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How Does Tartuffe Fit Into The Enlightenment Era

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How Tartuffe Fits into the Enlightenment Era

The Enlightenment period was a very unique time period, and the play “Tartuffe was also very unique. Enlightenment thinkers were encouraged to think for themselves, and to solve their own problems. Enlightenment thinkers did not believe in looking to someone like a “leader” to help them solve problems. The play “Tartuffe” by Moliere is a satire about religious authorities,written in 1664, that fits into the Enlightenment Era very nicely. According to Merriam Webster a Tartuffe is “ a religious hypocrite and protagonist in Molière's play Tartuffe”( Merriamwebster.com).
The Enlightenment Era was a liberating era. According to Livescience “The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, was …show more content…

Cleante and Dorine represent the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers. Cleante was not fooled by the Tartuffe, and recognized him for who he was, right off the bat. He politely and carefully tries to warn Orgon of who is messing with. But Orgon does not listen to him. Orgon says to Cleante, when Cleante is trying to talk some sense into him, “If only you could know him as I do, you would be his true disciple, too. The universe, your ecstasy would span. This is a man… who… ha!... well such a man. Behold him. Let him teach you profound peace. When we first met, I felt my troubles cease. Yes, I was changed after I talked with him. I saw my wants and needs as just a whim! Everything that's written, all that’s sung, The world and you and me, it's all dung! Yes, its crap! And isn’t that a wonder! The real world- it’s just some spell we’re under! Hes taught me to love nothing and no one! Mother, father, wife, daughter son- They could die right now, I’d feel no pain.”(Moliere 152). Cleante simply replies, with sarcasm, “What feelings you’ve developed, how humane.”(Moliere 152) Cleante uses such sarcasm responding to Orgon, because, he sounds ridiculous, and Cleante knows it. Cleante is able to think for himself, rather than looking to someone else for answer, and he tried to solve the problem by talking to Orgon about his admiration for Tartuffe. Dorine seems to be the most …show more content…

The king’s intervention went completely against the way of Enlightenment thinking.This is because during the Enlightenment period, people were encouraged to think for themselves, and to solve their own issues, without looking to a “leader”. The king coming to solve Orgon and his family's problem, did not sit too well with Enlightenment thinkers. Through the entire play, Tartuffe lied and deceived Orgon. Orgon was blind to Tartuffes way, but the king was not. The king was able to Tartuffe for who he really was, a liar and deceiver. An officer says to the king “We’re fortunate in leadership and laws.”(Moliere 48). Leadership and laws was something that Enlightenment thinkers did not like. The same officer then says to Orgon "We have a king who sees into men's hearts, And cannot be deceived, so he impacts great wisdom, and a talent for discernment, thus frauds are guaranteed a quick internment. Our Prince of Reason sees things as they are, so hypocrites do not get very far."(Moliere 49-54) Enlightenment thinkers, wanted to think for themselves, rather than to have the king figure out their problems for them. Therefore the ending of the play did not sit too well with Enlightenment thinkers, during the Enlightenment

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