Customer Reviews (2)

stickers
Would've given this product a good review were it not for the loud, tacky stickers affixed prominently on front cover, back cover, and spine. I believe these should be mentioned when advertising the book's condition. They are a distracting eyesore & don't come off (obviously or I wouldn't be complaining).

Amusing
The book contains two of Moliere's best known works, "Tartuffe" (about a religious hypocrite) and "The Misanthrope."Clever and incisive, these works provoke commentary and poke fun at human qualities that everyone can relate to. Well worth reading for its humor and social commentary. ... Read more

Book Description
Moliere's prose plays demonstrate both his versatility as a playwright and the reasons for his enduring popularity from the France of Louis XIV to the present. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

excellent read!
great book!The English translations of the French are superb and enjoyable to read! ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (8)

Plays For A Non-play Reader
I rarely read plays (not counting Mr. S.) and rarely read poetry. I'm glad I broke with tradition and read these. I think I went to high school with some of the characters - and 45 years later some of them haven't changed. The plays are so funny that I found myself reading out loud (to myself) using different voices for the characters. I have never done that before and it added to my enjoyment to create a "play" while reading the script.

Most enjoyable - maybe I'll tackle some more plays.

A CLASSIC!
Many people are turned off by the rhyming nature of Tartuffe. Personally I find myself so enthralled with the story that I often fail to notice that the story itself rhymes. Real belly laughs abound as we watch Orgon blindly walk through life, oblivious to the religious-hypocrite's misdeeds. It's an absurd story, but it's meant to be thus. It does miss something if you don't see it performed live but once you have, when you read it as it is presented here, you manage to get full enjoyment!

The Misanthrope exists in much the same credit. This work centers on the protagonist Alceste, whose wholesale rejection of his culture's polite social conventions make him tremendously unpopular. This manifests itself in the primary conflict of the play, which results from Alceste's refusal to compliment a sonnet by Oronte, a character who lacks Alceste's respect for unabashed sincerity.

I'm not as big a fan of The Misanthrope as of Tartuffe but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was very happy to be exposed to the text this way. This is an excellent rendering.

The misanthrope and the religious hypocrite
Moliere's leading characters often have one major negative trait which dictates their behavior throughout the play. In this they often seem to be mechanical stock characters and not flesh- and - blood living human beings. In 'The Misanthrope' Alceste believes he must tell the truth to everyone he sees. This is despite the advice of his best friend Philinte. Alceste alienates everyone. At the same time he is madly in love with with Celimene. He wants her to go away with him to retreat from hypocritical society. She however flirtatious and light - minded prefers society to him. The play closes with Philinte trying to persuade Alceste not to leave society completely.
In the second play in this volume the leading character is a religious hypocrite. He finds his way into the heart and mind of a wealthy gentleman Orgon and dominates his family life. Tartuffe steals his money , leads Orgon to disinherit his son and offer his daughter to Tartuffe in marriage. Tartuffeattempts to seduce Orgon's wife. Orgon is convinced to hide under a table where he overhears Tartuffe's entreaties. Orgon then decides to eject him from the family but cannot. It is only with the intercession of the king that the religious hypocrite is stopped. This play raised a furor in its day and the Church opposed its production. Moliere's patron Louis XIV allowed its production in private but only after five years allowed its public staging.
In both these plays Moliere viciously satires the human propensity to remain fixed and static in one's own character, and reaction to reality. He derides human folly but always with the redeeming grace of laughter.
For the contemporary reader of the work who does not feel the special force of the work in its original language there often may seem something forced and artificial in the work. Moliere's work it seems to me gain much from being staged and to know them truly reading alone is not enough.

"Sincerity in excess / Can get you into a very pretty mess"
Here they are.The Misanthrope and Tartuffe, arguably Moliere's two most famous plays, translated by Pulizter Prize-winner Richard Wilbur, the crown jewels of his poetic output.These translations are performed all the time, and have proved themselves on the modern stage.But the effect of them is not lessened by reading, as this bookshelf-ready edition shows.They are packed with hilarious observations about the pretentions in us all.

The Misanthrope is about a man who tells the harshest truth to everyone but himself; Tartuffe about hypocricy in religion.They read fast and funny, the rhyming couplets of the original faithfully reproduced.The language seems so natural and witty that you think perhaps these plays weren't written in the seventeenth century.But they were, this species of farce being extinct these days, except in rare places like The Simpsons.I can not only unhesitatingly recommend these, but also all of Wilbur's translations of Moliere.It is rare for a comic author to get such a seriously worthy treatment.Hooray!

Brilliant Balletic Comedy & Translation
In both these plays, Wilbur brings Moliere's true genius to real life.Previous translations of Moliere's work pale by comparison to Wilbur's brilliant translations.It was my feeling, that would Moliere by alive today, and writing in American English, he would write the way Wilbur translated it.

In comparison to prose translations in the past, Wilbur, past US Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner, truly gives the reader the real feeling of Moliere's "Balletic Comedy" style, as Moliere used his poetry and comedy to make complex and serious points about life of "regular" people, as opposed to royalty such as Shakespeare concentrated on, and so many other playwrites of the past.

