... Prof. Filiz Ali December 2nd, 2011 In the 17th century, France witnessed political, social and artistic facts which were triggered by the relationships between Louis the Fourteenth, Jean-Baptiste Lully and Moliere. This relationship between these important figures of 17th century can also be delineated as the connection between the political power, music and theatre. Before emphasizing the interaction among them, it might be illuminating to specify their backgrounds in order to gain an insight about their relations. Following, I am going to specify on their relationships and their influences on French music and theatre. Louis the 14th, who is named as France’s Sun King, had the longest reign in European history beginning from 1643 until he dies in 1715. He had only five years old when he became the king of France, therefore the reign was almost dominated by the Cardinal until he died in 1661 ( Louis XIV, David J. Sturdy, pg 23 ). Following the cardinal’s death, Louis brought the absolute monarchy at the risk of taking both his mother’s and the council’s reactions (Louis XIV, David J.Sturdy, pg 34). Afterward, these reactions were also gravitated to the relation between Louis, Lully and Moliere. He established Versailles palace which was a symbol of the absolute monarchy, aiming to extract more domination of government from nobility and being distant from the population of Paris. Louis the 14th was a very important figure for the contemporary...
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...The Misanthrope – Moliere The Masks We Wear Moral character types emerged during the latter stages of Greek literature, specifically in the new comedy of Menander; preceded by the creation of Theophrastus’ stock characters, which were based on observation of everyday life. First introduced to audiences in 1666, Moliere staged The Misanthrope in the upper-class salon of Celimene. Essentially, the salon is a microcosm of the royal court. In between duties at Louis XIV’s court, the elite townspeople gathered to converse, trade compliments, exchange insults, and scrutinize one another. French society was defined by courtly norms, which, amusingly were being refined on a constant basis. The Misanthrope, often referred to as not only a comedy of manners, but a comedy of character, as well, was theater that functioned as a reflection of its spectators in order to enact social change. Moliere based his plays on French farce and commedia dell’arte. Plots of deception interspersed with objective play represented French farce, while commedia dell’arte had set situations, unrehearsed dialogue, and actors in masks representing a specific character type. The combination of the two was perfectly aligned in The Misanthrope as Moliere utilized the stock characters to introduce stylized production and dialogue. By placing the stock characters into a society of his own time with dialogue reflective of his present day circumstances, Moliere created individuality in his characters that allowed...
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...Thuyen Vo Prof. Bruce Brogdon ENGL 2333 25th, February 15 The Enlightenment in Moliere’s Tartuffe Moliere’s Tartuffe is from 17th century, and profoundly influenced by the Enlightenment or the Age of Reason. Throughout the play, the readers will get a glimpse into the meaning of the play, and more than that, is what Moliere stands for. We easily recognize which characters are the voices of reason or their existences are evidences of the Enlightenment. While Orgon is quiet the opposite of reason, Cleante and Dorine are claim to be the strongest voices of reasons, however, there is one more character that roles an important knot of the play is Elmire. Through Cleante and Elmire, readers see the true ideas and beliefs of the Enlightenment. Orgon is extremely emotional throughout the play; otherwise, Cleante represents the reason so he always keeps his emotions in check. He is the most patient person when he tries to enlighten Orgon. In Act I scene 5, Cleante accuses his brother-in-law of being unable to realize the difference “between true piety and hypocrisy”(46). He also points out his brother-in-law’s love for Tartuffe is nonsense and attempts to explain to him about the true Nature, in which he states, people who “reckless pursues his inclination” are “perverts a lofty aim or noble cause”(46). Regardless how sense he talks to Orgon, his voice is reason just goes unheard. Tartuffe’s main theme is value of moderation and the reason in all things. Cleante is called the...
