COLLEGE the Hypocrite in Tartuffe, Ou I
CARROLL ' COLLEGE
The hypocrite
in
Tartuffe, ou i’laposteur
and
T.e Misanthrope
Rosario A. Gerhardt L.
Department of English and Foreign Languages
April 1» 1976
CORETTE LIBRARY CARROLL COLLEGE CARROLL COLLEGE LIBRARY HELENA, MONTANA 59604 3 5962 00082 623 To the memory of my dear brother Carlos SIGNATURE PAGE
This thesis for honors recognition has beer, approved for the Department of__ £2-.?,-^-Z 7
_ , - . ..- .- - —, Sister Miriam "Clare' Roesler, Director
__ ___ Fr. 0. LeecXightower, Ph. D, Reader
d^afelZ3=J^Z.C_-. C Mr. Here,m ry ES.. Burgess, M.A. Reader
/}7m4 j?. /??£ Date TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface ...... iv
Chapter I. Background
Chapter II. Tartuffe, ou l'lnsposteur ... 9
Chapter Ill T,<* Mi 27
Chapter IV. Conclusion 44
Bibliography 54 PREFACE
Il faut raettre le ooids d’une vie exemplaire Dans les corrections gu’aux autres on veut fair© could easily be Moliere’s motto,1 Born the son of a
"tapissier, valet du chambre du Roi," he had the oppor tunity to observe both sides of the social ladder of the seventeenth century, the bourgeoisie and the aristocracy.
By writing comedies of varied subjects, he managed to get at almost every type of person and every situation that could be satirized. His genius enabled him to maintain the sometimes untenable neutral position from which vantage point he could entertain his readers while satirizing them.
In the play Le Tartuffe, Moliere presents an ugly but comic picture of hypocrisy, one of the weaknesses of his erat
Tartuffe (not seeing Orgon)
Madam, all things have worked out to perfection? I’ve given the neighboring rooms a full inspection? No one is about? and now I may at last...
Orgon (intercepting him)
Hold on, my passionate fellow, not so fasti I should advise a little more restraint. Wei', so you thought you'd fool me, my dear saint I How soon you wearied of the saintly life — Wedding ray daughter and coveting ray wifeI I’ve long suspected you, and had a feeling That soon I’d catch you at your double dealing. v
Just now, you’ve given me evidence galore; It’s quite enough? I have no wish for more.
Elrolre (to Tartuffe)
I’m sorry to have treated you so slyly, But circumstances forced me to be wily.
Tartuffe
Brother, you can’t think...
Orgon
No more talk from you? Just leave this household, without more ado.
Tartuffe
What I intended...
Orgon
That seems fairly clear. Spare me your falsehoods and get out of here.3
Tartuffe*s hypocrisy is most evident in Orgon*s final recognition of it. For Moliere, hypocrites are hated characters, not only because they play with other people's feelings but because they cause uneasiness whenever they are oresent. Moliere reminds the spectator that many individuals possess that despicable weakness. He illustrates that there is nothing worse than to be made fools of by a flatterer and pretender. He is very careful to point out that the term hypocrite has been many times misunderstood and misinterpreted. It might be well, in this thesis, to accept Moliere‘s assumption that a hypocrite is
one who falsely professes to be virtuously or religiously inclined? one who pretends to have feelings or beliefs of a higher order than his - vi -
real ones? hence generally a dissembler, pretender.4
In the following pager I hope to shew that Molibre carefully attacks this comica personae. However, since hypocrisy is multi-faced, it would be impossible to encompass it within the few pages of a bachelor of arts thesis. I will limit myself, therefore, to exploring the setting of
Tartuffe, ou l’Imposteur and be Misanthrope as it affects and influences the progression of the characters in both plays. Moliere, in these two vastly different plays, ingeneously sounds both similar and discordant notes to underscore the hypocrisy of his age.
This thesis will compare and contrast the main characters, Tartuffe and Alcester it will then consider their relationships with their opposites, Cl4ante and
Philinte. The social position of Grgon’s family will be explored to show that many of the characters’ actions were a consequence of the social pressures of their era. The position of Celimene at Court and the inter-relationships of the other characters are necessary for the fuller under standing af Moli&re’s treatment of the hypocrite. The conclusion will juxtapose he Tartuffe and he Misanthrope to underscore a few areas of comparison and contrast of characters, actions and language in the plays. - vii -
At this time, I would like to acknowledge my indebt edness to all the people who aided in this thesis: Sister
Miriam Clare Roesler, O.S.F., whose continual encouragement and criticism made this project a reality; Fr. 0. Lee
Hightower, whose contribution in explaining the French background and language barriers was greatly appreciated; and Mr. Henry E. Burgess, Head of the English Department, who showed an eager interest in the development of this thesis* ~ viii -
Notes, Preface
1 Emile Faguet, En lisant Moliere (Paris: Librairie Hachette, 1914), p. 8.
2 Moliere"s father was an upholsterer who was named a member of the King's chamber. This was considered a great honor in the seventeenth century.
3 Scene vii, Act XV, Le Tartuffe. All quotations from this work as well as from "Le Misanthrope will be taken from the edition translated by Richard WiIbur (New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., 1965).
4 The Oxford English Dictionary, 1933 Edition. CHA P T ER X
BACKGROUND
The seventeenth century was an age of transition, a period in which philosophy, art and literature underwent innumerable changes, particularly in France. Jean Baptiste
Poquelin, best known as Moliere, is one of the outstanding representatives of this era, Moliere, together with Pierre
Corneille and Jean Racine, produced most of the literature of this century.
This era, often called the Classical Age, still insisted on authority. There were rules to be followed such as the code of manners, religious belief and even a requisite taste for the arts.^ Mme. de Merteuil, in a letter found in the Liaisons Dangereuses, comments:
J’etudiai nos moeurs dans les Romans? nos opinions dans les Philosophes? je cherchai m£ma dans les MOralistes les plus severes ce qu’ils exigeaient de nous, et je m'assural ainsi de ce qu!on pouvait faire, de ce"qu*on devait penser et de ce qu1!! f’allait paraitre\2
She noted that she had to make sure she did what she was allowed to do, thought what she should think about, and pretend to be that which she should appear to be. The concepts of the honnfete hoaroe, la biens^ance and prdciosite, - 2 -
all revealed in the above quotation, became key words in defining the philosophy of the seventeenth century.
Jansenistic ideas lurked in every drawing room and salon. Many of the Jansenist's doctrines are explicit in
Moliere’s works. Condemnation of the laxity of morals and the consequent corruption of Christian principles are clearly evident in Tartuffe, ou 1*Imposteur.The concept of the honnete homme reflects these ideas, that salvation comes only as a free gift of God. Philip Erlanger, in The
Age of Courts and Kings, describes the honnete homme as
...one who hated excesses and showed exquisite politeness, who sought conciliation ’between ancient wisdom and Christian virtues, between the every day and the sublime*. He was to keep his prestige until the end of the seventeenth century and then become, in his turn, the victim of the general ferment. He was to yield to an entirely new character, one concerned with the future not with the past, for his earthly happiness and not with his salvation, impatient to travel, to discover, a devotee of knowledge and a believer in progress.4
Many of Moliere’s characters are real representations of this definition: Cldante in Tartuffe and Philinte in Le
Misanthrope are only two examples. Alceste goes beyond the boundaries of a true honnete homme;5 in many cases he could be considered precieux.
Preciosity, sometimes referred to as affectation
in English, never developed fully as a philosophy of life. - 3 -
However, many of its doctrines are imminent in the manners
adopted by the seventeenth century. The blue room of Mme.
de Rambouillet and the salons in other well known Parisian
homes became the center of the precieux movement in France,
dilettante getting together and discussing literature, manners of speech and language itself.6 These salons
influenced French life and thought, imbuing it with shallow
ness and ostentation. Celim&ne's salon in Le Misanthrope
is a clear example that Moli&re drew heavily from what he
saw around him in order to write his most famous scenes,
sometimes lauding, sometimes castigating these gatherings.
