Tartuffe

I think it's amazing that a play that was originally written in French was able to be translated while preserving the rhyme. Truly amazing.

Loving the play. It's actually hilarious ("Tartuffified;" "Miss Smarty Pants").

Also a theme I am wondering about in the play: practical/rational vs. absurdity/irrationality. It keeps coming up... so does honor...

This post will be edited later.

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Okay, I'm back. To continue my thought on rationality and irrationality, I think it's a major part of the play. The characters seem to be divided into these two groups: people like Cléante and Dorine are always there to be logical and rational, and constantly pointing out the inconsistencies and irrationality of people like Madam Pernelle and, especially, Orgon. Even Orgon admits that his emotions got the best of him, indicating that was why he was so irrational: "Emotions got the best of me, it's true" (V, iii, 75.) The "irrational" people are made so by their contradictions, exaggerations, and absurd ideas, such as when Tartuffe claims that "Because our reputations are our wealth." (III, iv, 133). There are really tons of different points in the play when the practical people are pointing out the failed logic of the impractical ones.

Speaking of Tartuffe, however, he is an interesting character throughout the play because I think it's hard to fit him in either the rational or the irrational category. I guess on the outside he would seem insane (to the logical types like Dorine and Cléante, at least). But on the inside, if he knows he is fooling people like Orgon, I wonder if that makes him clever. I think that Tartuffe manages to escape rationalism via hypocrisy and irony, as seen for example in Act IV, Scene 1. I laughed when Tartuffe says (IV, i, 23-24),

"Heaven's best interests will have been served,

When wrongdoers have got what they deserved."

Ironic, right? It's like he won't even admit to being crazily irrational. SOMEONE'S in denial! I still have to point out my favorite "Tartuffe is irrational" part (IV, v, 119-122):

"There'll be no sins for which we must atone,

'Cause evil exists only when it's known.

Adam and eve were public in their fall.

To sin in private is not to sin at all."

SERIOUSLY, Tartuffe?! If you're so pious, you would know that God is all-knowing and all-powerful. Do you even hear the words that are coming out of your mouth? Do YOU even believe what you say, or are you just trying to fool Elmire, along with everyone else? What a loser.

In the end, I enjoyed how the tables turned for Orgon too when he saw for himself what Tartuffe was really like, and thus became exasperated when trying to explain that to his mother (Madam Pernelle).

My favorite "logical" scene, as I like to think of it, came at the end of Act V, Scene 5 (lines 9-12). This is just after Madam Pernelle realizes everything about Tartuffe, and Dorine has something to say about the material wealth Orgon and his family has. She says,

"Because men are corrupted by their wealth.

Out of concern for your spiritual health,

He's taking, with a pure motivation,

Everything that keeps you from salvation."

LOVE IT! Even though, yet again, Orgon asks her if she has tired of him saying "Quiet!" to her, Dorine has presented us with the best logic ever. HA! LOGIC WINS AGAIN! How does THAT feel, Tartuffe?! Great play!