Tartuffe

“You’ve no respect for anything; each one must have his say; it’s perfect pandemonium.”

Madame Pernelle says this line in response to Elmire’s query about why she’s leaving. It establishes the poetic style of the play with the alliteration of “p” sounds and the stanza rather than paragraph structure. The line also sets the tone for the strong opinions each character displays throughout the play as well as the comical chaos that ensues. 

“The fellow knows his dupe, and makes the most on’t, he fools him with a hundred masks of virtue.” 

Cleante speaks candidly about Tartuffe’s ability to fool Orgon, essentially setting the stage for the plot that unfolds once those characters appear in the play. The “masks of virtue” portion brings out the idea of hypocrisy, which becomes an essential theme throughout the play. This line, among others, shows Cleante as the voice of clarity and truth. 

“And how about Tartuffe?” 

When Orgon returns home, he repeatedly asks about Tartuffe’s well-being while Dorine tries to tell him his wife has been sick. Comedy ensues when Orgon asks about Tartuffe, Dorine answers with something great about Tartuffe, and Orgon replies with “Poor man!” The absurd extent to which Orgon is devoted to Tartuffe is clearly established in this scene.