Tartuffe

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Tartuffe

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.

Through out Tartuffe, Molière's play repeatedly states that there is a difference between piety for God and piety for personal gain and that he commends the former and only condemns the latter. From the very onset of the play, in the first act, Cleante, characterized as the voice of reason in the play tells Orgon, the duped main character:

A man who rules the rest by putting up such airs

Can be a hypocrite for all his fervent prayers.

When battle's joined, and men of honour come and fight,

The quiet men are brave, the boasters may take fright;

So truly pious men, whom people must admire,

Will not make such a song and dance about hell-fire.

Oh, Heavens! Can't you see there's a distinction

Between hypocrisy and true devotion?

Cleante warns Orgon of the show that hypocrites, such as Tartuffe, put on in order to be thought of as pious in order to gain admiration and favor. However Cleante goes on to say that the true religious men are worthy of praise, they display balance and inward devotion:

We all know men who burn with re...

... middle of paper ...

...tives of individuals who claim to be doing God's work, hypocrites who take advantage of those that believe them. The banning of the play was caused by an obvious reactionary outcy by individuals who no doubt saw the undesired qualities illustrated by Tartuffe, in themselves. The irrational opposition was soon made to look even more foolish when friendly interest in the drama among leaders in society induced the king to withdraw his prohibition. In the end, Molière himslef said it best, "And how can a holy dogma make out that it's fair, To steal a legacy and rob a rightful heir?" No hypocrite could use religion to hide the brilliance of Tartuffe.

Bibliography

Moliere. "Tartuffe." The Misanthrope, Tartuffe and Other Plays. Ed. Maya Slater. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. 143

"Tartuffe" Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 23 April 2006. 1 June 2006.

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