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...Matthew Schopp Professor Mary Frances Heinsohn English 2210.28 9/27/2012 Tartuffe: Not a Christian! Do Not Be Fooled! In the French play Tartuffe, playwright and actor Jean-Baptiste Poquelin Molière creates a character whose treachery and capacity for evil know no limits. The character named Tartuffe reveals throughout the play that his nature, though seeming to be humble and pious, actually reeks of foul treachery and deception. His pious shell that he wears so pompously, places him among those who exploit the church for their own means by using an exterior false piety. This false piety fools only two characters, yet the effects of the deception nearly deal very harsh consequences. The Oxford English Dictionary defines piety as “the quality of being religious or reverent .” A negative connotation does not usually resound when the topic of piety is discussed. In fact, those who practice piety generally receive higher levels of respect from all. Tartuffe exploits the trust and respect of a French Nobleman named Orgon, having no intentions other than to bring evil schemes to his household. Tartuffe solidifies his title as a villain because of his air of being pious while having no intentions to bring glory to God, only putting on pleasantries to deceive, thus fulfilling the true definition of false piety. Tartuffe makes it very clear that he has devious intentions from his very first scene of play. In act III scene 2 Tartuffe makes his first appearance and is seen very...
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...“Tartuffe Reaction Paper” A few weeks ago I was lucky to see one of Normandale Theatre Department’s Productions of “Tartuffe”, the famous comedy by the French author Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, widely known by his stage name Moliere. It was my first experience of this kind at Normandale, and I was quite impressed by the level of dedication, professionalism and talent of everyone involved in the production. Because the characters were so well presented to the audience, we had a great understanding of the purpose of each person in the play. The two characters that impressed me the most were Dorine- the maid, was played by incredible Katrina Radcliffe, and of course, Tartuffe, who was played by Bryce Jasper. The energy that the two have is absolutely incredible, and I think every one of us in the audience received the exact message the cast was sending. Dorine is quiet an outspoken being, which never misses and opportunity to say what she thinks out loud and make sure that people around her know how she feels about a particular subject. From the very beginning she reveals her somewhat outlandish character. IN Act one, Scene One she tries to convince mother of Orgon, Madame Pernell, that Tartuffe is a hypocrite and a liar, who is taking advantage of the whole family in the most senseless way. Towards the end of the scene Dorine snaps at Madame Pernell, insisting that the woman is seeking attention and respect, therefore she is defending Tartuffe, and trying to force the family agree...
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...Dmytro Kovalevych E 251-01 January 30, 2012 Instructor: Dr.Hulett Blog 1 After I read the original version of Tartuffe, written by Jean-Baptiste Poquelin Moliere, and watched the two different versions of Tartuffe on youtube I saw some significant differences between the two versions. In American University version of the comedy a lot of things such as the appearance of the actors, their clothes, the decoration of the house looked embellished and unnatural comparing to the original. In the French version of Tartuffe (Tartuffe 1975 La Societe des Comediens Francais) the house looked older, the scenes were more gloomy and real-life. The appearance and behavior of actors in the French version were very natural and similar to the original. In my opinion some of the actors played better in the American University version and some played better in French version. For example Madam Pernelle in French version was much better than in American and very similar as she was in the original; she seemed to have more authority, was overbearing, and did not like to be contradicted, whereas in American version Madam Pernelle did not look like an older person, and all her arguments with the family did not seem to have enough value. I really liked the way Cleante appeared in French version. The actor who played Cleante was able to transmit wise, honest man from the book into play. In the American...
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...Moliere: Tartuffe, Comedy in Five Acts (Originally published 1669), Translated into English Verse by Richard Wilbur (1963) Harcourt Press In Tartuffe, Moliere introduces us to Orgon. Orgon, a wealthy family man, befriends a stranger (Tartuffe) who outwardly appears to be a devout Christian; however the reader soon learns that he is a fraud – an imposter. Orgon trusts him implicitly and places him on a pedestal, putting his needs above those of his own family (who quickly see through the transparent behaviors of Tartuffe.). Orgon is warned by many characters that Tartuffe is lying and manipulating him in an effort to get ahead financially and socially. Orgon turns a blind eye to these warnings, but eventually learns about the betrayal when he eavesdrops on Tartuffe trying to seduce his wife. Unfortunately his plan to evict Tartuffe backfires when Tartuffe reveals secrets that Orgon told him in confidence. However, in the end, Tartuffe’s dishonesty is revealed, he is arrested and Orgon’s home life returns to normal. The main theme of Tartuffe is religious hypocrisy, and the character of Tartuffe most exemplifies this trait. He repeatedly claims to be a true Christian when he actually is a fraud. He purports to be morally superior to others, when in fact he acts immorally (by trying to seduce Orgon’s wife, for example). Orgon’s brother-in-law Cleante is the moral opposite of Tartuffe and tries to be the voice of reason throughout the play. Simply, he feels that...
