Lecture on Molière's Tartuffe (Theatre Appreciation) (Patreon)

'There's no evil till the act is known; it's scandal, Madam, which makes it an offence, and it's no sin to sin in confidence.'

Today we're appreciating a masterful work of seventeenth-century French comic theatre that was banned after causing enormous scandal for the great playwright: Tartuffe by Molière.

We're discussing hypocrisy, masks, the function of comedy, how great art can change our lives, narcissism, false vs true piety, tragicomedy, virtue, deus ex machina, story as moral instruction, character, and much more.

Timestamps:

0:00 how Tartuffe caused scandal

2:00 who was outraged by this play?

4:00 Molière vs Society of the Holy Sacrement

6:00 what was the first version of the play like?

8:00 the misanthropy of Monsieur Molière

10:00 Molière on the function of comedy

12:00 the playwright on literary censorship

14:00 story, character & moral instruction

16:00 how great art can change our lives

18:00 reforming society by depicting faults

19:00 life advice from Austen's Mr Bennet

21:00 exploring hypocrisy in Tartuffe

23:00 hypocrisy & the human condition

25:00 narcissism, psychopathy & deceit

27:00 hypocrisy as imitation/playing a part

29:00 meeting the play’s cast of characters

30:00 why is Tartuffe living with Orgon?

31:00 appreciating the film of Molière’s life

33:00 ‘your man Tartuffe is full of holy speeches’

34:00 wisdom from the Sermon on the Mount

36:00 mulling over Orgon’s motivations

38:00 how to make the world a better place

40:00 do Molière’s characters really change?

41:00 tragicomedy & knowing a tree by its fruit

43:00 Orgon wants Tartuffe to marry Marianne

45:00 making a public display of piety

47:00 your cup will overflow with pleasure

50:00 when Tartuffe arrives onstage

53:00 scene with Tartuffe, Elmire & Damis

55:00 ‘I may be pious, but I’m human too’

56:00 the history & symbolism of cuckoldry

58:00 ‘yes, brother, I am a wicked man, I fear’

59:00 when someone tells you who they are…

1:02:00 Orgon watches Tartuffe under the table

1:04:00 character reveals itself in action

1:06:00 ‘it’s no sin to sin in confidence’

1:08:00 on saving face in polite society

1:10:00 going from one extreme to the other

1:12:00 when Orgon finally sees the truth

1:14:00 what’s reflected is projected

1:17:00 the deus ex machina ending

1:19:00 why did Molière fall out of favour?

1:20:00 what did you make of Tartuffe?

1:21:00 Moliere, Austen & Shakespeare content

Resources:

Preface to Tartuffe: You might find it interesting to read Molière's preface to Tartuffe, which is addressed to King Louis XIV and shows the playwright justifying and explaining the reason behind writing the controversial play. It is here that he protests that the function of comedy is to correct men's vices and that he was attacking one of the worst vices, hypocrisy, and not true piety.

Critical Appreciation: There's a truly splendid collection of critical essays about Molière, edited by esteemed Professor of French at Yale University Jacques Guicharnaud, which offers some really thought-provoking ideas for readers who wish to deepen their appreciation of the great playwright.

Film Appreciation: You might find it rewarding to complement your appreciation of our next Molière play with a viewing of this wonderful French comedy-drama from 2013: Bicycling with Molière. You can check out the trailer for the film here.

Audio Dramatisation: If you would like to listen to an excellent performance of 'The Misanthrope' that uses the Richard Wilbur translations, then you can do so with this one. You might find it enjoyable to listen and read simultaneously. Flex your imaginative powers and make efforts to see the play in the theatre of your mind.

Reading Assignment: 'The Misanthrope' is our next Molière play appreciation, which you can find on page 10 of the second volume of the Richard Wilbur edition. Our discussions continue on alternating weekends, so you have a fortnight to meet the characters, think about the themes, and appreciate the play alongside the rest of your reading. This coming weekend, we will have our next Jane Austen lecture, which I'm tremendously excited about. A few days after Austen, we will be discussing the tragedy of 'Macbeth'. You might find it an interesting exercise to consciously compare Shakespeare and Molière/tragedy and comedy. What differences and similarities do you observe?

Questions to Consider:

1) What would your review of Tartuffe look like?

2) What do you believe to be the function of comedy?

3) What do you make of Molière's characters?

4) What masks do we wear? Why? And when do we not play a part?

And please let us know what how your experience with this play went, and any lines, passages, or ideas that resonated most with you.

Happy reading, everybody!