I was struck by the French Neoclassical Era throughout my semester. I was able to identify the roles of each character in Tartuffe’s weaknesses and blindness after further research. Humans are naturally flawed. It was interesting to me that Tartuffe managed to achieve such success due to his weaknesses and blindness. This paper will examine the lives of a few people and show how Tartuffe exploited them for his own advantage.
Moliere was a pioneer in the field of neoclassical comedy when he created Tartuffe. It’s a great example of his ability to write comedic pieces. The plot keeps the audience engaged at all times. This is partly because the characters’ flaws are so relatable. Every human has flaws. It’s funny to see these flaws on stage. Tartuffe, in the end, is a man who deceives and desires. Tartuffe is well-versed in his new field and doesn’t fear sin. He is delighted to use his knowledge of this science for the benefit of his friends.” His desire for money is so strong that he will go to any lengths to get it. Madam Pernell, Orgon are not aware that Tartuffe the antagonist is in the play. He is skilled at hiding his true identity, which is clear. He convinces Madam Pernell, Orgon that he’s a modest and virtuous person because of his religious devotion. But they don’t know that Tartuffe can recognize one’s weaknesses. Tartuffe “is not just a swindler, greedy, and dishonest pleasure seeker”. He uses these flaws to his advantage. “For Tartuffe was not the obvious hypocrite portrayal, but Orgon the genuine believer was the real provocative.” This quote highlights how blind Orgon is about Tartuffe. Tartuffe attempts to appear simple, but he is aware of all the details and uses them to his advantage. Orgon’s blindness shows how easy it is to be deceived. It is quite remarkable that Tartuffe, who is the man in power and wealth, is able easily to fool his wife. Elmire, the wife of Tartuffe, has a much more rational outlook to life than he does. She does everything possible to convince her husband that he is under Tartuffe’s compulsions. Orgon’s child Damis must take responsibility for Tartuffe being misinterpreted by his father. His father is now unable to trust him anymore, and Damis helps him understand the truth. He wants Tartuffe and his mother to be separated from their family. However, this unfortunately leads to him losing the inheritance. Mariane, Tartuffe’s daughter, is being made to feel inferior. She falls for the theme of weakness because she is used saying yes to her father’s every word. Tartuffe, who is blind to Orgon, tries to steal Orgon’s inheritance. He then completely betrays the father. He never saw this family as important. He was simply after the money. Orgon seems completely ignorant of the current situation and doesn’t trust his family. This is one example where blindness can lead to a loss of loyalty. It lies with Tartuffe, instead of with his family. Tartuffe lulls him into believing that he is better than he was. It is impossible to be perfect. Human nature is to have flaws. Moliere’s Tartuffe is a play that exemplifies this idea. Tartuffe is a play that was designed to expose flaws in the human condition. Weakness can show up repeatedly. Particularly, Madame Pernelle (or Orgon) are two of the characters that suffer from weakness. These two characters fall for Tartuffe’s lies every time they see it. This is a fundamental human flaw and a main theme of the play.
Madame Pernelle, Orgon are not only blind, but they also have a lot of wealth and power. Maybe their blindness and gullibility share a common trait.
Orgon mistakenly believes Tartuffe to be a god-fearing person. Since religion was so important during this period, Orgon decides blindly to give all he has to Tartuffe. After Damis informs him that Tartuffe was actually in love with Elmire, Orgon’s belief in Tartuffe is evident to the audience. Orgon replies, “I disinherit”; an empty wallet is all you’ll get except my curse!” Madame Pernelle shares their family trait when she states “He’s an excellent man, and should to be listened” This is a clear example of their ignorance about Tartuffe. Cleante as well as Mariane are also guilty of this. Orgon questions Cleante about the state of the household while he was away. When Mariane tells Orgon that she loves Valere and Orgon insists on Mariane giving up Valere to make way for Tartuffe, Orgon is only interested in Cleante’s answer. This again shows Tartuffe’s weakness. Tartuffe is considered the show’s leader, but Orgon is what is worth your attention. His deceit and lies are a prime example how they can influence a person’s judgment. Orgon symbolizes human weakness. Orgon’s desire to share what he can with Tartuffe proves that Tartuffe has a great ability to deceive, but Orgon excels at being naive.