Strong Women Depicted in Tartuffe

Strong Women Depicted in Tartuffe

Traditional power structures between men and women are challenged in, Jean Baptiste Moliere's play, Tartuffe. Through the characters of Mariane and Dorine, we see how traditional ideals are challenged in a society where women are generally seen and not heard. These women demonstrate the importance of flowing one's own heart when it comes to personal matters and they prove to be strong females characters because they do not submit to societal customs of their day. Dorine may be a maid, but that does not stop her speaking her mind. She is quick on her feet and just as quick to speak. She is strong and without her, Mariane would have never found the courage to stand up to her father. Mariane, a woman less vocal that Dorine, becomes a stronger woman because of her father's restraints. By forcing her to marry Tartuffe, he is forcing her to commit to a life of misery. She loves Valere and she should be with him. After some time, Mariane faces her father and becomes a strong woman as a result. Dorine and Mariane illustrate that women do not always need to be submissive and sometimes it is better when they speak up for what is right. They defy the system and make a difference as a result.

Dorine is a woman that is not afraid to speak her mind regardless of her place in society. Mariane is not timid and very vocal about how she feels and it is very interesting to watch her communicate with those around her because she known to be quite a chatterbox. While she may be prone to talking too much, she is right when it comes to Mariane's marriage. A strong and opinionated woman, Dorine is against Mariane's marriage to Tartuffe from the very beginning and asks Orgon, "Would you, without some compunction, give a girl like her to a man like him?" (124). In addition, she tells him that Mariane's "virtue is in danger when her choice is thwarted in her marriage" (125). Dorine also tells Mariane that she should tell Orgon that she "should not marry by proxy" (127) and if he is so charmed by Tartuffe, he should "marry him himself without let or hindrance" (127). She goes on to declare that Orgon is a "downright churl" (128) and any father that demands that his daughter marry an "ape" (129) deserves to be disobeyed. Dorine is not only opinionated but she is clever as well. Upon hearing that Mariane would rather die than marry Tartuffe, she immediately begins hatching a plan to fake Marian's death. Here we see a strong female character voicing her opinion to practically anyone that will listen to her. She may be a know-it-all but in this circumstance, a know-it-all is preferable to one that knows absolutely nothing.

Mariane, on the other hand, is character that evolves as the play progresses. In the beginning of the play, she bends to her father's will as far as marrying Tartuffe. The importance of children obeying their father is demonstrating in this act because Mariane is in love with Valere. She tells Dorine how much she and Valere are in love and if her father pushes her to marry Tartuffe she will kill herself. She is fully aware of the circumstances around her but she is fearful of making a stand on her on behalf. Mariane does not have the gumption to stand up to her father and she only gains that strength after several discussions with Dorine and Valere. She finally musters up the strength to confront her father and asks him not to force her into a marriage with Tartuffe. She goes as far as to offer her share of her inheritance to Tartuffe and begs her father to leave her out of any of his deals with Tartuffe. Here we see how she has gained the courage to speak to her father even though it seems as though her pleading has done very little on her behalf. The important thing to note is that she did have the strength to face him and express her feelings.