Tartuffe (1664) is Moliere’s French comedy about deceit, pride, and treachery. In this play, the family of a man named Orgon is far more aware of the deceit by the play’s namesake, Tartuffe, than is Orgon himself, the man who should know him best and who brought him into the household. Orgon had met Tartuffe in church, seen Tartuffe kneeling at prayer, and believed him thereafter to be sincere in all aspects, a possible commentary on the impact of religious environment in Moliere’s time but a definite comment on the ability of a religious aspect or image to impress Orgon. The family members, all except Tartuffe’s mother, whose allegiance by female role is to her male son, see through Tartuffe and know he is a con, yet for Orgon seeing through…show more content… For Orgon, seeing is believing, as it is for many people, and he has trouble escaping that thought or believing prayer could be feigned or used for malicious intent. He is, in short, blind. Impressions and appearance are very important to Orgon. As Cleante states, Orgon has been “imposed on by a very false gloss” (Moliere 9). Dorine warns, too, that “all he [Tartuffe] does is nothing but hypocrisy” (2). In contrast, Orgon for his part indeed is quite impressed that Tartuffe “came every day to church with a composed mien, and kneeled down just against me. . .. He calls every trifle in himself a sin” (7). Cleante, seeing that Orgon has quickly become blind to Tartuffe’s frailties, notes that “This is the usual strain of such as you [Orgon]. They would have everybody as blind as themselves”…show more content… Perhaps the similarity between Orgon and Tartuffe in this aspect of secrecy was yet another bond in “friendship.” Is there often a hidden box for those who become duplicitous or cold to humanity? Is it only a matter of whether it is seen or not? Et tu, Tartuffe. You are in some fashion, in greater and lesser amounts, in us all. In fact, Moliere may even have felt that you were more frequently in male “masters” than in childlike, innocent, yet sagacious
