André Gilde once fittingly said, “The true hypocrite is the one who ceases to perceive his deception, the one who lies with sincerity”; in other words, one blinded by delusion, whose actions and thoughts are a dichotomy is a true hypocrite. I agree with Gilde. A true hypocrite according to Gilde is someone who zealously enforces their thoughts and stops recognizing their deception in the process. When one ceases to perceive one’s own deception, s/he is preaching thoughts blindly; preaching thoughts blindly spurs only semblance not reality. Ideas expressed zealously and blindly often lead to the creation of a utopian aim for oneself. People who recklessly pursue their inclination eventually transgresses their own laws. To achieve success one will do anything, blinded by any power they have. This part of Gilde’s statement is exemplified in Moliere’s Tartuffe by the character Tartuffe; nevertheless, Tartuffe does not meet all the criteria’s to be called a hypocrite. With power, man loses his own ideals, perverts a utopian aim surpassing his own laws. Despite Moliere’s attempt to depict a true hypocrite in Tartuffe, he fails.
Moliere’s Tartuffe is said to depict the true hypocrite because it’s main character Tartuffe, acts like a pious man while his intentions are in fact, very cruel. True to the definition of hypocrisy, Tartuffe’s actions are in complete disagreement with his thoughts. However, contrary to Gilde’s complete description of the word, Tartuffe has not ceased ‘to perceive his deception’. Tartuffe is cognizant of the difference between his thoughts and actions. When the audience is first introduced to Tartuffe, he gives himself away as a pseudo or a man who is not truly pious; “[Observing DORINE, and calling to his manser...
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...g acts. One may call this an act of hypocrisy, but this is only part of it. Tartuffe is a prime example of how man can transgress his own laws to suffice his desire for power.
Through the actions of Tartuffe in Moliere’s Tartuffe we witness behavior that can be called hypocritical, but upon further reflection, we realize that he in fact just lying and deceiving. According to Gilde, one must go beyond duplicitous behavior, cease to perceive his deception and lie with sincerity. Through Tartuffe’s wavering actions to and the disagreement between his actions and supposed thoughts to suffice his needs we clearly see that he is aware of his deception and is lying to pursue his own self interests. Indubitably, Tartuffe is not a hypocrite. We must examine other protagonists in literature to find a good example of a true hypocrite.
Works Cited
Tartuffe by Moliere
Religion can be a powerful form of indoctrination. Religion in the case of Orgon and Voltaire’s situations were used to bypass all critical thought and vetting of their respective influencers. Malice and ignorance often lead to the same conclusions, but intention is key. By aligning with their subjects’ belief systems and establishing themselves, Tartuffe and Pangloss respectively, as powers of authority could sway their subordinates. Though Tartuffe and Pangloss both have authority and hidden motives; the overall means and intentions vary in their approaches.
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.
The play "Tartuffe", by Moliere, is a work that was created to show people a flaw in their human nature. There are two characters who portray the main flaw presented in the play. Both Madame Pernelle and Orgon are blinded to the farces of Tartuffe and must be coaxed into believing the truth. The fact that Orgon and Madame Pernelle are too weak to see the truth is an important theme of the play.
The theme of dishonesty reoccurs in different ways in these three different texts: ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, ‘The Glass Menagerie’ and ‘King Lear’ and reflects the relationships between the characters, emphasises their developments and also raises the traditional concerns of the importance of truth and honesty which is still relevant in modern society. The theme of dishonesty is arguably used by Shakespeare to portray the idea that sight does not guarantee perspective, an issue pertinent to the Elizabethan audience. Arguably Tennessee Williams was concerned with dishonesty because of his personal experiences and his relationship with his father, from whom he had to hide the truth of his sexuality, and in his drama, the theme allowed him to focus on his journey to honesty with himself and others around him.
This was the age of reason. People at this time began to apply rational thoughts to figure out and understand nature and to guide their human existence. In Moliere’s Tartuffe, this ideal is expressed through the character of the king. In the end, Tartuffe has brought an officer of the king back to take Orgon away. However, in Tartuffe’s attempt to get Orgon arrested, the king saw through him and reasoned that Tartuffe was the one to be accused and put to trial.
