nto the care of Tartuffe. He places Tartuffe aboveThe well being of his family. When he returns from his trip and asks Cleante howThe household was while he was gone, Cleante tells him that his wife had beenVery sick. Orgon's odd response is, "Ah. And Tartuffe?". When he hears thatTartuffe has been eating, sleeping, and generally living well Orgon retorts withAnother peculiar response, "Poor fellow!" . Orgon demands thatMariane give up Valere and marry Tartuffe. This again shows how Tartuffe hasTaken over due to Orgon's weakness.: That's wisely said, my Daughter. Say of him then, That he's the very worthiest of men, And that you're fond of him, and would rejoice In being his wife, if that should be my choice. Well? (II, ii, 15) This is obviously not what Mariane wants but Orgon continues to demand thatShe obey him. Although Madame Pernelle is seen as gullible, she is consistent. At theBeginning of the play she ridicules her family and compares them to Tartuffe.She shows how much she is taken by him in this phrase: "Whatever he reprovesDeserves reproof. / He's out to save your souls, and all of you / Must love him,As my son would have you do." (I, i , 52). Near the end of the play when OrgonFinally admits that he was wrong Madame Pernelle still will not believe TartuffeIs not who he pretends to be. She consistently defends the innocence ofTartuffe when she says: "No, my son, i'll never bring / My self to think himGuilty of such a thing." (V, iii, 17)The flaw of weakness is the major driving force in the play. With outThis flaw Tartuffe would have no one on which to practice his conniving ways.Both Orgon and Madame Pernelle are crucial characters to make this play work.Although Tartuffe carries the title of this play, it is well suited to focusMore attention on Orgon and Madame Pernelle and their human weakness. It is my belief that Moliere was a moderate and again...