La blens^ance, closely related to the definition of
preciosity, means "good taste"; when carried to extremes,
it assumes the pejorative meanings associated with precio
sity*. Women took on preciosity as their formal declaration
of the desire to become liberated. Moliere‘s plays, Ires
Precieusea Ridicules and Les Femmes Savantea, provide
entertaining episodes showing to what extremes this desire
to show bon gout and bel esprit affected the seventeenth
century woman. Elmire in Tartuffe and Celimfene in Le
Misanthrope are examples of women with somewhat precieux attitudes. Opposed to this, men possessed an absolute authority over their wives and children; in spite of attempts to break this tyrannical attitude, men still with held freedom from their dependents. This is evident in the - 4 -
family relationships posed by Molidre in Tartuffe, ou 7 1*Imposteur*
Politically, seventeenth century Prance was in turmoil. Louis XIV, le Roi Solell, had squandered the kingdom’s money. The economic situation of France became so depressed that the king was forced to sell titles of nobility. The philosophy of Descartes burst into being? people became more concerned with "conquering experience"8 rather than talking about geographical discoveries? the subject of literature became the human passions. Pascal was to declare in I>es Pensdea that the Classical Age tried tc juxtapose reason over passion, only to find ®ut
later that they do not mingle, for when they do they cause confusion and frustration as well as gloom.® As
Paul Benichou noted:
It is not enough to distinguish an epoch, a milieu, a social environment? every period is a battleground of diverse forces and contrary ideas.
Comedy up to the time of Jean Baptiste Poquelin was full of puppet-like characters, none with real human characteristics. The ability to create characters who
resemble every day persons is the fountain of Moliere’s genius for he presents comedy for people to think about, not just to laugh about, W, G. Moore, in his essay - 5 -
"Moliere et la sottlse," has an interesting discussion on this subject. He claims that tragedy appeals to the emotions while comedy gives the pleasure of judging or using one’s intellect.11 He adds that although Moli&re did not believe in -social class nonsense" as such, he knew that foolish ness and hypocrisy exist in all levels of society and that witty men can be as foolish as stupid ones.12
Strangely, some critics insist that Moliere could not have written in praise of the bourgeoisie for fear of being looked down upon*11 It is true that middle class avarice, lack of courage, a propensity for domestic tyranny, egoism and naivete abound in the plays? nevertheless, Mo liere was also careful to delineate the vanity of the nobles?14 thus, his works can be interoreted as a warning to the bourgeois
gue par ces defauts Ils se pretent a etre victimes des coquins.15
Their pretensions under all points of view were ridiculous.
Considering all these aspects, one can assume that Mollfere presented a spectrum of his society, basing the character ization of his personages on the follies, sins, pretenses and hypocrisy of his age.16
The seventeenth century was very concerned with appearance, appearance for the sake of appearance. People - 6 -
tried to live up to models, even if these Imitations under mined their personal identity.17 Observing this, Moliere
lampooned naivete in his plays. He saw real characters of
this era suffering fro® these masks. They had to lie and pretend in order to survive in their hypocritical society.18
Tartuffe is a good examplet he is corrupted by hir society
and put into a mold from whict he cannot escape. Aiceste,
in his own way, also tries to live up to the higher standards
set by his society. He strives for recognition like many
real characters of his age,
Tartuffe, ou l’Imposteur is certainly a comic but
enlightening representation of a middle-class family
struggling to maintain a singular position in society.
Le Misanthrope, staged at Court, is more concerned with
the characters* inner struggles as they move through the
stage of life in a procession to assert their own individ
uality in spite of social pressures.
Through the use of a comedy of manners and a comedy
of words. Molidre brings forth a paradox "which is a mixture of truth and folly, sense and nonsense,"19 all of it based
on his own experiences and those of others around him. - 7 -
Notes, Chapter I
Martin Turnell, The Classical Moment (Great Britain/ 1946)/ p. 7.
2 Ibid•/ p. 17•
Tartuffe*a unseemly concern for the ethics of morality: Yet Heaven is not averse to compromise See Scene v, Act IV.
4 Philip Erlanger, The Age of Courts and Kings (Manners and Morals: 1558-1715)(New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1967), p. 228.
5 See Chapter III,
Preciosity carried to extremes indicates a complete distortion of language, e.g. to say teeth, les dents? precieux language would command to say les ameublements de la bouche.
7 See Scene i, Act II, he Tartuffe.
8 Turnell, p. 10.
9 Ibid., p. 15.
Paul Benichou, Man And Ethics (Studies in French Classicism), (New York: Doubleday £ Company Inc., 1971), trans, by Elisabeth Hughes, p. viii.
W. G. Moore, "Moliere et la sottise," Kentucky Romance Quarterly, 17 (1970): 338.
12 Ibid., p. 341 8
Benichou, p. 190. It must not be forgotten, however, that Moliere himself was a member of the rising bourgeoisie. I can agree more with Emile Paguet who declared in his book En lisant MoliSre {Paris# 1914), p. 149 that: Moliiren’a qu'au fond que de 1’affection pour ses Bourgeois dont il est, dont il a toutes les opinions, toutes les id^es, tous les prejuges, A bien peu pres, et c’est par sympathie pour eux qu’il les montre bernds par les m^chants.
Benichou, p. 191 and p. 196.
15 Paguet, p. 159.
Frederick L. Nussbaum, The Triumph of Science and Reason (Hew york: Harper & Brothers Publishers,1953), p.57•
17 Erlanger, p. 127.
18 Alex Szogyi, "Truth-telling and truth-suggesting in Moliere*s works," Kentucky Romance Quarterly 16 0.969): 213.
19 W. G. Moore, "Moliere: The Comic Paradox," Modern Language Review 68: 4 (1973):775. c H APTER II
TARTUFFE, OU L’IMPOSTEUR
Tartuffe, one of Moliere’s greatest creations, pro tagonist (in the sense of centrality of role), antagonist
(in the sense of an opposing force), is a religious hypo crite. Seventeenth century France was very concerned, preoccupied really, with the religious well-being of the people; therefore, it is not surprising to find that Tartuffe was received as a defenaer and upholder of faith in Orgon's household. Although Tartuffe does not appear until the
third act of the play, the first two acts revolve around
his complete control over Orgon and his manipulation of
the Other members of Orgon*s family. The reader or spec
tator is ready to see him and hate him by the time he first
appears on the stage. Everybody, except for Orgon and
Orgon’s mother, Mme. Pernelle, has come to see through his
mask of piety in the very beginning. The duping of Orgon
ana Mme. Pernelle by Tartuffe and the struggle to defeat I Tartuffe become the object of the play.
Tartuffe, in his dealings with people, merely
responds to the demand of the world to live up to demoral
ized morals;^ in keeping with this attitude "he displays 10
three qualities...religious hypocrisy, lasciviousness and the love of power."2 On many occasions the hypocrite iro nically strips off his mask and deliberately shows himself as he actually is; but his mask is so well fitted and those he has duped are so enchanted with him that they refuse to see what is really there. W. G. Moore proposes that Tartuffe was forced into this faux devot raold^ and that he
thus becomes a victim of the society that dreamt him up.
This can be seen in the many attempts he makes at trying
to have an affair with Elmire. He loses all "discretion and self-respect"4 but, since he has captivated her husband,
his duplicity is not believed until the very end of the play.
There are many ways to look at Tartuffe*s position.
Some critics view him as a comic character, others believe
he is somewhat of a homosexual,still others believe he is
just an example of the hypocrisy inseparable from the formal social structure of Moliere’s time.® In any case, his
participation in the story contributes greatly to the
denouement of the play. Moliere employs hypocrisy as a
vice and as a technique to show the foolishness of Orgon 7 as well as the other characters’ weaknesses.
