Seeing Is Believing In Moliere's Tartuffe

Seeing is Believing in Moliere’s Tartuffe
The act of seeing in the satirical comedy Tartuffe is of significant importance to the characters and the plot of the play. Characters believe the actions they see whether those actions reveal the truth or not. Those deceived try to convince the others that they are blind to reality, while those “living in the real world” come up with manipulative plans to prove who is the real imposter is. The theme of mistaken perception is present throughout the dialogue, but the consequence of the physical act of seeing is the climax.
The play opens with a scene in which a very staunch and prudish Madame Pernelle storms through the house, declaring everyone’s shortcomings. She rants that she “cannot bear the way …show more content…
He willingly obliges her request, eager to “find [himself] tete-a-tete with [her]” (3.3.23). She wants to see for herself if what she suspects is true—that he is in love with her. After some small talk which quickly turns into flirting, Tartuffe declares his great affection for the wife of his best friend. His excitement causes his hands to wander over to the lady’s knee, moving his chair closer to her even as she moves away. He tells her that Orgon mentioned giving Mariane’s hand to him in marriage, but that “The wondrous gifts that catch my zealous eye,/ I see quite near in bounteous supply” (3.3.53-54). At this point in the story, Tartuffe possesses altered perception due to his emotion. Quite eloquently, he professes his love for Elmire, but his admittance of wishes for intimacy with her exposes his hypocrisy. What will Orgon think if he finds out that his precious Tartuffe is not the saintly man he believes him to be? Elmire eases his mind when she promises not to tell her husband of the charlatan’s advances, as long as he promises to support the marriage of Mariane and Valere. Surprisingly, Damis hops out from hiding and proclaims that he saw the entire exchange and as an eyewitness, he will joyously expose Tartuffe to his father. The hotheaded youth pounces to reveal the scandal as soon as Orgon enters the scene. Tartuffe, knowing exactly how gullible Orgon is, proceeds to …show more content…
The act of having to physically see something in order to believe it is important especially for the characters of Madame Pernelle and Orgon. Both of them perceive a portrayal of holiness as true virtue, while the other family members can easily see through the façade. One critic points out that “faith cannot rest on the tricky appearances of the physical world, but only on the will to believe in that which cannot be physically shown” (Gaines). The play teaches a valuable lesson: do not judge a person for only what one sees on the outside, but instead, learn to wisely discern what is true in their

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