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...Appearance vs. Reality Moliere’s Tartuffe is a play whose message is of religious hypocrisy however; it also deals with disguise and appearance versus reality. Within this play, Moliere created a character, Tartuffe, who claims to be a man of the cloth. In reality, he is a con man. Tartuffe hides behind his so-called piety and uses this mask to conceal what he truly desires; money and power. Moliere makes Tartuffe transparent enough so that the audience (and the rest of the cast) can easily see through his shenanigans. Nevertheless, the protagonist, Orgon, cannot see through the false appearance. One source that I read suggested that Orgon’s blind obedience to Tartuffe is the true moral of the play. He observes that “dupe and deceiver—and which is which?—are seen to be partners in the same enterprise” (as cited in Men and Masks, 1963). It is his opinion that Orgon basically didn’t care if Tartuffe was truly religious, Orgon just liked to revel in the obsequious attention given to him by Tartuffe (Mills, 2011). Moliere toys with us while expounding on this theme of appearance and disguise. At one point in the play, Orgon angrily disinherits his son, Damis because Damis voices his disgust of Tartuffe. Tartuffe makes the pretense of speaking up for Damis by saying to Orgon, “Believe his story; the boy deserves your trust. Why, after all, should you have faith in me? How can you know what I might do, or be? Is it on my good actions that you base your favor? Do you trust...
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...Tartuffe by Jean-Baptiste Molière is about a play about a foolish father and a man who is a master of deception. Tartuffe tricks Orgon into thinking he is a exemplary man. In reality he is a imposter and is known for numerous false identities. Orgon trusted Tartuffe and believes everything he said was righteous. He turned on his son, got in the way of his daughter love life, and disagreed with anything negative the family had to say about him. Shortly after he saw for himself that Tartuffe was a man in disguise. Tartuffe then showed Oregon how vicious he can be by trying to take everything he had under his name. Then he realized how foolish he was not to see what everyone else trying to show him. For the begging of the story the family believed...
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...Tartuffe is a play that was performed by COS Theatre on October 13, 2016 but was originally written by Moliére but was adapted and translated by Timothy Mooney, The play was directed by Chris Mangels who was also the scenic designer. The play was set up as a comedy with a vibrant sense of humor. The Main conflict in the play is that Orgon is blinded by Tartuffe’s trickery and is willing to do anything for him. As the story goes on Orgon tries to make his daughter Mariane marry Tartuffe, however Mariane does not want to marry Tartuffe. As the story comes to end Tartuffes act is revealed he leaves with the house deed and steals the computer containing top secret political information. The scene with Tartuffe running off with the family’s property...
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...The Man Behind the Mask Moliere’s incredible play Tartuffe, examines the differences between a character’s true face and the mask that they hide behind. Most apparent in this play is the mask of Tartuffe himself, who is seen as a holy, religious man in one scene, and in the next as a perverted hypocrite. Although Tartuffe’s mask is probably the easiest to spot among the characters, there is another character that wears quite a mask himself. Orgon, who is the naïve son, husband, father, and brother, wears such a mask that he himself can probably not even see through it. However, his family can see through the mask, whether they know his true intentions or not, I don’t know. I believe that there are several reasons, or options, if you will, that might explain why exactly Orgon wears this horrible mask and falls for the hypocrisies of Tartuffe. Whatever the reason though, his masked character certainly caused a fair amount of disruption and strife for everyone, including himself. Orgon, being the generous man he was, invited an incredibly unholy man by the name of Tartuffe into his home, offering him shelter, food, his daughter, and even his estate. Why though, would such a practical man as Orgon be so blinded by the true nature of Tartuffe? First, I believe that Orgon, who was of good standing, could have sought to improve his social status, by taking in Tartuffe, a holy faker, who, “By the deep fervor of his heartfelt prayer,” would “draw the eyes of everybody,” at the church...
