Religious Fanaticism Essay -- essays research papers

In Moliere’s comedy Tartuffe, The play centers on the family of Orgon, a wealthy and impressionable man, his central target of ridicule is Orgon. Orgon is Moliere’s character of how man can be so blind in his devotion to a belief that he cannot make a good judgement as to the sincerity of others who would use that belief to deceive him. This play fits into the concept of comedy because all of the elements of comedy are present. It happens that the title character is the villain rather than the hero and some of the elements have been tampered with. In Tartuffe, we have the classic comic scenario of two lovers, Valere and Marianne, trying to get together but being thwarted. However, instead of the villain, Tartuffe is not the one who is antagonizing them, it is Orgon who gets in the way. Orgon tries to flatter Tartuffe by offering Marianne to be his wife. Before it is all over, Orgon ends up giving the deed to all his land to the deceitful Tartuffe. The other comic elements such as the unmasking of the villain and the happy ending are also present in Tartuffe. It is in the duality of Orgon, who is a believing and devoted subject, and Tartuffe, the manipulating hypocrite. Moliere takes his shot at the extremes of enthusiastic belief. Tartuffe plays the role of a man whose greedy actions are cloaked by a mask of overwhelming piety, modesty and religious passion. Orgon is the head of a household who has taken Tartuffe in, and given him shelter and food. Everyone in the family, ex...