Tartuffe Character Analysis

Throughout history, many leaders have come to power. These authority figures differ in their ruling styles, their methods of coming to power, and the beliefs they hold. Rulers around the country also differ in their ability to maintain power. Some rulers are beloved by the people they rule and are mourned deeply when they are gone. Others, however, are despised. The fact that this wide of a spectrum exists, raises the question, “What attributes make a good leader?” Moliere’s famous play Tartuffe answers this question by comparing the two characters who hold authority, Orgon and the King. By the end of the play we see that Orgon’s authority was ultimately stripped due to his lack of communication with his family. However, Orgon’s failure in …show more content…
Orgon’s entire family, with the exception of his mother, Madame Pernelle can see this manipulation in play from the very beginning of the play. Dorinne, a lady’s maid in the house points Tartuffe’s manipulation out in the first scene of the play when she states, “So you think he’s a saint. That’s what he wants. But he’s a hypocrite and merely flaunts this so-called godliness” (Moliere 146). However, even with multiple members of his family pointing this manipulation out to him, Orgon refuses to listen to them much less consider believing them. Instead, he denies the accusations outright. Orgon is so taken with Tartuffe, that he considers Tartuffe’s well being over that of his own family. Cleante is telling Orgon that his wife was deathly ill while he was gone and Orgon simply replies “And Tartuffe” (Moliere 150). Instead of caring that his wife could have died Orgon only shows sympathy for Tartuffe. This is what causes Orgon to lose his authority in the household. His entire family begins to resent him and views him as a fool instead of a respected authority figure. As Robert Cardullo states in his article on Tartuffe, these observations of the other people in the play lead us to the

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