered to your beauty.
It is, I know, presumptuous on my part
To bring you this poor offering of my heart,
And it is not my merit, Heaven knows,
But with your compassion on which my hopes repose (Tartuffe

Why Is Tartuffe A Hypocrisy?
Without a doubt, Tartuffe is one of the most ostentatious, hypocritical characters to ever walk on
stage. He is a textbook definition of a hypocrite with his behaviors contradicting the morals he claims
to hold. Furthermore, based on Tartuffe's dialogue and decisions, he embodies irrationality. Yet,
somehow, Tartuffe justifies all his contradictions between what he says and what he does by
presenting rational–like defenses.Here, a distinction is unveiled about Tartuffe's motivations. Is
Tartuffe merely a hypocrite by deceiving others with a faГ§ade of piety? Or has Tartuffe deluded
himself into accepting his deception as well? One interpretation of Tartuffe paints him as acult–like
figure, dominating Orgon's life. Common with other cult leaders,...show more content...
In fact, Tartuffe committed such deception under a different alias, whose "long list of... dark
crimes would fill volumes" (87). By donning a new persona, Tartuffe could be a ridiculous,
irrational man, all the while insisting a higher rank of spirituality. Through this fabricated life,
Tartuffe was able to live out his strong sense of grandiosity, completely fooling Orgon of his true
nature. The false charm that possessed Tartuffe with his skilled ability to deceive, Orgon stood no
chance against the submission that Tartuffe subjected him too. Tartuffe even bragged about how he
brought Orgon to the "stage where he could see anything with his own eyes and not believe it,"
demonstrating how Tartuffe is fully aware of how he is taking advantage of Orgon (75). The sheer
amount of control that Tartuffe enforces over Orgon along with masking his true intentions under
the guise of piety signals a more sinister state than hypocrisy existing within Tartuffe. With all of his
erratic behavior and his swindling of the inheritance out from under Orgon's nose, Tartuffe appears
more like a cult figure than solely a hypocrite. He utterly brainwashed Orgon into viewing him as a
faultless saint, even elevating him in importance above Orgon's wife and children; moreover,
Tartuffe taught Orgon how to emotionally detach himself to the level of indifference if his family
died.

Reason In Tartuffe Essay
MorliГЁre ridiculous every class in French society, during the seventeenth century. The rich and
poor have nowhere to hide from his mocking plays. They do not resent him, but instead fill his
theater house. They find humor in being able to identify personalities they know all too well.
MoliГЁre bravely mocked the self–righteous people of the Church in his play, Tartuffe. He displays
the battle between passion and reason. He saw the battle take place between his peers in the
Enlightenment. They fought for reason while trying to fight against passion in themselves.
MoliГЁre portrays the struggle between passion and reason in a comedic way during Tartuffe.
During Act II, Orgon's daughter struggles between being the daughter society approves of and
following her heart. It appears that following her heart would give in to passion, however, Mariane
wants to marry a young gentleman. Her father, who is suppose to give reason, wants her to be
married to a poor old man. Orgon is the true advocate for passion. He wants his daughter to marry
Tartuffe,...show more content...
Elmire's brother, ClГЁante, confronts Tartuffe. ClГЁante is the voice of reason who is less brash
than Dorine. Tartuffe, like the Church plays the innocent part. ClГЁante, like MolГЁre's peers, can
see through Tartuffe's deceit. Orgon does the unexpected and listens to his wife. He conceals
himself out of sight to spy on his adoration, Tartuffe. Elmire transforms herself into the sinful
desire Tartuffe craves. She manipulates the manipulator, by using her wits and beauty. Tartuffe is
too full of himself to see that he has fallen into a trap. Tartuffe demands his sexual urges be
pleased. He declares that a sin done in secret is not a sin at all. Orgon comes out furious and
banishes Tartuffe, remembering too late that he gave everything to Tartuffe. Orgon, like a wave, is
tossed back and forth with every wind of

Tartuffe- Moliere
ENG 262 N Religious Hypocrisy in Moliere's "Tartuffe" Jean–Baptiste Poquelin Moliere was one of
the greatest writers of the seventeenth century, being considered by many the greatest author of
French comedy. In his plays, called "comedies of manners", Moliere satirizes the morals and social
conventions of his contemporaneous human society by using stock characters. In Tartuffe, a comedy
of five acts, the main topic is the analysis of religious hypocrisy and leader figures of the seventeenth
century, portraying Tartuffe in contrast with personages like Orgon. The main character is Tartuffe,
the hypocrite that tries to climb the social ladder by using Orgon's ignorance and blindness. Tartuffe
creates around himself an appearance of...show more content...
Orgon is the type of man that is easily impressed because he does not have a strong personality.
Once Tartuffe gains his trust, Orgon seems to be willing to act under hypocrite's guidance: "Under
his tutelage my soul's been freed/ From earthly loves, and every human tie;/ My mother, children,
brother, and my wife could die,/ And I'd not feel a single moment's pain" (Moliere 32). Moliere's
personages can be found in our days also. Unfortunately, hypocrisy is an immorality that will never

