Religious Fanaticism and Hypocrisy in Molière's Tartuffe
This essay examines the theme of religious fanaticism and hypocrisy in Molière's comic play Tartuffe (1664, produced 1669). It traces how the titular character uses a convincing performance of piety to manipulate Orgon and his household for personal gain, while clear-eyed family members see through the deception. Drawing on key scenes and dialogue, the essay argues that Molière was not condemning religion itself but rather satirizing blind devotion, zealotry, and the failure to question the motives of the ostentatiously faithful. The essay also considers how the comic form allowed Molière to critique religious excess without provoking outright condemnation, and how the king's wisdom at the play's conclusion embodies the virtues that true piety — rather than performed devotion — should reflect.
- Introduction: Tartuffe and the Controversy of Religious Satire: Historical context and the play's controversial reception
- Tartuffe's Performance of Piety and His Entry into Orgon's Household: How Tartuffe fakes devotion to gain Orgon's trust
- Family Members Who See Through the Disguise: Cleante and Dorine expose Tartuffe's false spirituality
- Orgon's Blind Faith and the Consequences of Fanaticism: Orgon's credulity endangers his family's wellbeing
- Tartuffe's Claim to Be Above Sin: Tartuffe uses religion to justify seduction and sin
- The Resolution: Wisdom Versus Blind Devotion: The king's wisdom saves Orgon's family from ruin
- Comedy as a Vehicle for Religious Critique: Comic form softens yet sharpens Molière's religious satire
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What makes this paper effective
- The essay consistently grounds its claims in direct textual evidence, quoting key passages of dialogue to illustrate each argument rather than relying on unsupported assertion.
- It maintains a clear, focused thesis — that Molière targets religious fanaticism and credulity, not religion itself — and returns to that thesis throughout each section.
- The paper balances primary source analysis with secondary critical commentary (Crawford), showing the student can synthesize multiple voices into a coherent argument.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The essay demonstrates effective use of textual evidence as argument. Rather than simply summarizing the plot, the writer selects specific quotations from the play and explains what each reveals about Molière's satirical intent. This show-don't-tell approach — quoting Cleante's speech on "empty mummeries" or Tartuffe's seduction justification before analyzing them — is a core close-reading skill that strengthens literary argumentation.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with historical context (the play's controversial reception and delayed production), moves through a character-by-character analysis of who trusts Tartuffe and why, examines specific scenes that expose his hypocrisy, then addresses the resolution and the role of the comic genre. The conclusion ties the thematic argument back to the central thesis. This character-driven, scene-by-scene structure is well suited to a literary analysis essay of this length and complexity.
Introduction: Tartuffe and the Controversy of Religious Satire
Tartuffe: Or, the Hypocrite by Molière is one of the most enduring comedies in the Western dramatic tradition, and one of its most controversial. When Molière first wrote the play, audiences thought he was condemning religion and religious thought outright, making the work deeply controversial. Although he wrote it in 1664, it was not produced on stage until 1669 (Mooney). The play is a parody of religious belief: Tartuffe, the main character, convinces those around him that he is deeply devout, but he is in reality nothing more than a con man determined to extract money and advantage wherever he can. He befriends Orgon and his family not out of genuine affection or faith, but because of what he believes he can gain from them. Only a few perceptive members of the household see through his disguise of religious fervor.
Tartuffe's Performance of Piety and His Entry into Orgon's Household
Tartuffe is a stranger who stumbles into Orgon's family and quickly becomes the object of Orgon's admiration. Orgon treats him like a son and goes so far as to disinherit one of his own children out of his devotion to this newcomer. Orgon first encountered Tartuffe in church, where he seemed to him the very image of piety and faithfulness. Molière describes the meeting through Orgon's own words: "He attracted the notice of the whole congregation by the fervency with which he sent up his prayers to heaven. He uttered sighs, was enraptured, and humbly kissed the ground every moment; and when I went out, he swiftly ran before me to offer me holy water at the door" (Molière, Act I, Scene II). At first, Orgon gives Tartuffe money, which Tartuffe accepts and then shares with the poor — a gesture designed to reinforce his image as a saintly figure. Eventually, Orgon invites him to move in with the family, granting him access and influence far beyond what any stranger should possess.
Family Members Who See Through the Disguise
It becomes clear from the outset that Tartuffe's apparent devotion does not go unquestioned. Dorine, the family's sharp-tongued maid, is one of the first to name the deception plainly. She observes: "His pretended devotion draws money from him at every hour of the day; and assumes the right of commenting upon the conduct of every one of us. Even the jackanapes, his servant, pretends also to read us a lesson; he comes preaching to us with fierce looks, and throws away our ribbons, our paint, and our patches" (Molière, Act I, Scene II). Orgon's brother-in-law Cleante is equally skeptical and more philosophically incisive. He tells Orgon, "The usual clap-trap of your set; they wish everyone to be blind like themselves. To keep one's eyes open is to be a freethinker; and whosoever does not worship empty mummeries has neither respect for, nor faith in, holy things" (Molière, Act I, Scene VI).
This exchange is among the sharpest attacks on religious fanaticism in the play. Orgon trusts Tartuffe largely because of his outward spirituality, assuming that a man so visibly devout must be morally good. Tartuffe's behavior, however, proves precisely the opposite. He is manipulative and self-serving, using religion as a means to exploit his victims. Molière is suggesting that relying too heavily on outward displays of religion and spirituality invites deception, and that anyone can claim to be religious — genuine devotion must be demonstrated through conduct, not proclaimed through words. Later in the same scene, Cleante tells Orgon that true spirituality does not need to announce itself; it is visible through a person's actions. Here again, Molière uses Tartuffe as the embodiment of the religious zealot who speaks so loudly and so constantly of his own piety that the performance rings hollow and false.
References
Crawford, Jerry L. "Tartuffe: Attacking Hypocrisy, Not Religion." Utah Shakespeare Festival, 2007.
Molière. "Tartuffe." Bibliomania, 2008.
Mooney, Timothy. "Tartuffe." Tartuffe in English, 2008.
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