It is difficult to verbalise why Tartuffe*s hypo
crisy is so evident. Georges Couton in his essay, "Reflexions 11 -
sur Tartuffe ©t le pech^ d'hypocrisie," points out that hypocrisy is always accompanied by other vices in the form of "violations d'une loi divine ou humaine."8 It might be
feasible to propose further that with the presence of other
vices and contrasting attitudes, La Rochefoucald’s maxim
that "L’hypocrisie est un hommage que le vice rend a la
vertu," can be interpreted as saying that hypocrisy is the
generator of authentic virtue.® Certainly Orgon and his
mother have rude awakenings, as does Tartuffe himself.
Tartuffe, on many instances, does not appear to be
all that sly. It is, therefore, ironic that his duping of
Orgon seems to be done so very wittily. His unmasking does
not evolve from a logical sequence. It is unlikely that
anybody with the least bit of common sense would fall for
the same trick twice.10 In any event, Tartuffe manages to
deprive Orgon of everything he owns; his daughter, his wife and his material possessions, at least temporarily.11
The setting greatly contributes to the development
of Tartuffe*s actions. Orgon*s mania for religion nearly
causes his family’s ruin. Seventeenth century families
frequently lodged spiritual guides in their homes. Tartuffe,
in such a position, takes advantage of this opportunity to
attain his goals. It is, however, very confusing to inter- - 12 -
pret Tartuffe's motivations. He ctoes not seem to have any real goals. It has been mentioned that he was forced into becoming a faux devot but this is too simplistic a rationale, especially if we take into consideration W. G. Moore's suggestion that Tartuffe wanted to take off his mask of false piety.12 The following excerpt from Scene iii, Act
III is indicative of this:
Tartuffe
...But I confess I dream of quite a different happiness. It's elsewhere, Madam, that my eyes discern The promise of that bliss for which I yearn.
Elmire
I sees you care for nothing here below. Tartuffe
Ah, well — my heart’s not made of stone, you know.
Elmire
All your desires mount heavenward, I'm sure, In scorn of all that's earthly and impure.
Tartuffe
A love of heavenly beauty does not preclude A proper love for earthly pulcritude; Our senses are quite rightly captivated By perfect works our Maker has created.
How could I look on you, 0 flawless creature, And not adore the Author of all Nature, Feeling a love both passionate and pure For you, his triumph of self-portraiture?
And it is not my merit, Heaven knows, But your compassion on which my hopes repose. You are my peace, my solace, my salvation; On you depends my bliss — or desolation; - 13
I bide your judgement and, as you think best, I shall be either miserable or blest.
It is evident, then, that Tartuffe is "playing the part of a man who plays a part."^ whether Elmire is being satirical or just helping Tartuffe unmask himself is a matter that
needs to be examined:
Elmire
You’d have done better to restrain your passion And think before you spoke in 3uch a fashion. It ill becomes a pious man like you...
Tartuffe replies:
A man has not the power to be wise. I know such words sound strangely, coming from me, But I’m no angel, nor was meant to be,
He has totally revealed himself to Elmire. She takes
advantage of her position and tries to convince him not to
accept Orgon’s proposition that he marry Mariane. This
becomes the great issue of the play: but whatever actions
transpire, they all revolve about the sinister figure of
Tartuffe.
Richard Wilbur believes that the central figure of
the play is Orgon.orgon does play a very important role,
but Tartuffe*s dual personality is really the catalyst of
the play.
Scene vi. Act III, provides an interesting encounter
between Orgon and Tartuffe. In it, Tartuffe tells Orgon the
CARROLL COLLEGE LIBRARY HELENA, MONTANA 59601 14 -
truth about himself, but Orgon refuses to believe him:
Tartuffe
...I'm a wicked man, I fear: A wretched sinner, all depraved and twisted, The greatest villain that has ever existed. My life's one heap of crimes, which grows each minute? There's naught but foulness and corruption in it? And I perceive that Heaven, outraged by me, Has chosen this occasion to mortify me. Charge me with any deed you wish to name? I'll not defend myself, but take the blame. Believe what you are told, and drive Tartuffe Like some base criminal from beneath your roof? Yes, drive me hence, and with a parting curse: I shan't protest, for I deserve far worse.
Orgon has oecome so blind that nothing will convince him
that Tartuffe is not a holy man. In his declaration, Tar
tuffe states the exact fact. Even his statement, "Heaven,
..., has chosen to mortify me," contains some truth. His
lust for Elmire is what causes him mortification, but Orgon
interprets it as Damis's accusation. Again Tartuffe insists:
How can you know what I might do, or be? Is it on my good actions that you base Your favor? Do you trust my pious face? Ah, no, don't be deceived by hollow shows? I'm far, alas, from being what men suppose? Though the world takes me for a man of worth, I'm truly the most worthless man on earth.
This is the ultimate example of what Alex Szogyi tries to
get at in his essay, "Truth-telling and truth-suggesting in
Moliere's theatre.* He claims that the characters must resort to lying to survive in their hypocritical society.15
In this case, it is the telling of the truth that saves
Tartuffe. If he had tried to defend himself, Orgon might IS
have been suBpicious. This way, Tartuffe keeps playing the part of the modest, pious man who would rather take the blame upon himself than accuse another person of having
Hornm!feted a fault.1** Orgon is so outraged by his son’s
supposed calumny that he cursee everybody and disinherits
Damis. This is the height of Tartuffe'a success. From this
point Orgon becomes a tyrant, asserting his position as a
father, demanding that Mariane marry Tartuffe that very
night, and as a husband proposing that Tartuffe spend more
time with Elmire. Tartuffe fears Elmire because he knows
that she Is his Achilles’s heel? nevertheless, he accepts
Orgon*s outrageous proposal and precipitates his downfall
while everybody else is trying to think of a plan that will
help to unmask the impostor.
Orgon at this point in the play has become the subject
of the townpeople’s gossip. In vain, Cl^ante and Oorine
try to make him see that he is at fault. Orgon is sc con
cerned with displaying superiority that he misses the point.17 His desire for absolute power and authority is
insatiable; therefore to justify his fear of losing his
position of authority, he "deliberately seeks out the breaking point of his family's respect."1® In doing this,
duped by Tartuffe, he himself becomes an impostor. He is
convinced that he is using Tartuffe, but does not realize 16 -
that he is being used by a character as "uncritical and as gullible* as he hiraself is.1® His hypocrisy also has re ligious overtones because Orgon wants to see Tartuffe as a precious possession which will give him prestige20 and, in cidentally, save him from damnation.
Gossraan sees Orgon‘s feelings towards Tartuffe as a combination of "idolatry and rivalry, of adoration and hatred."21 In Scene v, Act I, ha discloses his feelings by sayings
Orgon
There’s been no loftier soul since time began He is a man who...a man who...an excellent man. To keep his precepts is to be reborn, And view this dunghill of a world with scorn Yes, thanks to him I’m a changed man indeed. Under his tutelage my soul’s been forced Prom earthly loves, and every human ties My mother, children, brother, and wife could die. And I’d not feel a single moment's pain.
Ambiguity lends zest to the speech; does he really feel this way or is he just deceiving himself for the sake of juxtaposing religious tradition and the new concepts of freedom?22
He has to keep up with the demands of his ultra- catholic society; the only way he can do it is by admiring and encouraging somebody's piety, whether that piety is true or false. Of course, he falls into his own trap. Mme.
Pernelle plays an important role in defining Orgon’s atti- 17 ~
tudes. She is the one who has engrained the fear of hell in hi® and it is her unseemly influence23 that causes him to act so foolishly.
Cleante, on the other hand, is a rational observer.