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...The Story of Tartuffe starts with Madama Pernelle She is leaving her sons house and wants to raise hell. She wants to criticize Orgon’s house staff and guest, Tartuffe The household hypocrite who has Orgon stuck in aloof Tartuffe has charmed Orgon but Cleante and Dorine wont fall They want to convince Orgon Taruffe is not a doll at all. Damis, Orgon’s son if worried that under Tartuffe’s law Mariane and Valere will not be able to get married anymore, which will cause a Squall. Orgon arrives and Cleante begs him to see through Tartuffe’s act She tells him he has hypocritical tendencies which is a fact. Organ’s mind doe s not change. Starting act 2 Orgon announces that Mariane is to marry Tartuffe which is strange. Mariane stays obedient and does what she is told to Dorine pleads Organ to stop the marriage the age difference alone can cause cheating but Orgon tells her it's not true. Mariane is reminded about the love she still has for Valere but she wanted to follow her fathers wishes Valere enters after hearing the news about his Fiancé’s new future husband, Dorine calms them down and agree to work together to get Tarutuffe to swim with the fishes. Dorine the lady maid tells lets Elmire Orgon’s wife, to control Tartuffe because he lusts after her Elmire tells Tartuffe about the Marriage with Mariane and Valere and she begs him to not marry Mariane or she will tell Orgon about his sexual desire. Damis shows himself having overheard the agreement which attracts Orgon...
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...Literature has long been used to provide a glimpse into history as writers memorialize their view of the world and their surroundings. Often littered with satires, comedy or factual narratives - authors showcase their personal opinions on critical issues within their societies. Voltaire and Moliere’s works on social and religious issues are prime examples of this. With unquestionable tenacity, both authors used their writing to question religious authority and denounce religious hypocrisy at a time in which social power and order was grounded in “sacred” doctrines that determined people’s way of life - both in public and in private. Being cautious to maintain their art a form of entertainment, both Voltaire and Moliere resorted to the use...
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...An Analysis of the Hypocrisy of Patriarchal Roman Catholic Values in Tartuffe by Moliere This drama analysis will analyze the scene in which Tartuffe is attempting to convince Orgon of his credentials as a Roman Catholic priest. Orgon’s status as a wealthy member of the community continually averts the suggests from Dorine (his servant) and Mariane (his daughter that Tartuffe might be a fraud posing as a priest. In this scene, Orgon has just met Tartuffe, but Dorine has become suspicious of his credentials as a Roman Catholic priest. During this time, Dorine warns Orgon that she attempting to “save his soul” from Tartuffe, since he represents a fraud and rake posing as a member of the clergy. However, Orgon refuses to listen to a woman, especially...
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...Charles Crespo Professor Margaret Hazell ENG 2850 9 April 2013 What is satire, satire is a particular genre of literature that sometimes makes use of graphic and performing arts with the intent of ridiculing society into self-improvement. With social criticism being its main goal, it utilizes wit and dark sarcasm as its main tools to illustrate its point. Satire influences individuals to reevaluate themselves in order to modify senseless thoughts and behaviors. Various techniques are used in order to deliver a satirist effect, those of which house wit as their main weapon. These methods harmonize the mastering of coexisting trivial and serious matters as one sarcasm, showing praise but meaning the contrary to demonstrate irony, and asking questions rhetorically. Additionally, the author might understate an issue in order to maneuver the audience towards the true importance of the topic, adversely; exaggeration is used to lower the impact of an issue to its lesser value. Collectively, these techniques are exercised to bring out the human follies and vices in society. In Molière’s Tartuffe and Jonathan Swift’s essay A Modest Proposal, that both obliquely criticize and burlesque human behavior and the perception we have towards others. Through a satirist delivery, these authors offer an insight past the seemingly obvious, and aim to improve this faulty custom of one sidedness rather than eliminating it. Although these pair of literary pieces illustrates satire, it is Molière’s...
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