Tartuffe Play Analysis

The trafficking in and around women’s bodies was a common theme in most of the works we have read for class. In particular, the trafficking of a woman’s body is prevalent in the play, Tartuffe. Tartuffe is about a woman, Mariane, who is being forced to marry a man, Tartuffe, who is only liked by her father, Orgon, and his mother in-law, Madame Pernelle. Furthermore, this is an aristocratic family that typically marries off the daughter to a hegemonic male for the smooth transfer of wealth. Marrying off the daughter for the transfer of money illustrates the great deal of control men had over women. Throughout the play, Orgon clearly displays that his and only his opinion matters. By the same token, his daughter even asks him what he wants to hear before speaking to him. Orgon’s actions further show the dominance of men in the time period of this play.

When choosing a husband for his daughter, Orgon is not thinking of whether she is in love with the man, but instead who deserves the family wealth. When Orgon meets Tartuffe, he knows he has found the one to marry Mariane by reason he is a religious and humble man. In spite of almost every other person knowing that Tartuffe is a hypocrite,

Forcing her marry Tartuffe for the purpose of having children is another way he is exploiting his daughter in relation to money. Mariane is being taken advantage of for the sole purpose of money again, but now it is also in association with a child worthy of inheriting wealth. Both the husband and future child are seen as more important than the daughter is. In a way, the daughter is almost seen as nothing because she does not have a say in who she marries or what happens with the family wealth; even though she is a direct family member who, one would assume, has some role in. Moreover, it is clear that women are objectified and mainly seen as a way to control who the family’s wealth goes