He listens to everybody’s complaints and tries to tie all
loose ends. He is the only character, with the exception of
Dorine, who acts without any driving force behind him. He
has nothing to gain or lose. Cleante is the embodiment of
the true honnete homme, who tries to set things right for
the sake of the bienseance. From the very beginning he is
able to see through Tartuffe’s mask, even before he has got
a chance to see him personally. Cleante's speeches are words of wisdoms
Cleante
There’s true and false in piety, as in bravery. And just as those whose courage shines the most In battle, are the least inclined to boast, So those whose hearts are truly lowly and pure Don’t make a flashy show of being holy. There's a vast difference, so it seems to me, Between true piety and hypocrisy:
Cleante tries to convince Orgon that he is blind but, Orgon
won’t listen,
How do you fail to see it, may I ask? Is not a face quite different from a mask? Cannot sincerity and cunning art, Reality and semblance, be told apart?/4
Some critics claim that Cldante and Dorine are the 18 -
spokesmen of Moliere’s philosophy.25 Martin Turnell avers that Dorine's satirical comment on Mariano's resolution to kill herself reflects Moli&re's belief that life is basic ally good if "one avoids being inhibited by the rules of a narrow puritanism" and wasting "one's life away in a series of empty affaires." Benichou sees her as representing common sense and truth.27 She glides through the play, giving everyone the benefit of her common sense* in her ironic encounters with Orgon, she is outraged truth; in her attempts to reconcile Vai&re and Mariane, she is rational and detached affection; in her witty insights into Tartuffe, she is middle-class wisdom, impatient with the blindness of her social superiors. Dorine, in effect, touches every one of the characters, pointing out defects and remedies.
Much could be said about the minor characters' roles; certainly each one is affected by the major characters' actions and decisions. Elmire constantly reasserts herself as a straight character. She has refused to be affected by
Tartuffe and maintains her position in spite of Mme. Pemelle's opposition to her social endeavors. Damis portrays a typical young man in love, upset because his possibilities for marrying the girl he loves are diminished due to Tartuffe's interference.29 Mariane attempts to present herself as the victim, which in effect she is, but she never reaches the 19 -
heights of the heroine. It is hard to believe she shows so much fear when thinking of disobeying her father’s injunctions.30
Mme. Pernelle is a perfect example of the old lady who does
not want to see young people have fun and who would prefer
to pass as a dupe than admit she has been wrong.
Le Tartuffe is a continual conflict between reli giosity and sexuality.3A All the encounters between Tar
tuffe and Elmire are plagued with double entendres which
contain religious as well as sexual connotations. Tartuffe
exhibits pure lust when addressing Elmire, whereas she, sarcastically, rationally, deliberately, points to heaven’s position in every word she addresses to him.
It is extremely difficult for the characters to see
through the masks of their counterparts. They find it hard to distinguish between the mask and the true self.32 Lionel
Gossman suggests that whenever a character tries to get to know another character, this action results in misunderstand-
ing instead of enlightenment. The conversation between
Tartuffe and Cleante in Scene i, Act IV reveals that Tartuffe cannot see that Cleante is aware of his hypocrisy:
Cleante
Your reasoning is badly warped and stretched. And these excuses, Sir, are most far-fetched. Why put yourself in charge of Heaven's cause? 20
Does Heaven need our help to enforce its laws?
WhatI Shall the fear of being misunderstood Prevent our doing what is right and good? No, no; let’s simply do what Heaven ordains, And let no other thoughts perplex our brains.
Tartuffe
Again, Sir, let me say that I've forgiven Damis, and thus obeyed the laws of heaven? But I'm not commanded by the Bible To live with one who smears my name with libel.
Cleante
Were you commanded, Sir, to indulge the whim Of poor Orgon, and to encourage him In suddenly transferring to your name A large state to which you have no claim? Tartuffe
'Twould never occur to those who know me best To think I acted from self-interest. The treasures of this world I quite despise? Their specious glitter does not charro my eyes? And if I have resigned myself to taking The gift which my dear Brother insists on making, I do so only, as he well understands, Lest so much wealth falls into wicked hands, Lest those to whom it might descend in time Turn it to purposes of sin and crime, And not, as I shall do, make use of it For Heaven's glory and mankind's benefit.
This hypocritical attitude was a consequence of the social contract in the seventeenth century. The strictness of the moral rules set up by the Court of Louis XIV (the Catholic
King) and the absolute monarchy "stiffened people's attitudes, strained conversations, froze wit and gaiety."34
The characters of Tartuffe, ou I'lrocoateur are repre 21 -
sentatives of their time. Even though Moliere started out by characterizing individuals, it is obvious that he based many of their attitudes on the happenings of his era. In
Tartuffe we see the role of the devot and the state of
religious belief, both clearly outlined. The position of women is also explored in the Orgon-Mariane and Orgon-Elmire
relationships. The women are objects to be manipulated and disposed of, with no rebellion or questioning on their part.
Elmire, of course, is the pre-liberated woman who already is
on the way to liberation.
Moliere attained humorous effects by showing that
the characters contradict themselves. They all preach one
thing but end up acting in a different way. They attempt to transcend all social superiorities35 in spite of their
evident shortcomings. Tartuffe’s position as a devot is
not the most comfortable, since sooner or later he is bound
to be unmasked. He could fool the world as had fooled
Orgon and Mme. Pernelle. Dorine’s position is certainly one
of insecurity. During Moliere’s time servants were consid ered stupid and wily.36 The air Dorine assumes of always
knowing what is right cannot by any means be seen as correct
behavior for a maidservant, yet it is delightfully refreshing
in this play. The position of Orgon is also full of contro
versies. Bis desire for recognition in his society has 22
deprived him of enjoying his family and friends, making him ready prey for Tartuffe. Even Elmira’s attempts to reinforce her position are drawbacks because she is a woman in the seventeenth century milieu.
The opposition to the earlier performances of Tartuffe, ou 1*Imposteur points to the hypocrisy of society. Moliere’s audiences saw too much of themselves in this play; as a result, they decided it was immoral.37 The incongruity of mixing literary elements with reactions in opposition to the contemporary counterparts caused the ironic buildup which is evident in many scenes of Le Tartuffe. No one likes to have the mask stripped away and the true self naked, staring back from the mirror. It is understandable that Tartuffe's final unmasking was hated and feared and banned by seventeenth century Prance. Perhaps the crowning indignity Moliere per petrated on his contemporaries was the fact that Tartuffe was from a lower social class than Orgon’s family and that he had managed to learn and use the language of the Court as well as the language of piety. Language, as a fagade is one of the major elements that caused Moliere to be not merely one of the greatest dramatists but ironic genius and gadfly as well. 23
Notes, Chapter II
1 R. Branwajn, "Quelgues reflexions sur Tartuffe," Europe 523-24 (1972): 117.
2 James o' Donnell Bennett, front Much Loved Books quoting from Lytton Strachey, Landmarks of French Literature. 1912 (New York: Boni and Liverlght, 1927) , p. 223. “—
3 W. G. Moore, "Tartuffe and the Comic Principle in Moliere," Modern Language Review 43 (1948): 52.
4 Gifford Orwen, "Tartuffe Reconsidered," French Review 41 (1968): 615. ------
5 Ibid«, p. 614. 6 Lionel Gossman, Men and Masks (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1963), p. 128.
7 Emile Faguet, En lisant Moll&re (Paris: Librairle Hachette, 1914), p. 144.
8 Georges Couton, "Reflexions sur Tartuffe et le odche d’hypocrisie," Revue d’Hlstolre Lltteralre de la France 49 (1969): 408. ,. r„
9 Ibid.
10 This refers to Elmire*s insinuations and her obvious purpose in making Tartuffe unmask himself. See Scene iii. Act III and Scene vii, Act IV.
11 The king’s intervention is made evident in the last scene of Act V. Some critics state that this was the ultimate word in the seventeenth century. I am ready to believe that Moliere could not find any other way out of his dilemma and that is why he recurred to the participation of the sun king: Louis XIV. 24
12 See footnote 3.
13 W. G. Moore, "Moliere: The Comic Paradox," Modern Language Review 68(1973)? 773. ------
14 Richard Wilbur, The Misanthrope and Tartuffe (New Yorks Harcourt, Brace & Wolrd, 1965), p. 160. Other critics such as Lionel Gossman, J. D. Hubert and Martin Turnell believe that Orgon is the central figure also.
