Jean-Baptiste Moliere’s play of 1664, Tartuffe, explores various topics although the role of men and women in society is the one that stands out the most. The play was written during the Enlightenment era when women were not perceived as significant figures, although the author presented women differently. The social structure considered women to be dull, modest, and soft-spoken. However, Moliere presents the women to act entirely in contrast to the established social expectations and norms. The women’s strong demeanor and mind is a fresh intake for their audiences in the time. Accordingly, Moliere integrates feminism by revealing that women were capable of being independent and rational. He depicted women as significant, using them to show that the male character, Orgon, had been captivated by hypocrisy (Moliere 120). Accordingly, Moliere proves that he does not believe that men are superior to women, proving his point through characters Elmire, Dorine, and Mariane, who effectively undermine the social patriarchy when they expose the vices of Orgon and Tartuffe.
Moliere demonstrates most feminism through Dorine, who is the most outspoken woman in the play. Dorine does not usually engage in ideas that she does not consider wise. She is the loudest person on Mariane’s issue of not getting married to Tartuffe and persuades Orgon not to believe in the hypocritical agenda by Tartuffe. In act two in the play, Moliere reveals Dorine’s feminine attitude, where she convinces Mariane and Valere that their marriage will not succeed. Dorine also shows them that it would be difficult for Tartuffe to accomplish her marriage with Mariane, a piece of advice she gives contrary to Orgon’s wishes (Moliere 122). She drafts a plan to stop Mariane and Tartuffe’s marriage, noting that “this marriage to Tartuffe would be a crime, we have to stop it” (Moliere 2.4.123-124). Her plan represents the total opposite of what is anticipated of her. The fact that she developed the plan that people believe women could not prove that she was not afraid of being blunt and outspoken.
Dorine is essentially a solid woman who demonstrates high independence and intelligence. She critically criticizes Mariane for submitting to male domination and failing to be firm on her decisions that she does not want to get married to Tartuffe. She also continually portrays her sensible and strong nature. She does not hesitate to contradict Orgon’s plans because she does not deem them as the best. Together with Elmire, she highly values her moral obligations, intelligence, and sense of duty. Her courage and strength help Mariane not surrender to her father’s desires, which was an uncharacteristic nature of women during the enlightenment (Moliere 4.8). Although women were supposed to be inferior to men in this era, Dorine’s character shows a distinct attitude as opposed to the socially accepted woman. Dorine’s overall tone throughout the play is candid, reflecting the author’s attempt to persuade the audience that she was not a significant person by making her Mariane’s lady maid. Making Dorine a lady maid to Mariane, the author automatically generates the impression of a not outspoken woman. Albeit not being given any significant authority during the time when the play occurred. Moliere adopted Dorine’s character to convey irony and make the audience think past the first impression (Moliere 62). Dorine serves the role of a sassy, snappy person; she provides significant advice to others, which appears to help.
Besides, Moliere also uses Elmire to also demonstrate the contradictory role of women during the enlightenment era. Unlike Dorine, Elmire is not blunt and outspoken, but she displays feminism in a distinctive way. She was the second wife to Orgon and she is defined as the most beautiful woman in the entire play. Thus, her youthfulness keeps many interested in her despite being married. She intelligently turns her disadvantage as a woman in society into a benefit by using it rationally. When Tartuffe approaches her for love, she accepts him immediately but instead waits for an effective time which she uses to blackmail him (Moliere 97). Hence, this enables her to pursue her family’s goal of ensuring that her step-daughter is married, an issue that men can only decide. Moliere shows Elmire as an intelligent and soft-spoken character. She is essentially a perfect depiction of the ideal woman during the Enlightenment era, although she utilizes her intelligence to reflect her power. Elmire emerges with a realistic solution to reveal Tartuffe’s diabolic ways to Orgon during the play.
Despite that Orgon was absurdly convinced that Tartuffe is not the person who everyone thinks he is. Accordingly, Elmire develops a plan to ensure that Mariane changes his perception of Tartuffe. Since she knew that Tartuffe had was in love with her, she used her astuteness to hoax him back into his hypocritical character. She states, “I have a plan, but for it to succeed, you must be hidden” (Moliere 4.5.4-5). Her plan shows her high comprehension levels. Understanding that Elmire could structure such a tactic shows information that supersedes assumptions developed by the audience in which the author characterizes her as a submissive woman. When finishing her task of making Orgon recognize Tartuffe’s hypocritical persona, Elmire still serves the role of a wife and does not allow her intelligence to outdo her life as a woman. She continually recognizes and treats her husband as the head of their household and does not strip him of his masculinity; rather, she only protects him from being brainwashed by hypocrisy.
Furthermore, Moliere uses Mariane to show societal expectations of women during the enlightenment era. Mariane is a submissive, obedient woman who “refrains from outwardly expressing her opinion” (Moliere 137). Mariane respects her father Orgon, to the extent that she does not know how to oppose his demands of having her forcefully Tartuffe. In her discussion with her father, she notes, “I know father, that I am your creation, that you’re the one who’s given life to me. Why would you now fill it with misery” (Moliere 4.3.13). In the conversation, she tries to use her power to manipulate her father’s emotions and make him guilty of his actions. Her successful strategy shows that she has a voice, although she is not outspoken as others. Hence, although she is shown as a modest character, she can also easily defend her concerns. Mariane confronts her father that if she agrees to marry Tartuffe, she would be lying. Her father is too determined to marry her off to Tartuffe and hence brushes off her feelings (Moliere 138). Therefore, in the enlightenment era, it does not matter if a woman’s decision is rational or morally right, as it would still be rejected as the social system was patriarchal and all critical decisions were to be made by men.
In conclusion, women serve a critical role in the play. Dorine and Elmire are depicted as outstanding women whose actions shaped the play’s direction and assisted other characters in the play despite the fact that women were not called upon to participate in key decision-making processes within the society. The two women have different attributes than that of typical women during the enlightenment era. They cross barriers that other women cannot dare to cross, and they do it very confidently, clarifying that even then, women could hold as much societal responsibility as the man. Usually, most women during the era were like Mariane, as they were obedient and submissive to the social structure which promoted patriarchy. Therefore, Dorine and Elmire did a lot to help her from being forcefully married to Tartuffe. The play shows that women, similar to men, can make independent, intelligent decisions when they expose the flaws of men like Orgon and Tartuffe, using deceitful, intelligent ways.
Work Cited
Moliere, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin. Tartuffe. Anthology, 2015.
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