Reading Notes Week 3 A - Moliere: Tartuffe

Notes on Tartuffe By Moliere

If you will forgive my slang for a moment, I have no better words to describe Madame Pernelle (Orgon's mother). She was a savage. Her clap backs (more slang I apologize) at her family and grandchildren were legendary and I audibly began to laugh as I read. This tone left me with two inclinations to the plot to start. The first was that this old woman really did believe a fraud and that the family were right. The second, was that the way that Pernelle expressed her arguments and frustration would indicate that she was rightly justified and the holy man Tartuffe was indeed innocent. (144-145)

Pernelle seems to point out the shortcomings of the family and the family doesn't do well at defending themselves. So the sinful nature of their household further indicated to me that the accused was simply putting a holy damper on the frivolity that the family was accustomed. Thus making me think that maybe this man was innocent of any crime. (146)

Additionally, Dorine's distaste for Tartuffe seems to be hinted at as something of a status issue. She has been with the family many years and acts with familiarity, which is criticized often but not quite punished an Pernelle would wish (144). Dorine says that her masters care for the traitor "Orgon caresses him, embraces him, and shows more love for him than any mistress knows." (149). This seemed to be a shimmer of jealousy as she felt she should be afforded as much due to her long standing loyalty.

Another area of interest was the personage of Cleante. He was a consistent voice of calm and logical reason, yet he was never given the graces of any one's attention for the vast majority of the play. It was almost as if he was the voice of the reader screaming for the characters to beware! His even tone and sound arguments came without insult even when he was dealt them and called an atheist (153).

The constant reference to Tartuffe as a hypocrite was justly earned early on. He asked Dorine to cover her bust with a handkerchief (169) yet says nothing to Elmire who is criticized for her dressing by her mother in law who follows Tartuffe's teachings (145). He acts modest in every way yet boasts about his praying abilities and seeks sympathy for his sore praying knees (170). And here we truly begin to see his true nature unfold.