Tartuffe

In 17th-century France, King Louis XIV was known as the God-given king of a Catholic nation that had just recently let the Protestants unite peacefully with the rest of the nation. Influenced by the religious people around him, Molière constructed a satire of the overly pious with the character Tartuffe, a name that implies “hypocrite” or “imposter.” Throughout the play, Tartuffe behaves with extreme virtue on the surface with immoral intentions erupting underneath, ultimately inciting chaos and immorality around him, especially in Orgon.

When Tartuffe appears in Act III, his first act is to cover up Dorine in order to avoid “sinful thoughts.” Here, he encourages a mask of sorts for Dorine. Then, in a matter of minutes, his hand is “feeling [Elmire’s] gown; the stuff is very soft” (92). His flirtations with Elmire lead to chaos, including Damis’s shattered relationship with his father. To fix the mess that Tartuffe started, Elmire feels compelled to lie about her feelings for Tartuffe and flirt outside her marriage to show Orgon Tartuffe’s true self.

Orgon is so taken in by Tartuffe’s long, showy prayers on his knees as well as his “deep-drawn sighs and great ejaculations” that he begins to treat Tartuffe as a false god (31), a clear violation of the Ten Commandments.