Friday, May 29, 2009

Don't Trust Anyone:Tartuffe!


Tartuffe is a very popular play written by Moliere. In this play the father, a rich man named Orgon, plans to give away everything, to offer his daughter in marriage to his spiritual guide, Tartuffe. Against his daughters wishes, Orgon makes his whole family upset with him.

"Yes, Tartuffe shall be
Allied by marriage to this family,
And he's to be your husband, is that clear?
It's a father's privilege..."(40)

Orgon was being stubborn to his daughter, Mariane and forcing her to marry Tartuffe. Not listening to what Mariane has to say Orgon agrees to give everything he owns to Tartuffe.

"This very day, I'll give to you alone
Clear deed and title to everything I own.
A dear, good friend and son-in-law-to-be
Is more than wife, or child, or kin to me.
Will you accept my offer, dearest son"(106)"

Elmire, Orgon's wife claimed to Orgon that Tartuffe has put a move on her. Orgon doesn't believe her story because she didn't confront him about it right away.

"Madam, I know a few plain facts, and one
Is that you're partial to my rascal son;
Hence, when he sought to make Tartuffe the victim
Of a base lie, you dared not contradict him.
Ah, but you underplayed your part, my pet;
You should have looked more angry, more upset"(116).

In this quote, Orgon is basically telling telling his wife that she is lying and doing a horrible job in doing so. Elmire fights back and he still doesn't believe her. Elmire sets up a plan for Orgon to catch Tartuffe in action. After listening to Tartuffe, Orgon learns the real way of Tartuffe.

"That man's a perfect monster, I must admit!
I'm simply stunned. I can't get over it"(129).

If Orgon had not listened, he would have married his daughter off to a horrible conniving man. Through listening he learned how horrible the situation would have been if his daughter really married Tartuffe.

Moliere. Tartuffe, by Moliere. New York: Harvest Books, 1968.

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