Tartuffe, by Moliere by Jean Baptiste Poquelin de Moliere
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Book Reviews of Tartuffe, by Moliere
Book Review: Absolutely Comical and Extraordinarily well written
Summary: 5 Stars
It didn't lose a thing on the Italian-to-English translation. Its absolutely perfect. Its funny, and witty, and a 5 stay recommendation for anyone and everyone!Book Review: Sex, Drugs, and Moliere
Summary: 5 Stars
We studdied this play in english class and it was a high point of the year. Full of humor, satire and sexual inuendos, this was a joy to read.Book Review: So appropriate in these troubled times
Summary: 5 Stars
A true classic. I suggest sending a gift copy to Rep. Henry Hyde.Book Review: A satire on false piety.
Summary: 4 Stars
This play caused quite a ruckus when it first was performed in 1664 in France. The theatre-goers thought that Moliere was undermining the very basis of religion, and in France at this time, religion and Catholicism were sacrosanct. Instead, Moliere was making an attack on false piety and on hypocrites. The play is a comedy, and a very funny one at that, but the points that Moliere makes in this play are obvious and clear. He does not suffer fools gladly, and has no use for false religious piety. I think that he leaves a number of questions unaswered in this play. For example, who was Tartuffe and was he once pious? Is the play meant only to be a direct hit on religious heretics, or was Moliere pointing fun at all hypocrisy as displayed by politicians and world leaders? I'll leave you to find that out for yourself. Read the play and draw your own conclusions. I must say that I really would like to see this play performed on the stage.Book Review: For better comedy on religious hypocrisy, read Chaucer and Boccaccio
Summary: 2 Stars
The ending really disappoints, particularly for a play so revered.
Tartuffe results in a marriage that restores the status quo to power that existed at the beginning of the play, while at the same time hanging Tartuffe out to dry. Moliere makes use of a "deus rex machina," a "king from the machine," as Louis XIV appears and rectifies the deception of Tartuffe: "The King, by royal order, invalidates / The deed which gave this rascal your estates" (162).
Unfortunately, for the same reason readers decry the usage of divine intervention, the deus ex machina, this ending does not satisfy. Shakespeare cleans up with sophistication and, for the most part, plausible reasons, but Tartuffe builds up a situation that puts the hero against the wall, and by no action of his own, his situation gets resolved. The comedy at the end relies entirely on the delivery of the actor playing Tartuffe when he says: "Who? I, sir?" and "To prison? This can't be true" (161). When his usurped world falls apart, a rapid denouement brings us to the ending. The falling action of Shakespeare takes a long time and raises many questions to entertain the audience. An effective ending arrives at the last line gracefully. It felt unsatisfying.
Also, for better religious hypocrite characters, read Boccaccio and Chaucer.