Hypocrisy In Tartuffe

Molière, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, wrote his comedy play in 1664. This was also a time when the Catholic Church had a strong impact on society. This comical play, Tartuffe, was an attack on both religion and hypocrisy. Molière wrote this play to show how easily religion could be used to disguise sin and also to show how hypocritical the Christians were during that period of time. When it was first performed in front of King Louis XIV, critics thought that it was offensive towards the Catholic Church and they banned any future performances until 1669. Tartuffe shows how sometimes individuals do not listen to their moral sense because of the strong impact religion has. It also shows how not listening to one’s moral sense can consequently result in a complete blindness from the truth.

Throughout the entire play, the idea of passion versus reason is shown. In reality we are persuaded by reason, but we are moved by emotion. We use logic to justify our actions to ourselves or to others. Reason serves to keep our passion tempered just enough not to destroy us. Molière used Tartuffe as a manipulative,

In Tartuffe, Orgon believes and accepts anything that Tartuffe says or does. His family, however still had a solid moral sense and was able to see right through Tartuffe and be certain that he was a hypocrite. Orgon refused to listen to his whole family, even his wife. Not only that, but he also chased his only son away only to follow the hypocritically religious Tartuffe. Orgon said then takes the gift and shares it with the poor. So heaven spoke to me inside my head. “Just bring him home with you” is what it said and so I did. And ever since he came, my home’s a happy one. I also claim a moral home, a house that’s free of sin (p. 23, line 55-60). In this example Orgon was led to help the less fortunate because they are portrayed to be innocent and gifts from