1. What factors account for Orgon’s devotion to Tartuffe? 2. What is gained by having Tartuffe appear for the first time in the third act? 3. Why do Orgon’s comments on religion create such a sense of absurdity? 4. How is Dorine indispensable to the plot of the play? How […]
Read more Study Help Essay QuestionsCritical Essays Neoclassical Comedy
The “romantic comedy” (Shakespeare’s variety) of the period directly preceding Moliere’s emphasized a kind of plot development which was to be rejected by Moliere. Comedies written during the Renaissance period were often similar in outline: a complex situation involving a number of characters, misunderstandings, mistaken identities, and the like is […]
Read more Critical Essays Neoclassical ComedyCharacter Analysis Dorine
Dorine is a stock character found in many of Moliere’s comedies and, in fact, has become a type found in comedies of all periods. She is the wise servant who sees through all pretense, and while being the inferior, in terms of social position, she is the superior in any […]
Read more Character Analysis DorineCharacter Analysis Tartuffe
In various editions of the play, Tartuffe is called “The Impostor” or “The Hypocrite.” He is a superb scoundrel who can don any pose and become a master of it. As a religious ascetic, he convinces Orgon and Madame Pernelle that he is a devoutly pious and humble man; his […]
Read more Character Analysis TartuffeCharacter Analysis M. Orgon
Whereas Tartuffe is the obvious hypocrite and scoundrel, Orgon is a much more complex character. In the past he obviously had served the king honorably and had tended to his estates in a rational and dignified manner. It is indicated that prior to the opening of the play, he was […]
Read more Character Analysis M. OrgonSummary and Analysis Act V: Scenes 6-8
Summary Mariane’s fiance, Valere, arrives and explains that he has heard in confidence that Orgon is in dire trouble concerning some secret documents which Tartuffe turned over to the king. Tartuffe, he says, has denounced Orgon as a traitor to the king and, since there is a warrant out for […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Act V: Scenes 6-8Summary and Analysis Act V: Scenes 3-5
Summary Madame Pernelle, Orgon’s mother, arrives and hears her son explain that he has been the victim of the hypocrite Tartuffe. Madame Pernelle reminds her son that the righteous are always maligned and that the people of the house have been slandering the dear, pious Tartuffe. Orgon tries to explain […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Act V: Scenes 3-5Summary and Analysis Act V: Scenes 1-2
Summary Orgon explains that the strongbox contains some papers which were left in his keeping by a friend. If the papers were made public, both Orgon and his friend would be in serious trouble. Earlier, Tartuffe had persuaded Orgon to allow him to keep the entire strongbox and now Tartuffe […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Act V: Scenes 1-2Summary and Analysis Act IV: Scenes 4-8
Summary Alone with her husband, Elmire instructs Orgon to hide under a table and not to be surprised by some strange behavior on her part. She informs him that she will be only too glad to drop the entire act whenever he is fully satisfied that Tartuffe is a hypocrite […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Act IV: Scenes 4-8Summary and Analysis Act IV: Scenes 1-3
Summary Cleante confronts Tartuffe and suggests that it is not the act of a religious man to cause such strife in a family and to allow a father to disinherit his son. Tartuffe argues that he would love to see Damis reinstated, but he is afraid that people would then […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Act IV: Scenes 1-3