15 Alex Szogyi, "Truth-telling and truth-suggesting in Moliere1s theatre,* Kentucky Romance Quarterly 16 (1969)i 213 •
1« Orgon has always believed Tartuffe, even in things that don't make any sense, so why shouldn’t he believe him now? See Scene v, Act I.
17 Orgon feels that everybody is plotting against him; thus he aims to assert his position, comical as it may seem to us, the readers.
18 Gossman, Men and Masks, p. 103.
19 J. D. Hubert, Molldre and the Comedy of Intellect (University of California Press, 1962), p. 92.
20 Ibid., p. 95.
21 Gossman, p. 262.
22 Paul Benichou, Man and Ethics (New York: Doubleday and Company, Inc,, 1971), p7 231.
23 She appears only in the first act and in the last act but her participation is most important for unlocking the key to Organ's hypocrisy. See Emile Faguet, En lisant Molidre p. 262. - 25
24 See the previous speech by Orgon (Scene v, Act I).
25 Martin Turnell, The Classical Moment (Great Britain. 1946), p. 67. —
26 Ibid., p. 70.
27 Benichou, p. 214.
28 See Scene iv, Act I? Scene iv. Act II and Scene ii, Act III.
29 This action can also be used to prove that Tartuffe is a representative of the age in which the play was written. It presents the social arrangements that had to be made before a wedding could be performed.
30 It is ironic that Mariane talks of her "per*® absolu" since Orgon has proven to be such a fool. See Scene iii. Act
31 John Cairncross, "Tartuffe, ou Moliere hypocrite," Revue d*Histolre Llttdraire de la France 81 (1972): 893. Also Susan Tiefenbrun, "Bxplicatio de' 'texte': Mollfere•s le Tartuffe, A play within a play," Newsletter: Teaching Language through Literature 13 (1972) : IT. —“■*—x~“"----
32 Gossman, p. 135.
33 Ibid., see Scene i, Act IV.
34 Philip Erlanger, The Age of Courts and Kings (New York: Harper and Row Publishers’;""19^) , p. 21i.------
35 Tartuffe is from a lower social class than Orgon’s familyr but he has managed to use the language of the court and the language of piety. Lionel Gossman, in his essay "Law and Order in the Seventeenth Century," French Review 43 (1970): 26
SOS, states that this is another proof of Tartuffe’s hypocrisy.
Mouton and 37 m „ Georges Mongredien, "Autour de la querelle d« Tartuffe," Revue Generals 2 (1972). 54. Also J. Gassner, <°°?er Publications, Inc., 1954), p. 295. Mr. Mongredien a°lfsamo aclaims that people in the seventeenth century did not have the freedom we have today of choosing 1 therefore, many of the people were outraged by Molidre because of social pressures. 38 _ x. »»» Eustis, p. 147. See Scene iv, Act I? Scene vi, Act III and Scenes iv, v and vi of Act TV. CHAPTER III LE MISANTHROPE Le Misanthrope, for many critics Molidre’s master piece, is a melange of plots, a comedy of manners and a comedy of masks. It has been proposed, however, that Le Misanthrope transcends pure comedy and "should be studied as a comedy of values."1 Aiceste, often considered the main character,2 is the embodiment of truth. He is honest but becomes comic and ridiculous in "his humorless stubborn ness in railing against...social conventions."3 Aiceste tries to break all the social conventions set up by his society? in the process he is caught short of action because the other characters, who also have their own dreams, become obstacles on his way to high position. In other words, Ai ceste preaches that honesty is the only way to be a real character but he does not always follow his philosophy.4 This makes him a self-deceiver. He is convinced that every body is against him. Considering himself a victim, he wants to retire to a distant desert, an inmature, irrational atti tude. Aiceste wants the recognition of his merits but can not endure the thought that other people also have admirable 28 - qualities. This is the key to his self-deception; he looks at the world in all its shallowness, conceit and hypocrisy with a magnifying glass; the idea that he alone is superior haunts him. As a result, his attitude makes him unpopular.$ He seems to forget that he himself is a member of that soci ety he hates so much. His self-deception turns into moral hypocrisy when he fails to see that by hating humankind he is hating himself. The standards of honesty and sincerity he sets for other people are not the same as those he sets for himself.® He is the one superior character in his own eyes. The function of the misanthrope as a self-deceiver is viewed by H. Gaston Hall as “no less ‘metaphysically hypocritical in connection with frankness or ‘sincerity’ than with piety, or snobbery, or hypochondria."7 This is the theme of Le Misanthrope wnen Alceste is considered the center of action. Michel Marc, in his essay “Alceste ou le Misanthrope," suggests however, that the real misanthrope of the story is Philinte,8 a possibility that would entail a completely different approach to the subject of the play. Alceste is not completely wrong. The fashion of paying insincere compliments was vety prevalent in Moliere’s Q age; Alceste’s revolt was against these faked rituals. - 29 - Instead of retaining his original dislike of shallowness as shallowness, he fails by turning it into a persona] issue: Aiceste vs. society. The character of Aiceste is very complex; perhaps an analyst should begin with his most serious fault, vanity. His concern for false flattery is well-founded but all his raving against it is based on his own sense of frustration.^-® In the following excerpt, Aiceste declares his philosophy of life with all its good and bad points: And I despise the frenzied operations Of all these barterers of protestations, These lavishers of meaningless embraces, These utterers of obliging commonplaces, Who court and flatter everyone on earth And praise a fool no less than the man of worth. No, nos no self-respecting heart would dream Of prizing so promiscuous an esteem; However high the praise, there’s nothing worse Than sharing honors with the universe Esteem is founded on comparison: To honor all men is to honor none. I choose, Sir, to be chosen; and in fine. The friend of mankind is no friend of mine. It is easy to see what Aiceste thinks of himself. The first scene of Act I is a declaration of Aiceste*s attitudes as well as Philinte*s. Philinte proclaims: But in polite society, custom decrees That we show certain outward courtesies... Aiceste answers that everybody should speak the truth instead ofmasking (their sentiments) in silly compliments."^ - 30 - Philinte and Alceste argue the pre-eminence of either truth or polite truth. Philinte becomes the spokesman of the polite society of the seventeenth century? In certain cases it would be uncouth And most absurd to speak the naked truth? With all respect for your exalted notions. It s often best to veil one’s true emotions. Wouldn't th social fabric come undone If we were wholly frank with everyone? His rationale, "The world won’t change, whatever you say or do," expresses the sad truth about the position of man in his society. Philinte urges Alceste to come to the realization that he does not hate the "whole lot of humankind." Alceste won’t give in until Philinte mentions Celimene. In this affair, Alceste's reaction is the same as with the lawsuit he is about to lose: let justice come into being by itself. He wants everybody to adulate him and Celimene will not do Besides, Celimene is the center of attraction? just as Alceste is drawn to her because he thinks she will reas sert his superiority by accepting him, the other characters, Acaste, Clitandre and Oronte, pursue her for the same reason.13 Quentin M. Hope avers in his essay, "Society in Le Misanthrope," that the characters are an accumulation of portraits (that) suggests a 31 - self-conscious and self-*absorbed society in which people are acutely aware of themselves and of others, of the impression that they are trying to make on them and vie©versa.14 Philinte and Eliante seem to be the only exceptions to this rule. They both act according to what they feel is right.15 Every other character is torn between his "inner self and the outer mask society requires."16 Eliante is certainly more of a true character than Philinte. She is never totally given to flattery or criticism. She observes the situations and when she feels that somebody has erred, she expresses her opinions plainly without hesitation. Alceste idealizes Celimene: My love for that young widow's not the kind That can't perceive defects; no, I'm not blind. I see her faults, despite my ardent love, And all I see I fervently reprove. And yet I'm weak; for all her falsity, That woman knows the art of pleasing me.17 His words reflect the conflict imminent in the philosophy of the seventeenth century. The scientific method was being explored by Bacon and there was a strong belief in reason. But just as the personages of Molidre's age find out that not everything can be determined by social conventions nor by refusing to obey those rules18 so Alceste discovers that "reason doesn't rule in love." Alceste never accepts humanity; he thus becomes an - 32 ~ incomplete don Quijota.19 He won't take what the world has to offer him unless his personal pretensions are met.