Reading Notes Week 3A: Moliere: Tartuffe

Characters and their roles in the story-

Madame Pernelle- Mother of Orgon

• Defends Orgon throughout the story
• In the beginning she thought the house a mess and Orgon could bring the house back together.  

Orgon- Husband of Elmire

• Obsessed with Tartuffe, acts as if he is the greatest person
• Previously approved of Mariane getting married to Valere,
• Changes his mind and wants Mariane to marry Tartfuffe
• Finds out Tartuffe is after his wife Elmire and is disgusted and upset with him

Elmire- Wife of Orgon

• Set up and seduced Tartuffe to show Orgon the truth about him,

Damis- Son of Orgon

• Dislikes Tartuffe and tries to show Orgon the truth but fails.

Mariane- Daughter of Orgon

• The daughter that is supposed to marry Valere but the father changed his mind and wants her to marry Tartuffe.
• She does not have any interest in marrying Tartuffe but believes she shouldn't go against her father's wishes.

Valere- Fiance of Mariane

• Supposed to marry Mariane but is cut off by Tartuffe

Cleante- Brother-in-Law of Orgon

• Also dislikes Tartuffe and disapproves of marriage

Tartuffe- A religious hyprocrite

• Man that was living in poverty taken in by Orgon.
•  Manipulates Orgon to get what he wants and lives off of him.
• Arranged by Orgon to marry Orgon's Daughter
• Gets the hots for Orgon's wife and is caught by Damis.
• Gets a second chance at Orgon's wife and Orgon catches him and kicks him out.

Dorine- Ladys' maid to Mariane

• Instigator?

Monsieur Loyal- Bailiff

• Sent from the court to tell Orgon he has lost his Estate and is now being passed over to Tartuffe

The Exempt- Officer of the King

• Overturns courts orders after King saw Tartuffe was full of it.

Flipote-Lady's maid to Madame Pernelle

• ?

Laurent- Servant of Tartuffe

• ?

Basic Summary of story-

Tartuffe was taken in under Orgon's wing after he was living in poverty and had nothing.  Tartuffe and Orgon form a very solid relationship and Orgon is obsessed with Tartuffe to the point where he doesn't even care if his wife is healthy or not. (See conversation 150-151).  Orgon decides to stop the marriage between his daughter Mariane and her fiance Valere.  He instead arranges Mariane to marry Tartuffe.  The entire family disapproves of this arranged marriage, but Orgon is oblivious to the fact and continues with his plans.  Tartuffe has the hots for Orgon's wife, Elmire.  Damis catches the conversation between the two of them when Tartuffe admits his feelings to her.  Damis calls him out, however Orgon believes Tartuffe is innocent and Damis is blowing steam.  Elmire then sets Tartuffe up to show Orgon that what Damis said was true.  She seduces him and Orgon listened to the whole conversation from under a table.  Orgon gets upset, kicks Tartuffe out of the house and stops the marriage.  Tartuffe goes to court and tries to take the estate from Orgon, but the king overturns his actions.

Setting of the story-

Orgon's house.

-Patrick