TARTUFFE
Moliere
Monday, November 5, 12
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MOLIÉRE
Author of Tartuffe
Real name: Jean Baptiste
French dramatist
Composed 12 of the most satirical full-length comedies of all time,
some in rhyming verse, some in prose, as well as six shorter farces and
comedies
The leading French comic actor and stage director of the 17th
century
Although he studied law and was awarded his law degree, he turned
away from both the legal profession and his father’s business. Instead,
he incorporated an acting troupe( the Illustre Theatre) in collaboration
with another family, because he had fallen in love with their oldest
daughter, who later became his mistress
The clergy believed that his plays were attacks on the church, and
therefore made many enemies
The strongest influence on Moliére’s theatre came from the Italian
commedia dell’arte troupes- with their stock characters and situationsthat he encountered during his travels
Monday, November 5, 12
HISTORY AND BACKGROUND OF
TARTUFFE
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Written and performed during the reign of King Louis XIV of France
(Molière wrote the play in 1664)
Comedy in five acts
One of the most famous theatrical comedies by Molière
Set in seventeenth-century Parisian high society during the reign of King
Louis XIV
As a result of the play, contemporary French and English both use the word
"tartuffe" to designate a hypocrite who feigns virtue, especially religious
virtue. (like character Tartuffe in Tartuffe)
Monday, November 5, 12
CONTROVERSY
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Immediately sparked conflict amongst many different groups who were
offended by the play
Play focused highly on religious hypocrisy; Tartuffe represents those
members of society who preach religious piety but do not themselves live by
the morals they try to force upon others
The Archbishop of France issued an edict threatening anyone who watched,
performed in, or read the play
Molière tried to re-write his play so that it seemed more secular and less
critical of religion, but the church could not be budged
Although public performances of the play were banned, private
performances for the French aristocracy were permitted
Molière responded to criticism in one letter by saying, “. . . incongruity is the
heart of the comic . . . it follows that all lying, disguise, cheating, dissimulation,
all outward show different from the reality, all contradiction in fact between
actions that proceed from a single source, all this is in essence comic”
Monday, November 5, 12
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About a wealthy man Orgon who has been tricked by a con man called Tartuffe
into “purging his household of sin”
Really just things that Tartuffe doesn’t like or want
Rest of the family sees through Tartuffe except Orgon’s mother, Madame Pernelle
Organ's daughter Mariane wants to marry Valere, but is worried Tartfuffe will
convince Orgon to stop it
Turns out Orgon plans to marry Mariane off to Tartuffe
Orgon’s wife Elmire comes up with a plan to expose Tartuffe’s lust for her and his
hypocrisy
Tartuffe is exposed, but steals the deed and a lockbox exposing Orgon for
helping a traitor
Tartuffe brings the police but they arrest Tartuffe instead, as the king saw that he
had a bad heart
Ends with two weddings
Monday, November 5, 12
THE PLAY ITSELF
HYPOCRISY
Ø Central theme of the play
Several “mini-conflicts” through the work
o Orgon quick to anger when told he is wrong, even if he did the same thing
earlier
o Madame Pernelle telling everyone they are acting like horrible people as
she acts like a horrible person
§ “She’s still a better mother, even dead”
§ “March, slut, march”
o Mariane and Valere getting angry at each other for being flippant about
the marriage situation
Ø Tartuffe’s own underhandedness
o Preaching giving but taking extravagant gifts
o Preaching forgiveness but tearing apart the family
o Trying to seduce a mans wife while “cleansing his house from sin”
Monday, November 5, 12
CLICKER QUESTIONS ONE:
Did you think the play was funny?
q Yes
q No
q I didn’t finish it yet
Monday, November 5, 12
CLICKER QUESTIONS TWO:
Which theory of humor best describes Tartuffe?
q Superiority
q Relief
q Incongruity
Monday, November 5, 12
AMERICAN BEAUTY ON
HYPOCRISY
q The roses throughout the movie symbolize hypocrisy
q A rose is beautiful when you look at it far away but
up close its in a way painful looking because of its
thorns, everything in the world can look beautiful but it
can also hurt.
q Orgon thinks that Tartuffe is a beautiful person, but in
the end he finds out he is a traitor and hurts him in the
end
Monday, November 5, 12
AMERICAN BEAUTY ON
HYPOCRISY
q Colonel Frank Fritz is a hypocrite and fraud
q Kicks his son out because he couldn’t believe what he had
seen; Orgon kicks Damis out because he didn’t believe what
he said about Tartuffe and his wife, Elmire
q Colonel Frank complains to tells his son, “How come these
faggots always have to rub it in your face.”
q When Colonel Frank thinks his son is having relations for
money with the neighbor, he decides to see if its true
q Hypocritical when he goes next door to Lester’ houses and
kisses him
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QIqX_UDoIg
Monday, November 5, 12
WORKS CITED
• http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Theatre/
Moliere/moliere.shtml
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartuffe
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartuffe
• http://www.enotes.com/tartuffe/author-biography
• http://www.textweek.com/movies/hypocrisy.htm
Monday, November 5, 12