^O His pride in himself is what brings about his downfall. He permanently lives deluded by false concepts of truth; his desire for absolutism^! draws him further away from society than he would have ever wished to move. As for Philinte*s position, much can be said about his dual personality. It is true that he serves as the voice of common sense when he is engaged directly and solely with Alceste, as in the first scene of the first act. However, in Scene ii, Act I, when Oronte is asking for approval of his sonnet, Philinte delivers all the flattering words in his vocabulary just to feed Oronte's ego; the high esteem one has of him completely vanishes; Philinte I'm charmed by this already; the style's delightful. Alceste (sotto voce to Philinte) How can you say that? Why, the thing is frightful. Oronte continues to recite his sonnet as Philinte says; What a clever thought! How handsomely you phrase it! adding later, I can't remember a poem I've liked so well. It is evident that Philinte is telling a lie; even Oronte who had asked for flattery becomes uncomfortable and replies: 33 - I fear you're flattering me a bit. Philinte keeps on insisting that he is not. Aiceste steps in and starts relating his encounter with a young man who had the itch but not the ability to write. Clearly Aiceste is telling him in an indirect way that his sonnet is worth less. 2 when Oronte asks: Are you suggesting in a devious way That I ought not... Aiceste affirms: Oh. that I do not say. aria then continues his devious declamation. Again Oronte interrupts by saying: D'you mean to say my sonnet is dull and trite? Aiceste once more replies: I don't say that. Finally Oronte forces Aiceste to say: Frankly, that sonnet should be pigeonholed. After this comment, Oronte is outraged because Aiceste has told him the truth he had insisted upon hearing. This sonnet-scene is very important for pointing to the hypocrisy of the three characters involved. Oronte initially comes to Aiceste with a sentimental speech about his admiration for him and his desire for friendship. Aiceste replies: But this much surprises me... 34 The honor comes most unexpectedly... The second sentence is just a cliche' of the era. Alceste, despite his insistence on despising the manners of his age, also complies with the prevailing mannerisms.23 Later, both Alceste and Oronte, after their interchange of words, decide to part oy saying: Oronte The fault is mine, and I leave the field to you. I am your servant, Sir, in every way. Alceste And I, Sir, am your most abject valet. In the meantime Philinte has been observing everything. He had preached earlier that Good sense views all extremes with detestation And bids us to be noble in moderation but he does not live up to his own philosophy. In fact, he overdoes "being noble" by sickening even Oronte with his flattery. Celimene, on the other hand, is certainly represent ative of her age. The Salons of Mme. de Montespan and Mme. de Rambouillet are merely predecessors of Celimene*s salon. Being a clever young widow she manages to draw many youthful gentlemen to her quarters. They all go there with the pur pose of attaining social recognition.24 They flatter Celi mene and engage in their favorite pastime, gossip. Celimdne's 35 salon is the appropiate milieu in which the hypocrisy, conceit and shallowness of the seventeenth century can be unmasked25 for it is basically the world in which the aristocrats lived. Emile Paguet points out that Le Misan thrope would not be the same if it had been staged in "un milieu people” Instead of at the court.26 In any event, Celimene is the prototype of the pre-liberated woman who reasserts her position in spite of her sex.27 Arsinod", the other female character in pursuit of Aiceste*s heart, is an interesting personage; she is the prude. The concept of the prude in the seventeenth century was basically "an austere and puritanical woman," but for Moliere, the prude is a negative symbol, representing the hypocritical rejection of sexuality.28 James L. Shepherd, III, in his essay "Arsinoe as Puppeteer,” proposes an interesting theory in an attempt to explain the participation of Arsinoe in the denouement of the play. He posits that Arsinod is "at the bottom of the divulgation of the letters"29 and that it is by her participation that Celimdne is unmasked. It must be remembered, however, that her interest is personal. By deposing Celimdne, she hopes to win Aiceste*s favors.30 Unfortunately, Aiceste has no keen interest in her and at the end of the play everybody is left alone to fight for his own individuality. Only Eliante and Philinte decide to marry - 36 - one another. Scene v, Act III, provides a "masterpiece of innuendo between Celimene and Arsinoe.*31 This scene is another proof of the false society Moliere exploits! Arsino£ Madam, the flame of friendship ought to burn Brightest in matters of the most concern, And as there’s nothing which concerns us more Than honor, I have hastened to your door To bring you, as your friend, some information About the status of your reputation. Arsinoe then proceeds to tell CelimSne that her reception of gentlemen into her household is damaging her reputation. She ends her speech with; Madam, you’re too intelligent, I’m sure, To think my motives anything but pure In offering you this counsel — which I do Out of a zealous interest in you. Celimene replies! Madam, I haven’t taken you amiss; I'm very much obliged to you for this. And I'll at once discharge the obligation By telling you about your reputation. In doing this, Celiaene discloses all her feelings on prudery; to underscore the irony she repeats the same four lines previously spoken by Arsinoe: Madam, you’re too intelligent, I’m sure. To think my motives anything but pure In offering you this counsel — which I do Out of a zealous interest in you. Arsinoe reacts: I dared not hope for gratitude, but I - 37 - Did not expect so acid a reply; I judge, since you've been so extremely tart, That my good counsel pierced you to the heart. Celimene, completely in control, insists that they should get together more often and exchange what they've heard about each ot.ier. Arsinoe cannot endure being patronized by her rival; however, she manages to control herself until Alceste arrives and Celimene takes her leave. It is clear from this episode as well as many others in the play that language is a most important tool. Words are used as "a means of social interaction,"32 and the way a character expresses himself determines whether he or she will be successful or not. The language used by most of the characters in this play is somewhat precieux; many of the expressions used can take on different meanings depending on what the character wishes to say and on what the listener wants to hear or actually hears.33 The play on words also allows the reader or viewer to compare his experiences with those being described and ultimately allows him to gaze in to the mirror or behind his own mask. Moliere*s philosophy is based on social changes, rather than on nature.34 Le Misanthrope is, from all points of view, a social play. The variety of characters presented, as well as the various kinds of feelings expressed, account 38 - for its universality. Betty Rojtman in her essay, "Alceste dans le theatre de Moliere," rightly declares that there is something of an Alceste in all of us.35 We all want to be distinguished among our fellow human beings. At times, we fail to see our faults because we are too concerned with the world's problems? Celimene's words, ...leave the morals of the world alone, And worry rather more about your own, highlight the theme of the play. Le Misanthrope is a serious play. Alceste is at times witty, but usually at the expense of others.36 Al ceste is a composite of the comic and the serious. Critics have not been able to agree on this aspect. Some claim that his selfishness and refusal to accept the world as it is makes him funny? others posit that he is merely Moliere’s spokesman against his society. It has further been suggested that although his relationship with society is comic, his relationship with Celimene gives him the quality of a tragic figure.37 He may be "everyman" seen through the eyes of a genius who knew how to capture the subjective side of a self-deceiver lost in the midst of his frustrated effort to reform society. Martin Turnell