Tartuffe Essay
Tartuffe
In his most notorious play Tartuffe, MoliГЁre 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.
Through out Tartuffe, MoliГЁre's play...show more content...
В…
They never will attack a sinner viciouslyВ—
For it's the sin they criticize, exclusively.
Their zeal isn't excessive, and it never seems
The interests of God have pushed them to extremes.
These are my heroes. They're the men I think are great.
And they're the men whom I would want to imitate.
On first seeing Tartuffe performed in Versailles, the King immediately recognized and appreciated
its genius. He understood that it was strictly addressing hypocrisy, however concern about the play
began to grow as its performance moved to Paris. MoliГЁre's adversaries claimed that under the fake
motive of trying to expose hypocrisy, he actually sought to undermine the foundations of religion
itself. Pressure from the opposition, which included the Catholic Church, the archbishop of Paris, the
Queen Mother Anne of Austria, and the Company of the Holy Sacrament forced Louis XIV to ban
the play in Paris.
The argument could be made that The King's initial approval stemmed from the fact that Tartuffe
includes patronage in the form of not so subtle flattery and references to Louis XIV and his family
and associates, rather than the theme of hypocrisy versus sincerity. One instance of this being in the
final act where the King's authorities come to arrest Tartuffe for a history of swindling people out of
their fortune. The officer refers to his King as:
He sees things as they are; you'll find that wicked schemes
Don't take him by

Enlightenment In Tartuffe And An Essay On Man
The ideals of the Enlightenment can be found in many of the writings from this time period, but
just to be specific on two works Tartuffe and An Essay on Man. This was the age of reason and
logic. So this became the main source of validity, and people were getting comfortable enough to
have little worry. People in this time began to apply normal beliefs to find and understand nature
and to guide their human being. In Moliere's Tartuffe, this quality is stated through the character of
the king. In Pope's An Essay on Man, he inspired a change in man, to explore themselves and their
world and to make sense of it. Talking about Tartuffe, we're looking not merely for its literary
qualities but references to other literary works like An a Essay on

Moliere's Tartuffe Essay
In Moliere's description of a satire, he was very direct as to the function and objectives of ones are.
The function is to correct men's problems, using satire to ridicule them and expose them to the
public opinion. Although the satire is making fun of many things, things in the church and organized
religion. Tartuffehas many themes that reoccur throughout the play. The time period which this
piece was written, was know as
The Age Of Reason. One of the main ideas and attitudes during this period was, reason must always
control passion. Due this attitude, one theme that constantly appears through out the play is the
battle between reason and passion....show more content...
" Ought not a Christian to forgive; and ought he not strife every vengeful thought? Should you stand
by and watch a father make his only son, an exile for your sake? Again I tell you frankly, be
advised: the whole town, high and low scandalized; this quarrel, must be mended, and my advice is
not to push matter to a further crisis. In that scene, Cleante is trying to talk reason into
Tartuffe's actions Orgon has just kicked out his son, and made Tartuffe his sole heir.
Although Orgon has acted out on his passion without considering any reason, Cleante is
attempting to show Tartuffe his wrong doings and his hypocrisy. Up to this point in the story
Tartuffe has not acted out on passion. Then Moliere adds a twist to the story with the exact thing
"Man's Passions", Tartuffes passion, is the sole explanation for his downfall, slowly his passion for
Elmire and greed infest his way of thinking and leads to his defeat and surrender. He let his passion
control his reason for good.
These conflicts between reason and passion that are continuously given in
Moliere's Tartuffe can easily teach a lesson to anybody who is ready to listen. If people were only
willing to think before they react, imagine the difference it would make in ones life. We are not as
lucky to have someone point out short cummins, but our inner voice should come fourth. But we
would still have to take the time to

