TARTUFFE Moliere
MOLIÉRE Author of Tartuffe Real name: Jean Baptiste French dramatist Composed 12 of the most satirical full-length comedies of all time, some in rhyming verse, some in prose, as well as six shorter farces and comedies The leading French comic actor and stage director of the 17 th century Although he studied law and was awarded his law degree, he turned away from both the legal profession and his father s business. Instead, he incorporated an acting troupe( the Illustre Theatre) in collaboration with another family, because he had fallen in love with their oldest daughter, who later became his mistress The clergy believed that his plays were attacks on the church, and therefore made many enemies The strongest influence on Moliére s theatre came from the Italian commedia dell arte troupes- with their stock characters and situationsthat he encountered during his travels
HISTORY AND BACKGROUND OF TARTUFFE Written and performed during the reign of King Louis XIV of France (Molière wrote the play in 1664) Comedy in five acts One of the most famous theatrical comedies by Molière Set in seventeenth-century Parisian high society during the reign of King Louis XIV As a result of the play, contemporary French and English both use the word "tartuffe" to designate a hypocrite who feigns virtue, especially religious virtue. (like character Tartuffe in Tartuffe)
CONTROVERSY Immediately sparked conflict amongst many different groups who were offended by the play Play focused highly on religious hypocrisy; Tartuffe represents those members of society who preach religious piety but do not themselves live by the morals they try to force upon others The Archbishop of France issued an edict threatening anyone who watched, performed in, or read the play Molière tried to re-write his play so that it seemed more secular and less critical of religion, but the church could not be budged Although public performances of the play were banned, private performances for the French aristocracy were permitted Molière responded to criticism in one letter by saying,... incongruity is the heart of the comic... it follows that all lying, disguise, cheating, dissimulation, all outward show different from the reality, all contradiction in fact between actions that proceed from a single source, all this is in essence comic
About a wealthy man Orgon who has been tricked by a con man called Tartuffe into purging his household of sin Really just things that Tartuffe doesn t like or want Rest of the family sees through Tartuffe except Orgon s mother, Madame Pernelle Organ's daughter Mariane wants to marry Valere, but is worried Tartfuffe will convince Orgon to stop it Turns out Orgon plans to marry Mariane off to Tartuffe Orgon s wife Elmire comes up with a plan to expose Tartuffe s lust for her and his hypocrisy Tartuffe is exposed, but steals the deed and a lockbox exposing Orgon for helping a traitor Tartuffe brings the police but they arrest Tartuffe instead, as the king saw that he had a bad heart Ends with two weddings THE PLAY ITSELF
HYPOCRISY Central theme of the play Several mini-conflicts through the work o Orgon quick to anger when told he is wrong, even if he did the same thing earlier o Madame Pernelle telling everyone they are acting like horrible people as she acts like a horrible person She s still a better mother, even dead March, slut, march o Mariane and Valere getting angry at each other for being flippant about the marriage situation Tartuffe s own underhandedness o Preaching giving but taking extravagant gifts o Preaching forgiveness but tearing apart the family o Trying to seduce a mans wife while cleansing his house from sin
CLICKER QUESTIONS ONE: Did you think the play was funny? q Yes q No q I didn t finish it yet
CLICKER QUESTIONS TWO: Which theory of humor best describes Tartuffe? q Superiority q Relief q Incongruity
AMERICAN BEAUTY ON HYPOCRISY q The roses throughout the movie symbolize hypocrisy q A rose is beautiful when you look at it far away but up close its in a way painful looking because of its thorns, everything in the world can look beautiful but it can also hurt. q Orgon thinks that Tartuffe is a beautiful person, but in the end he finds out he is a traitor and hurts him in the end
AMERICAN BEAUTY ON HYPOCRISY q Colonel Frank Fritz is a hypocrite and fraud q Kicks his son out because he couldn t believe what he had seen; Orgon kicks Damis out because he didn t believe what he said about Tartuffe and his wife, Elmire q Colonel Frank complains to tells his son, How come these faggots always have to rub it in your face. q When Colonel Frank thinks his son is having relations for money with the neighbor, he decides to see if its true q Hypocritical when he goes next door to Lester houses and kisses him http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qiqx_udoig
WORKS CITED http://www.discoverfrance.net/france/theatre/ Moliere/moliere.shtml http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/tartuffe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/tartuffe http://www.enotes.com/tartuffe/author-biography http://www.textweek.com/movies/hypocrisy.htm