Tartuffe By Moliere Essay Example

a modern audience.

Munby's adaptation of the script provided another excellent example of his skill. A scene in Act Four originally called for the simple stage direction, "A room in Ogon's house.A table, with a bottle of wine on it." However, Munby transformed this into a humorous moment where Tartuffe comically prepares for what appears to be a solemn communion, meticulously setting up wine glasses. Yet, it becomes clear that he is indulging himself with profiteroles - decadent sweets - wine, and lust.

During the scene where Cleante, Elmie's brother, enters Tartuffe's room, Tartuffe admits, "If I have a vice, it isn't greed", after devouring four profiteroles all at once! As Tartuffe exits to go upstairs, he grabs the huge silver platter of profiteroles and tells Cleante he must go for more "chastisement and prayers". Meanwhile, in this scene, Tartuffe's follower Laurent holds Elmire's dress like a puppet and playfully flirts with Tartuffe. This puppetry effectively illustrates Tartuffe's aspirations and adds humor to the scene. Overall, the depiction aids in continuity of the act's flow and enables the audience to perceive exactly what Tartuffe is thinking.

Commenting on the characters of Orgon and Dorine in the play, it can be observed that they have contrasting personalities. Upon his arrival, Dorine, being the maid, provides Orgon with an update on what has happened during his absence. While his wife, Emire, was seriously ill at the time, Orgon was only interested in knowing about Tartuff's well-being. Dorine recounts how Tartuff 'satisfied his appetite' and then slept soundly. Despite hearing this and other tales of Tartuff's behavior, Orgon could only express sympathy towards him. Orgon's tone is usually monotonous except

for when he mentions Tartuff or becomes angry with Dorine. He assumes a serious body language that is reminiscent of Tartuff, his idol. Towards the end of the play, when Orgon discovers that Tartuffe is not who he appears to be by eavesdropping on a conversation between his wife and Tartuffe while hiding under a table, he becomes confused.

Initially, he blames his wife for revealing, "The man's a monster! You've destroyed my world! What's left? A gaping void!" Shortly after, he exclaims, "No. He's a fiend. Straight out of Hell." It is understandable that he is confused as he had utmost faith in Tartuffe before learning the truth about him. There was no way for him to deny the reality of Tartuffe's deceit. When Tartuffe is captured at the end of the play, Orgon sees it as an opportunity to vent his rage towards him, while he is defenseless, for causing so much disruption in their lives. Orgon attempts to attack Tartuffe and shouts, "Yooouuu - devious, treacherous."

Despite Orgon's initial anger towards Tartuffe's deceit, Elmire's brother helps him see the value in being grateful for Louis XIV's wisdom in exposing the trickster. As a result, Orgon's final actions are those of gratitude and love towards his family, leaving us pleased with his newfound clarity. Nonetheless, Orgon's tendency to make rash judgments throughout the play suggests that he still has room to learn and grow from his mistakes, much like a child.

Throughout the performance, the use of lighting heavily impacted how the audience interpreted various situations. Before Tartuffe's capture, a slight touch of steel wash mixed into the straw wash gave the feeling of

uneasiness, preventing a fully happy atmosphere. In the scene where Dorine uses reverse psychology on Marian to convince her to marry Tartuffe, steel wash was used to create a sense of entrapment and amplify Dorine's cold and mean actions. Additionally, during Act Four's beginning, candles were on the table when Tartuffe presented his food and wine as a communion.

The stage was imbued with an eerie atmosphere due to the candles, creating a religious ambiance that contrasted with Tartuffe's self-indulgent behavior. This contrast highlighted his greediness. The play's end saw the appearance of King Louis XIV's big golden sun on the back wall, bringing warmth and happiness to the stage and allowing the audience to relax knowing that things will turn out well. At some points, two violinists played behind a gauze curtain while light shone from behind them, casting their shapes on the curtain but no detail could be seen.

The combination of the violin music and the surroundings of the family's home imparted a grand and somber atmosphere, leaving the impression that the fun had departed from their dwelling. Upon entering after the musical performance, the family was elevated in status, akin to having their own personal fanfare. The costumes worn in this play served as a crucial component, as they portrayed the late 17th century period accurately. It was apparent that each costume was tailored to reflect the respective character's personality effectively. Dorine, being the maid, was limited to wearing the standard black and white uniform; however, her exceptional gestures and facial expressions overshadowed the importance of her attire.

Tartuffe appeared to be quite poor and priestly, wearing a black cloak, a white

shirt with a neckerchief, and black trousers. Mme Pernelle was dressed entirely in black, which made her look strict and cold. She was also seated in a wheelchair, emphasizing her advanced age and commanding everyone's attention. Meanwhile, Elmire wore a flowing red dress that reflected her daring and confident character, particularly when she met Tartuffe in the later part of the play. Finally, the officer of the court wore a grand costume that was mainly gold and white at the end of the performance.

The gold color of the costume in the play symbolizes the positive and happy picture of the 'Sun King'. It signifies that he has a virtuous and honest character. The other male characters in the same play wear costumes that are almost identical in style, only varying slightly in color and accessory, like Valere's large and vibrant shoes. Moliere was initially a lawyer, but he abandoned this well-paid profession in pursuit of becoming a playwright, despite the societal taboo around actors. Moliere struggled financially and ultimately fled with a pair to found their own theater company.

While he was with the Moliere theatre company, he had an affair with Madeline. When they performed in front of King Louis XIV, they began with a tragedy. Unfortunately, it did not go well. However, Moliere's quick decision to perform one of his own plays, with himself as the lead actor, resulted in tremendous success. The king was so impressed that he agreed to pay Moliere an annual fee to support his company. Later on, Moliere married a woman 20 years younger than him.

Unknown to him at the time, she was actually Madeline's younger sister,

though she could possibly have been their daughter. This suggests he was rather unscrupulous. To maintain favor with the King, Moliere had to gain his confidence. Moliere named his first child Louis and chose him as the Godfather, while also incorporating the King's grandeur into many of his plays - including the finale of Tartuffe.

Despite the King's appreciation for Tartuffe, the Church, which held immense influence, prohibited the play for five years due to its portrayal of religious hypocrisy. Moliere utilized this work to satirize religion, a theme also present in other plays such as "The Hypochondriac" and "The School for Wives," in addition to mocking the medical profession at the time.

By incorporating unexpected humor and modern colloquial language, the classic play Tartuffe was successfully adapted for a contemporary audience. The use of phrases like "you talk a load of crap," "blabbermouth!," and "kiss my arse" by the character Dorine was particularly effective in capturing the attention of viewers. Additionally, frequent use of terms such as "pious" and "hypocrite" helped to maintain relevance for today's society. Overall, the play's themes remain highly applicable in modern times.

Even if we are not aware of it, the themes of betrayal, greed, jealousy, and lust are intertwined into our everyday lives. Outcasts who attempt to assimilate into society remain an issue of concern. Additionally, the status of individuals throughout the world is a relevant topic.