He's a fine man, and should be listened to. I will not hear him mocked by fools like you." (p. 20) (Speaking to her own grandchildren) Tartuffe has fooled her greatly. Even towards the end, after Madame Pernelle heard from her son, Orgon, about what Tartuffe has done to Elmire in which Orgon witnessed with his own eyes, she still claims him to be a saint. She states: "No, no, a man of such surpassing piety could not do such a thing. You cannot shake me. I don't believe it, and you shall not make me." (p. 61) It is only until after Madame Pernelle learns of him evicting them from their own house that she believes her family. "I'm thunderstruck. I'm utterly aghast." stated Madame Pernelle. (p. 64) Tartuffe shows his true hypocrisy ways when his actions intentionally led him to do such a horrid thing to Orgon and his family and then his words state "...But my first duty is to serve my King. That obligation is so paramount that other claims, beside it, do not count; And for it I would sacrifice my wife, my family, my friend, or my own life." (p. 65) Even Elmire screams "Hypocrite!" after he says
There exists a kind of person who can be called by no other name than by “Magnificent Bastard”. They are masters of deception, bloody brilliant, unstoppable in achieving their goals even when it means grinding others into the dust, and yet they have such a flair, such a charming disposition, that they are often admired by even those who are wronged by them. Iago in Shakespeare’s play Othello is one such character. The audience may love or hate him, but either way they must admit that he commands the spot-light. In spite of this, the reason why Iago acts as he does is shrouded in mystery. Even when directly speaking to the audience about his motivations, Iago is not always truthful. In reality, while Iago derives great pleasure from manipulating others, his driving motivation throughout the entire play is his own jealousy; from being unrecognized for his greatness, to an impossible love for Desdemona, and of the virtuous characters all around him.
...haracters who exhibit hypocrisy. Whether it is anger at the hypocrite or empathy for the victim, a good author or playwright can capitalize on this tendency but constructing a plot with a few hypocritical timbers. Shakespeare was a master at such structures, introducing two of them in Othello and Measure for Measure. Iago and Angelo are both men of relatively high rank whose own hypocrisies lead to their downfalls. Iago’s hypocrisy permeates every facet of his character, including loyalty, friendships, and marital relations. Angelo, meanwhile, falls victim to his desires and commits one major hypocritical action, exhibiting both lust and lawlessness. The fact that these two plays are driven by these hypocritical actions is a testament to the ability of hypocrisy to promote a response in an audience, and a testament to the Bard’s incomparable playwriting skills.
Although many arguments could take place over the blame of Othello’s fate, the one murderer no one doubts is jealousy. Although Othello’s insecurities and “blindness” along with one of the most duplicitous villains in all of literature definitely catalyze the deaths at the conclusion of the play, in the end Othello must suffer the consequences manipulated or not. Despite the number of uninteresting characters in the play, Othello, the Moor of Venice contains one of the most intricate characters in any of Shakespeare’s plays, and will be discussed and intensely argued forever.
The Tragedy of Othello, written by William Shakespeare, is a play about a Moor of Venice and his downfall by deception and love. The themes of two-facedness, narcissism, and honor are all prominent in this play; the theme overarching these, however, is loyalty. Similar to a satirist, Shakespeare shows that the true nature of a person’s loyalty is not always as it appears. Othello’s loyalty to his own honor exposes his false loyalty to his wife. Iago, the antagonist, is deceptive in portraying himself as honest and committed to those he supposedly loves, but at the same time he plans their downfall. Honor, narcissism, and deception are each concepts Shakespeare uses to convey the ambiguity of loyalty in people.
The reason for a person’s deception gives light into the nature and desires of that person. In the play “Othello” Shakespeare’s character Iago deceives many of the other characters in the play for the sole purpose of revenge based on his speculation alone. Iago’s deception and the ultimate death of Roderigo, Othello, and Iago’s own wife Emilia, shows how harsh and inhumane Iago is. This harsh reaction to simple speculation shows Iago’s cruel insensitive nature as well as calls the reader to reflect on their own ill-considered reactions.
character Polonius in Shakespeare’s Hamlet fits the description of one who tries to deceive others
Moliere saw religion as a personal and private matter, he believed it should not be forced upon others but be a natural state of being. He ultimately believed religion should not be placed on a higher level of value in the world, more so meaning it should not be used to justify the pursuit of personal wealth and power. All of this can be implicitly seen in the play when Orgon endangers his family by trying to mix his social status with his religious beliefs by inviting Tartuffe in. Moliere was undoubtedly a Christian, but it shown in Cleante's words that there may be room to question what this identity meant to him. For example, when Cleante’s said “They cloak their spite in fair religion's name, Their private spleen and malice being made, To seem a high and virtuous crusade. Until, to mankind's reverent applause, They crucify their foe in Heaven's cause." (1.5.11), he is judging those who sin and go against their religion but still praising religion itself and claiming its
In Moliére’s Tartuffe (Moiré 1664), the reader is able to see a great contrast of Extreme and Moderate characters. Extreme characters being those who are seen as over the top, or very passionate people, and the moderate characters having a more calm and subtle approach to ideas. The extreme characters in this case would be Madam Pernelle, Orgon, Tartuffe, and Dorine. The moderate characters are seen as Cleante and Elmire.
In our own time more genteel, but also more intellectualized versions of Rymer’s disfavour have been voiced by T.S. Eliot and F.R. Leavis, who both consider and reject the personality that Othello presents to the outside world, pointing out that he is not so much deceived as a self-deceiver, a man presented by Shakespeare as constitutionally incapable of seeing the truth about himself. So the detached, ironic view of the creator contrasts with the tragical and romantic view taken of himself by the created being. (201)