The character of Tartuffe in Molière's Christian play
Tartuffe is the prime example of deceit and deception. He passes himself off as a pious
and religious man who is occupied with giving charity to the poor and, in this guise,
gives moral instruction to all the household member's of his host's family. Under cover
of this deceit and deception, Tartuffe is in actuality attempting to seduce the wife of
his dearest friend and carrying on criminal
activity.
Molière brands Tartuffe as a hypocrite in the
play. In contemporary society, the word "hypocrite" has lost most of its stinging
meaning but, in previous eras, the accusation of being a hypocrite was a serious
religious charge. href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hypocrite">Easton's 1897 Bible
Dictionary, quoted on href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hypocrite">Dictionary.com, may
put the matter in perspective:
Hypocrite: one who
puts on a mask and feigns himself to be what he is not; a dissembler in religion. Our
Lord severely rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy (Matt. 6:2, 5, 16).
"The hypocrite's hope shall perish" (Job 8:13). The Hebrew word here rendered
"hypocrite" rather means the "godless" or "profane," as it is rendered in Jer. 23:11,
i.e., polluted with
crimes.
Therefore that
Molière brands Tartuffe as a hypocrite and contrasts Tartuffe to Cléante and the true
Christian values he lives by is a significant matter of great seriousness, particularly
so since it is abundantly clear from Tartuffe's behavior and activities that the one and
only thing he wants to promote is his own personal agenda of amassing wealth,
possessions, and social esteem--all come by wrongly.
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