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Moliere’s Tartuffe is set in medieval France, in Paris, in the home of a middle-class citizen, Orgon. The timing of the events is the year 1660, with France ruled by King Louis the XIV. Altogether, the social and situational environment of the work envelopes Paris as a quintessence of power and culture, following the philosophical developments of the Enlightenment and addressing the society’s attitudes of that time.
The events of Tartuffe transpire over the course of one day, originating in the early morning and concluding in the late evening, with most of the situations happening at the house of the protagonist. The play’s plot is constructed primarily around the characters of Orgon, Tartuffe, and other household members. Orgon is an aged citizen, mostly surrounded by the younger generation, his wife Elmire, her brother, Cleante, and the older man’s two children: Damis and Mariane (Moliere, 1992). At the beginning of the events, both Orgon and his mother, Madame Pernelle, are enchanted by the house guest, Tartuffe, whom they believe to be exceptionally religious and humble. However, the rest of the household perceives the criminal clearly, as they understand Tartuffe to be a deceiver and a bigot who is only interested in Orgon’s monetary possessions. Thus, this comedy begins directly in the middle of the events, stating an existing confrontation between some of the family members and Tartuffe.
The inciting moment of the play occurs when Orgon decides that Mariane, his daughter, is to marry Tartuffe instead of her beloved fiance, Valere. Despite the numerous claims made against the young man by the majority of the household, Orgon insists that Mariane must wed Tartuffe on the same evening. Having realized the old man’s decision, the other family members engage in a conflict with the deceiver.
After Orgon’s announcement, the household is estranged from Tartuffe, searching for opportunities to reveal his hypocrisy to the old man. Elmire, Orgon’s wife, whom Tartuffe attempted to seduce, initiates an interaction between her and the young man, where the antagonist passionately declares his love for the woman (Moliere, 1992). Having observed the situation, Damis delivers this information to Orgon, who does not believe his son’s accusations and instead disinherits him, choosing Tartuffe as a new heir. In a final attempt to convince the house owner of the criminal’s hypocrisy, Elmire has another conversation with the antagonist, this time Orgon himself being the witness. Finally, Orgon confronts the young man, but it is too late: Tartuffe has already claimed the family’s house and manages to frame the old man for his crimes.
The climax of the play transpires in Act five, as Tartuffe himself appears to arrest Orgon. Even though the situation seems hopeless, it instantly changes in the household’s favor as the police officer detains the criminal instead of the old man. The audience is informed that when Tartuffe attempted to frame Orgon by showing evidence of his own crimes to the King, the latter managed to recognize the hypocrite as a wanted offender. Orgon is pardoned, with his property ownership transferred back to him. Thus, the conflict achieves its resolution, Orgon’s estate is saved directly by the King’s intervention, and a wedding is to be held between Valere and Mariane.
In Tartuffe, the playwright allows the viewer to discover the critical aspects of Tartuffe and Orgon’s personalities by utilizing various strategies. Firstly, Tartuffe is described as a young man who pretends to be highly impoverished but, at the same time, is characterized by Dorine as “stout, fat, fair, rosie-lipped” (Moliere, 1992, p. 39). This information suggests that the antagonist is not as humble as he proposes. Orgon is introduced as a middle-class citizen, old but wealthy and generous. Secondly, while Tartuffe is presented as a criminal, Orgon possesses an impressive background, having served in the recent civil war. The heroes’ histories directly affect their behavior, with the offender being solely focused on monetary success and the old man staying rigid and untrustful of his family’s claims.
The relationships between Tartuffe, Orgon, and other characters reveal significant information. The young man is clearly despised by most of the house residents, suggesting that he is not what he seems to be. Orgon, on the other hand, is viewed positively, excluding his remarkable interest in Tartuffe. Considering the character changes, there is little evidence suggesting that any of the heroes’ personalities were altered by the events. Even though Tartuffe receives his punishment, it is not evident how it affected him. The same is true for Orgon, as it is unclear if the old man will behave differently in a similar situation.
The work’s title directly suggests the topic of deceit, as the antagonist’s name is similar to the French word “to cheat.” The primary conflict of the play occurs between the criminal’s lies, the old man and his mother’s gullibility, and the household members. The comedy masterfully illustrates people’s personal faults, where individuals cannot perceive logical observations or follow advice due to their convictions, thus being deceived by hypocrites.
Tartuffe by Moliere is a perfect example of an original work that focuses on a popular theme of deception. Throughout the play, the author demonstrates the uniqueness of his view, attempting to impact the viewers and transfer the idea that hypocrisy and dishonesty are negative characteristics. The work’s arguments are explicit and understandable, making a drastic impact on the audience. Altogether, this play is an essential instance of dramatic literature, which proved its high value throughout the years.
In the literary assessment of the play discussed, the play and the playwright receive extensive praise. The author aims to ascertain the value of Orgon’s character as the central comedic axis, stating that the old man is driven by the desire to be recognized and receive respect from his family members (Gossman, 2019). In this critical work, Tartuffe is described as a Christ figure for Orgon, who attempts to secure the relationship between him and the young man through monetary possessions, hoping to establish a lasting bond.
References
Gossman, L. (2019). Men and masks: A study of Molière. John Hopkins University Press.
Moliere, J. B. P. (1992). Tartuffe, by Moliere (R. Wilbur, Trans.). Harvest Books.
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