Tartuffe Essay
Tartuffe Script Review
Name Title of Play Playwright: Tartuffe by Jean Baptiste Poquelin MoliГЁre
What does the title mean? The title means the Imposter or the Hypocrite. The title is about the main
character Tartuffe, but the play begins in hypocrisy. The family is talking about other people and
their faults while not seeing their own hypocrisy while they gossip. Tartuffeis a man who speaks of
holiness and confesses his own sin so openly and dramatically that Orgon does not even suspect him
later in the play.
Who are the main characters in the play? How are the characters related through the plot of the
play? Most of the characters are related, with the exception of Tartuffe. Most of the play is about the
blindness Orgon has regarding...show more content...
How does the play begin? (Exposition) The play begins with Madame Pernelle being very critical in
pointing out the faults and bad habits in others. She is pointing out how so many others have mixed
motives and need to change. She calls the family servant, Dorine a "servant wench" and her own
grandson Damis a fool; and her daughter in law Elmire is spoken to very cruelly and told that "your
conduct in everything is all together wrong." Damis makes it clear that the family cannot tolerate
Tartuffe.
Describe the moment that starts the main story. (Inciting Incident) The family is already angry at
Tartuffe. Madame Pernelle is taking his side and coming to his defense and is critical of her own
family, she tells her family that "He is a holy man, and must be heeded." (Act I Scene I). Damis is
not fooled by Tartuffe. He knows already of the blindness his father Orgon has regarding the truth
about Tartuffe, and he has just heard his grandmother verbally destroy the family in her calling to
obey Tartuffe. Damis tells her "I foresee that there must come of it An open rupture with this
sneaking scoundrel." (Act I Scene I). It is clear from here on in the play that the family will be
divided and in chaos because of

Thesis Statement Of Tartuffe
Tartuffe What is Tartuffe ?– Tartuffe, or The Impostor, or The Hypocrite (/tЙ‘rЛ€tК
Љf, –Л€tuЛ
ђf
/;[1] French: Tartuffe, ou l'Imposteur, pronounced: [taКЃtuf]), first performed in 1664, is one of the
most famous theatrical comedies by MoliГЁre. The characters of Tartuffe, Elmire, and Orgon are
considered among the greatest classical theatre roles.
© Google, for the Facts :D
PLAYWRIGHT :MoliГЁre
Who is MoliГЁre ? – MoliГЁre is an author who's genre are Literature and Fiction, born in Paris,
France wayback January 15, 1622.
THEME : Religion, Ambition, Sex, Justice, Marriage, Loyalty, and Family...
How do I recognized those ? – Religion is one of the theme that has been featured in the play,it is
crucial to realize that the play intends to expose a...show more content...
The only person who has her great approval is Tartuffeand she says that Tartuffe is close to it's
perfection.
Damis and Dorine the maid argue that Tartuffe is a bigot and hypocrite, but Madame Pernell was
still unconvinced. She thinks that Tartuffe is a good and great man. She also maintain that there
are many visitors that would come and scatter gossips about her family. Dorine snaps a woman out
of jealousy, before Madame Pernelle grew old she thinks that she was part of this world but now
she wa afraid that the world may drop her out. So she spends her time in criticizing it. Madame
Pernelle would not be tolerate comment and upon leaving reminds the company that they are such a
holyman as Tartuffe was dwelling beneath their

Stock Characters In Tartuffe
A minor character contributes heavily in a play, particularly by revealing information or giving
additional insight about major characters. Tartuffe, by MoliГЁre, is a French satire which is over
exaggerated and critical towards the upper class. It also ridicules hypocrisy and the upper class.
MoliГЁre's unique choice of using stock characters contributes to the technical development of the
work. Specifically, Dorine holds the role of the Zanni, the servant who provides comedic relief.
Madame Pernelle fits the category of the Pantalone because despite being a woman, she is wealthy
and an upperclassman, meaning she's at the top of the social pyramid. Orgon fits into the category
of the Dottore, as he is the head of the household and also at the top of the social pyramid. While,
Tartuffeis a hypocritical character identified as the Capitano of the play. He convinces Orgon and
Madame Pernelle that he is a devoutly pious and humble man, but behind his facade he is an...show
more content...
Without her, the motif of the truth about Tartuffe would not be revealed. Dorine is the person who
expresses through satire much of the exasperation the audience feels. From the beginning of the play,
we become acquainted with the truth about Tartuffe being a hypocrite, through Dorine. In Act I,
Scene I Dorine says, "if anyone were to listen to him and believe in his maxims, one could not do
anything without committing a sin; for he controls everything, this carping critic". Through
dialogue, Dorine exposes Tartuffe to the audience. This affects our perception of Tartuffe, we
become aware of who Tartuffe really is and what his natural character is like. Dorine not being in
the play would minimize this opportunity for us as an audience. Dorine plays a very significant role
in Tartuffe; if she wasn't a part of the play, the audience would have a harder time navigating the
motif of truth within