mentions that Moliere felt that "the urbanity and moderation of the honnSte hOTme-38 were not 39 enough to express all that he believed in; as a consequence, Moliere had to create a character in which the inherent: duplicity of ‘'all action and of all speech" could be evident. Moliere's aim was to point to his contemporaries that extreme politeness can be odious but that civility is also neeoed despite its superficiality.39 w. G. Moore adds that all the characters have things to contribute; it would be wrong to point to any one character and assert that he or she is totally right or wrong.40 Together they illustrate the ever- changing aspect of humanity The play as an organic whole is an attempt to show every kind of human relation. Acaste and Clitandre represent the totally deceived characters who are concerned only with keeping their sanity. Philinte is the pacifier who sees the wrongdoings but who is not willing to sacrifice himself to correct them. Arsinoe barely survives by clinging to her dreams. Celimene does not know what she wants;, she merely complies with the demands of her society. Aiceste engages himself in an impossible dream and Oronte maintains his illusions as long as he receives the approval of his world. Moliere leaves the reader or spectator with the decision as to the comic or tragic nature of Le Misanthrope. The genius of the writer is never greater than when he poses the question and leaves the answer to "everyman.8 40 - Notes, Chapter III 1 J. D. Hubert, Moliere and the Comedy of Intellect (University of California Press, '136$), p. iH.------ 2 All the characters have their own striking person alities and depending on which character one wishes to concentrate on, the spotlight can be switched at will. w. G. Moore in his essay, "Reflections on the Misanthrope,” discusses this aspect of Le Misanthrope. Be says that the subject of the play is to discuss the nature "of society or ... the relation of society to the individual." Australian Journal of French Studies 4 (1968): 202. 3 Edward D. Sullivan, "The Actor's Alceste: Evolution of the Misanthrope," Modern Language Quarterly 9 (1948): 75. I don't agree with the iciea that they are harmless social conventions. It is evident that many people were deceived and other were frustrated because they could not express themselves in a normal way. 4 See Scene ii, Act I. 5 Martin Turnell, The Classical Moment (Great Britain. 1946), p. 97. ------ 6 Lionel Gossman, Men and Masks (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1963), p. 67. 7 H. Gaston Hall, "Moliere's le Misanthrope in the light d'Aubignac's "conseils d'Ariste A Celimene" and other contemporary Texts,” Kentucky Romance Quarterly 19 (1972): 8 Marc Michel, "Alceste ou le Misanthrope," La Nouvelle Revue Frangalse 11 (1963): 31b. This subject is beyond the—— scope of this thesis. 9 Arthur Tilley, Prom Montaigne to Moliere (New York: Russell & Russell, Inc., 1970), p. 168. - 41 - 10 Turnell, p. 96. 11 Alceste’s statement is valid. His mistake lies in not knowing how to use words. He does not know how to flatter, which is "rare in his age," (Eliante’s words) but he also fails to deliver his message without rudeness. 12 Gossman, p. 81. 13 Ibid., p. 87. 14 , Quentin M. Hope, "Society in Le Misanthrope, French Review 32 (1959): 330. Y. P. Yarrow, in his essay A Reconsi deration of Alceste," French Studies 13 (1959): 319, posits that this attitude "illustrates the seventeenth century dis like of over-ostentatious virtue and the belief that it is better to be wrong than out of step," all of which accounts for the seemingly indispensable need to reassert individualism in the name of social conventionalism. 15 Gossman, p. 86. 16 Hallam Walker, "Action and Illusion in Le Misanthrope," Kentucky Foreign Language Quarterly 9 (1962): 152. 17 Since there is never any formal declaration un the part of Celimene that she likes Alceste, he is just b®*n3 optimistic or perhaps he is so wrapped up in himself that he confuses words with reality and concepts with actions. Lionel Gossman, "Law and Order in the Seventeenth Century," French Review 43 (1970): 906. 19 „ Jean J. Smoot, “Alceste: The Incomplete don Quijote, Romance Notes 12 (1970): 172* 20 Ibid. 42 - Betty Rojtroan, "Aiceste dans le theatre de Moliere,” Revue d'Hlstolre Lltteralre de la France 1973: 977. 22 Alfred Cismaru, in his essay "Les Sinceres et le Misanthrope," French Review 42 (1969): 866-67, affirms that Le misanthrope deals "with the dangers as well as the impo- sibility of telling the truth in every circumstance." This is most evident in this whole episode. 23 It is ironic that Aiceste would do that, but in order to survive he is coerced into meaningless expressions of social politeness. 24 This is discussed on page 21. 25 James L. Shepherd, III, "Arsinoe as Puppeteer," French Review 42 (1968): 262. 26 Emile Faguet, En lisant Moliere (Faris: Librairie Hachette, 1914), p. 275 / w'ftT“’r 27 See Scene iii, Act IV? Scene ii, Act V and Scene vii, Act V. This attitude is based on the precieux attitude of women which is discussed at length in Chapter X. 28 Turnell, p. 113, 29 Shepherd, p. 263. 30 Ibid., p. 266 31 Alvin Eustis, Moliere as Ironic Contemplator (Hungary: Mouton & Co*, M. V..Publishers, , PP *54-55. 32 Richard L. Regosin, "Ambiguity and Truth in Le Misanthrope," The Romanic Review 40 (1969): 272. 33 Ibid. - 43 - 34 Faguet, p. 125. 35 ■, \ ' ' ' ' ' Rojtman, p. 981. 36 Marc Michel, "Alceste ou le Misanthrope/’ ha Nouvelle Revue Franpaise 11 (1953): 317. 37 Yarrow, p. 314. 38 ,s Turnell, p. 196. 39 W. G. Moore, "Reflections on Le Misanthrope," Australian Journal of French Studies 4 (1968): 201-202. 40 Ibid., pp. 198-203. CHA P T E R IV CONCLUSION Moliere*a two masterpieces, Le Tartuffe and Le Mi a anthrope, when juxtaposed reflect the whole of Moliere’s philosophy as well as the most obvious weaknesses of his era: hypocrisy, pretension and self-deception. Similarities of plot are inevitable. This is his world. Characterization in both plays is done from basically the same point of view, but more fully developed in Le Misanthrope. The two plays differ greatly in that in Tartuffe, everything revolves about Tartuffe himself whereas in Le Misanthrope the characters assume positions that Valdre or Cleante could never have adopted. Tartuffe is merely a product of his age; Alceste achieves universal stature. This does not diminish the value of Tartuffe but shows Moliere’s versatility in adapting himself to different demands• Orgon, the man duped by Tartuffe, greatly resem bles Alceste and his attitude towards the world. Orgon, too, is almost turned into a misanthrope when he discovers 45 that his wife, servants and friends have been laughing at him, Just think of iti behind that fervent face, A heart so wicked, and a soul so base I took him in, a hungry beggar, and then... Enough, by God’. I’m through with pious men Henceforth I’ll hate the whole false brotherhood, And persecute them worse than Satan could.1 Cleante, the voice of common sense, replies: Why can you not be rational? You never Manage to take the middle course, it seems, But jump, instead, between absurd extremes. Come, just because one rascal made you swallow A show of zeal which turned out to be hollow. Shall you conclude that all men are deceivers. And that, today, there are no true believers.* In Scene i, Act V of Le Misanthrope, a similar case is developed, Alceste is outraged because he has lost the lawsuit which he refused to defend by hiring a lawyer as society demanded. He says: This age is vile, and I’ve made up my mind To have no further commerce with mankind Did not truth, honor, decency, and the laws Oppose to my enemy and approve my cause? Come then: man’s villainy is too much to bear; Let’s leave this jungle and this jackal's lair. Yes, treacherous and savage race of men, You shall not look upon my face again. Philinte, like Cleante in Tartuffe, ou l'lmposteur, tries to convince Alceste that mankind is not all bad: This is a low, dishonest age indeed; Nothing but trickery prospers nowadays, And people ought to mend their shabby ways. Yes, man’s a beastly creature; but must we then Abandon the society of men? - 46 - Here in the world, each human frailty Provides occasion for philosophy, And that is virtue’s noblest exercise; If honesty shone forth from all men's eyes, If every heart were frank and kind and just. What could our virtues do but gather dust (Since their employment is to help us bear The villainies of men without despair)? It is evident that Cleante and Philinte act as the spokesmen of common sense.3 They serve as a refracting mirror for Tartuffe’s hypocrisy and Alceste*s self-deception. Their words constantly remind the reader that life is indeed complex; in