Tartuffe Essay
Theme of Deception in Tartuffe
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 Tartuffeemploys 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.
In the play Tartuffe, one of fundamental theme is deception. The biggest hypocrite in this play is the
character named Tartuffe. He is able to create a...show more content...
In two different scenes, a character hides so he can listen in on a conversation of two other
between two other individual. One instance is when Damis stands in a closet as Tartuffe
expresses his yearning and passion for Orgon's wife. Elmire tells him, "Your declaration is most
gallant, Sir, but don't you think it's out of character? You'd have done better to restrain your
passion and think before you spoke in such a fashion. It ill becomes a pious man like you..."
(Lawall 338). Then Tartuffe comes back with, "I may be pious, but I'm human too... My keen
concern for my good name insures the absolute security of yours; in short, I offer you, my dear
Elmire, love without scandal, pleasure without fear" (Lawall 338). Damis is enraged and says,
"Now I have my long–awaited chance to punish his deceit and arrogance, and give my father clear
and shocking proof of the clack character of his dear Tartuffe" (Lawall 339). He then tells his father,
"You've just now been repaid with interest for all your loving–kindness to our guest. He's proved his
warm and grateful feelings toward you; It's with a pair of horns he would reward you. Yes, I
surprised him with your wife, and heard his whole adulterous offer, every word" (Lawall 340). It
seems that Moliere condemns the use of deception on Tartuffe's part. Although, he seems to imply
that, within the play,

Moliere's Tartuffe: Age Of Reason
Moliere's Tartuffe is a piece of literature originating in France during the 17th century, which was the
so called age of Enlightenment, or the Age of Reason. Plato would most likely have approved of the
message Moliere tries to push through Tartuffe. That is rationality and reason trump all. Plato may
not be the most supportive of art and literature but if it happens to be a medium that lends to his
principles of reason, logic, rationality and above all the maintenance of the social order then he
would happily approve. The type of Enlightenment thinking in western society differed substantially
from the Eastern Asian philosophies. Enlightenment thinkers brought faith in reason, logic, and
rationality into the forefront of Western culture....show more content...
He also fails to perceive that Tartuffe is tricking him and his family and thus is not thinking as
rationally as Cleante is. In Act I, scene 5, Cleante accuses his brother–in–law of being unable to
realize the differences between "true piety and hypocrisy". He says to Orgon that his love of Tartuffe
is "nonsense," and then attempts to enlighten him on Tartuffe's true nature. Yet despite all this
Cleante knows that his brother–in–law's mind is clouded by his emotions. Trying to talk sense into
his brother in law, Cleante acts once again as voice of reason, which goes unheard continuously
throughout the work. Orgon believes so intensely in Tartuffe's goodness and godliness that he is
even willing to give up anything for him, including his own daughter's happiness in being able to
marry the man she loves. In Act I, scene 5, Orgon blatantly disregards his previous promise of
marrying his daughter to Valere and reveals he instead has plans to give his daughter's hand to
Tartuffe. The value of moderation and reason in all things, as opposed to excess and obsession, is
another important enlightenment theme appearing throughout Tartuffe. eante is the voice of reason
because he goes out of his way to promote moderation and balance throughout the

Tartuffe Hypocrisy Analysis
Jenna Thompson
THE1000–32779
7/18/17 ONLINE
Hypocrisy at its Finest
The topics of religion and hypocrisy are the major themes of Tartuffe. The play is centered around
a man called Tartuffe, who claims to be a pious and holy man whose every action is based to please
God and follow religion tirelessly. "There has been no loftier soul since time began" claimed Orgon (
MoliГЁre, 2016). We then realize this man does quite the opposite and "[Tartuffe] has proved his
warm and grateful feelings toward [Orgon], it's with horns he would reward [Orgon]" (MoliГЁre,
2016). He uses the mask of being religious to weasel his way into gullible people's lives such as
Orgon, then take full advantage of them and call it holy. This action is by definition...show more
content...
So if this were a full satire condemning those who believed in religion, wouldn't Orgon have not
gotten his estate back and Tartuffe gotten away with it all? That conclusion would have called
followers like Orgon out to encourage them to turn away from organized religion. Instead Tartuffe
gets caught and punished for his manipulation and betrayal. The truth will out, that is the message
Moliere writes about.
At the beginning of the play Cleante has a monologue defining how a truly Godly man would act;
without showmanship or want of praise but simply doing what is right because it is right.
"So there is nothing, I think, so odious as the whitewashed outside of a specious zeal; as those
downright imposters, those bigots whose sacrilegious and deceitful grimaces impose on others with
impunity, and who trifle as they like with all that mankind holds sacred; those men who, wholly
given to mercenary ends, trade upon godliness, and would purchase honour and reputation at the
cost of hypocritical looks and affected groans; who, seized with strange ardour, make use of the
next world to secure their fortune in this; who, with great affectation and many prayers, daily preach
solitude and retirement while they themselves live at Court; who know how to reconcile their zeal
with their vices; who are passionate, revengeful, faithless, full of deceit, and who, to work the
destruction of a fellow–man, insolently cover their fierce resentment with the cause of

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