order to survive, one must learn to look at things from different points of view. Their female counter parts, Dorine and Eliante, complement Cleante and Philinte's roles. Dorine introduces a humorous note by the way she behaves when talking to her masters. Although the language she uses is plain and unadorned, she always manages to pinpoint fact, truth and foolishness.4 Eliante, on the other hand, participates in the action of the play merely through her interest in Alceste. As an aristocratic woman, she cannot in the seventeenth century milieu assume an attitude of true concern. She must feign emotion and show detachmentt (Alceste*s) conduct has been very singular lately; Still, I confess that I respect him greatly. The honesty in which he takes such pride Has — to ray mind — its noble, heroic side. - 47 * In this false age, such candor seems outrageous? But I could wish that it were more contagious.5 Aiceste is per se a self-deceiver as is Tartuffe. The latter is so taken in by his role of hypocrite and the deceiver of others that he ultimately deceives himself.6 Among the similarities between the two characters, their attitude towards the women they love as well as the language they use to attain success must be reinforced. Tartuffe’s hypocritical concern for Elmire’s reputation resembles Aiceste*s jealousy of Celim&ne’s suitors. Tartuffe dis closes: First, let me say that what remarks I’ve made About the constant visits you are paid Were prompted not by any mean emotion, But rather by a pure and deep devotion, A fervent zeal.., Aiceste, on the other hand, posits: I’ve no desire to quarrel. But I deplore Your Inability to shut the door On all these suitors who beset you so. There’s what annoys me, if you care to know.7 There is a difference in the way they address Elmire aha Celimene respectively. Tartuffe resorts to his devot role by using the words "devotion" and "zeal"? Aiceste goes straight to the point, telling Celimdne that her suitors "annoy" him. Because he believes that politeness encourages insincerity, Aiceste prefers to say exactly what he thinks? Tartuffe conceals his thovohts*8 In both reactions, the - 48 - maxim, “reason doesn’t rule In love,* is clearly evident. Scene iii, Act III of Le Tartuffe presents this dilemmat Le Misanthrope revolves around the same theme in Scene i. Act I. The conflict between truth-telling and truth- suggesting is intrinsic to both dramas. Perhaps the two major scenes that highlight this occur when Tartuffe tells the truth about himself while Orgon listens to him unbelieving® and when Celimene tells Alceste that the letter Arsino^ gave him had in effect been written for Oronte. In both cases, the characters involved refuse to accept the truth they are being told; in this way, they hide in a false peace. It is ironic that Alceste should want Celimene to pretend so he " can believe in her."^ This seems to contradict his phi losophy. Tartuffe’s claim that he does everything in Heaven's name sounds a similar note when he tells Elmire, It’s scandal. Madam, which makes it an offense. The seventeenth century was an age of intellectual scepticism. Moliere’s contemporaries were starting to rebel against the rules their society had imposed upon them? nevertheless, they still believed in the king's power. This is evident in the uneasy conclusion of Le Tartuffe? Moiiere resolved the drama with the king’s intervention. In Le Misanthrope, the question of what is right is never resolved. 49 Alceste does assert: Till I are ordered by my lord the King To praise that poem, I shall say the thing Is scandalous, By God, and that the poet Ought to be hanged for having the nerve to show it.11 Perhaps that was Moliere’s way of satirizing his own role in the society he lampooned. Much could be said about attitudes and actions dis played by other characters in both dramas. Certainly, Ar sinoe' is a younger version of Mme. Pernelle; Oronte is driven by the same need for reassurance as Orgon; Arsinoe represents the female version of Tartuffe; Philinte and Cleante friction as the philosophers along with Dorine and Eliante; Elmire and Celimene are liberated women born out of time. All nudge at the reader, asking to be recognized. In their frenzied escape from ridicule, they often express themselves foolishly, con ceal what they think, and unconsciously reveal their hidden motives. The continual interplay of "illusions and delusions, masks and misapprehensions”12 adds to the wit and humor of both plays. Moliere poses many problems in Tartuffe, ou 1 *Imposteur as well as in Le Misanthrope; two might be isolated: Il faut se m^fier des gens qui parlent toujours au nom du Clel and Toute verite n’est pas bonne a dire et 1'on se 50 - rend malheureux par une trop rude franchise. 3 Through satire, he achieves Aristotle's goal of purging his era of its faults,basing both comedies on manners and morals. Because Le Tartuffe deals with upper bourgeoisie and Le Misanthrope with nobility, he covers a wide range of characters and dilemmas. All of Molidre's characters know what they are to say and do because society has determined their place. They must strive to maintain their position or transcend their shortcomings to attain higher recognition. Moliere is able to utilize the language of the court, the language of piety and the language of galanterie rein forcing his many character-types. His use of language to present religious hypocrisy is significant for the under standing of Tartuffe, ou l'lmposteur; the moral hypocrisy inherent in Le Misanthrope is more subtly displayed; seven teenth century people understood hypocrisy as the fashionable vice. All fashionable vices pass for virtues. The man of virtue is the best of all characters one can assume nowadays, and your . professional hypocrite enjoys marvellous advantages... The reader must recognize the satire. Seventeenth-century audience reaction was influenced by the mores of the era. The twentieth century audience, removed by time and geographical and psychological distance, can applaud the singular genius of the dramatist whc could - 51 - leap two centuries and show them their own faces and societal roles. 52 Notes, Chapter IV 1 It is ironic that earlier in the play Tartuffe had made Orgon feel superior, making him says To keep his precepts is to be reborn, And view this dunghill of a world with scorn. Yes, thanks to him I*m a changed man indeed. (Scene v, Act I). 2 See Scene i, Act V, Le Tartuffe. 3 See Chapter II, pp.17-18 and Chapter III, pp.32-33. 4 Dorine*s speeches are very satirical at times, see Scenes il, iii of Act II and Scene v, Act V of Le Tartuffe. 5 Refer to Scene i, Act Iv of Le Misanthrope. 6 Martin Turnell, The Classical Moment (Great Britain, 1946), p. 63. 7 See Scene ill, Act III of Tartuffe and Scene i, Act 11 in Misanthrope. 8 Alvin Eustis, Moliere as Ironic Contemplator (Hungaryj Mouton and Co., N. V. Publishers, 1973}, p. 64. 9 This is discussed at length in Chapter II, pp.13-24. 10 See Scene iii, Act Iv in Le Misanthrope. 11 Refer to Scene vii, Act II of Le Misanthrope. 12 Hallam Walker, "Action and Illusion in Le Misanthrope," Kentucky Foreign Language Quarterly 9 (1962): 153. 13 Emile Paguet, En lisant Moll&re (Paris: Librairle Hachette, 1914), p. 95. 53 14 Constant Coquelin, "Moliere and Shakespeare," Papers on Playmaking, Edited by Brander Matthews and trans, by Plorence Hallet Matthews (Mew York: Hill and Wang, Inc., 1957), p. 236, He claims that Moliere had an aim and a moral for each one of his plays. Many critics have right fully compared Moliere’s characters to some of Shakespeare's. Tartuffe reminds us of Malvolio (Twelfth Might) says James O'Donnell Bennet in his essay "Molidre's Tartuffe or the hypocrite," Much loved books (New Yorks Boni and Liveright Publishers, 1912), p. 222. Paul Zobrod claims that Coriolanus is another misanthrope and that he resembles Alceste in his manner of speech, for they both "reflect their hatred for humanity in their" conversations. "Coriolanus and Alcestes A Study in Misanthropy," Shakespeare Quarterly 23 (1972)i 56. 15 D. B. Wyndham Lewis, Molldres The Comic Mask (New York: Coard-McCann, Inc., 1959), p. 78, quoting from Molidre’s Don Juan. B I B L IQ 3 R A P H Y Primary Sources Moliere, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, The Misanthrope and Tartuffe. Translated into English verse"by Richard Wilbur.Rew Yorks Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., 1965. Moliere, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, Ouevres Completes, Tome Premier. Edited by Robert Jouanny. Paris: Editions Gamier Freres, 1962. Secondary Sources Attinger, Gustave, L«esprit de la Coromedia dell’arte dans le theatre frar-gais. 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