In reading Wilbur's translations, one can virtually imagine the cast prancing and mincing across the stage as they humorously render these rhyming couplets at each other, and the audience.The true genius of both Moliere and Wilbur is illustrated most profoundly and strikingly in these translations.Any true lover of Moliere, and even those who have never read him before, should treat themselves to Wilbur's translations for a Moliere experience, that is unparalleled in any other versions previously published. ... Read more

Book Description
The Misanthrope, Moliere's richly sophisticated comic drama is accompanied in this volume by The Would--be Gentleman, another tale of a dangerously deluded and obsessive hero. Tartuffe dares to take on the subject of religious hypocrisy. Also included are Such Foolish Affected Ladies and Those Learned Ladies, both newly translated for this edition. Finally, The Doctor Despite Himself is a hilarious example of Moliere's long-standing vendetta against the medical profession. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Good Introduction to Moliere - A Comedy of Manners, A Light-Hearted Satire
The Misanthrope (1666) is a short play, one that can be read in a single sitting. Moliere's humorous style has weathered the centuries quite well, and footnotes are not needed.

The protagonist is the misguided misanthrope, Alceste. His distaste for mankind does have one exception.He is enamored with the attractive, vivacious Celimene, but seemingly so is everyone else including Alceste's chief rival, Oronte, the two marquises, Acaste and Clitandre, and unnamed others in the background.

The first scene introduces Philinte, an avowed friend of Alceste, that is unsuccessfully trying to moderate Alceste's adamant refusal to adhere to any social convention, custom, or civility which involves any form of dissimulation or flattery.Philinte argues that Alceste should torment himself a little less about the vices of his period and be more lenient of human nature and foibles. Good sense avoids all extremes.And Philinte questions whether Alceste is perhaps inconsistent in that he applies a different standard to the coquettish Celimene.The more pragmatic Philinte suggests that Celimene's cousin, Eliante, is more sincere and stable, and would be a more compatible choice. With uncompromising honesty Alceste agrees: "It is true; my good sense tells me so every day; but good sense does not always rule love."

As the play proceeds, Moliere's misanthrope does become increasingly irritable with those about him, but I still found Alceste less mean-spirited than other misanthropes found in literature. Despite his sincere philosophical stance, Alceste remains in his awkward, humorous position relative to Celimene. It proves difficult to be a fully committed misanthrope while in love with a coquette.

I am reviewing a Dover Thrift edition reprint of Moliere's famous comedic satire.

No comedy without truth and no truth without comedy
Moliere said that ' there is no comedy without truth, and no truth without comedy'. And his plays are a scathing and humorous depiction of a simplified, and stylized human nature. Whether it is religious hypocrisy in ' Tartuffe' , miserliness in 'The Miser' or misanthropy in ' The Misantrhope' Moliere often focuses on one quality in order to satirize and society and mankind in general. In the Misanthrope the main character Alceste tells the truth to everyone ( except himself) and in so doing alienates everyone. This is against the advice of his best friend Philinte. At the same time he is in love with the frivolous Celimene who he attempts to change by constantly criticizing. He begs that she retire with him away from the corruption of society but she prefers society to him. The play ends with Philinte and his fiancee trying to persuade Alceste to remain.
Moliere writes in a clear, simple direct language and the surface sense of his work is readily understood. His view of human nature is harsh and critical , but redeemed by a comic laughter suggesting we are wiser if we do not take ourselves all that seriously.

"The Misanthrope" Review: An Annoying Play!
"The Misanthrope" - this is the only play I read.This play is superficial and degrades, as always, women.The woman in this play is stereotyped as a flirtatious girl with many suitors.I did not find this play at all a farce and found the rhyming childish and annoying.The play ends without a true ending and will leave you wanting the time you spent reading it back.I do not recommend.

Hysterical
You might not think a play in verse written in the 17th century would be accessible and entertaining today, but this one's hilarious. Somehow the formal rhyming couplets make everything funnier. Get the Donald Frame translation - I've seen some others that weren't nearly as good.

Very relevant
It is my blief that everyone should read this book.I am a high school senior and find it very insightful.In addition to that, it is also very ammusing.It is an accurate commentary on society. ... Read more

Book Description
Molière's long-lost trunk of letters and manuscripts has yet to be found amidst the dust of some Parisian attic, but in spite of that, a story of his life can be told from documentary evidence, reminiscence, gossip and innuendo, and inferences from his plays. He was very much a man of his time and place, and this new biography, the first to be written in English since 1930, places the great actor/playwright in his historical context as the son of well-to-do bourgeois and student at the Jesuit College de Clermont in the 1630's, as one of a group of stage-struck hopefuls and as a vagabond actor in the provinces in the 1640's and 50's, and--from 1658 to his death in 1673--as a clever courtier, a faithful friend, a not-so-faithful lover, a successful and controversial playwright striking out against hypocrisy in religion and medicine, and a cynical survivor of the literary, cultural, and marital wars. Virginia Scott is Professor of Theater at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She has published numerous articles in Theater Survey, Theater Journal, and Theater Research International as well as writing the book The Commedia dellÀrte in Paris, which won the George Freedley Award for the best book in theater studies in 1991. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Overall a good book.
I am a passionate fan of Moliere, so I was quite excited when I ordered this book.Scott does a good job of going over the controversies in his life, as well as letting the reader know when the historical sources fail to shed enough light on important issues in his career.There is however quite a bit of tedious information about circumstances of his time, as well as being written in a style much more personal and informal than I would have expected from Cambridge publishers.Sometimes she takes liberties about his life and motives.

The book has pictures inside, and a wealth of quotes that are also available in their native French at the back of the book which I really enjoyed reading in both languages.

Overall, this book is a great start to the life of one of the greatest satirists of all time in English. ... Read more

Book Description
A detailed introduction to Molière and his plays, this Companion evokes his own theatrical career, his theatres, patrons, the performers and theatre staff with whom he worked, and the various publics he and his troupes entertained with such success. It looks at his particular brands of comedy and satire. L'École des femmes, Le Tartuffe, Dom Juan, Le Misanthrope, L'Avare and Les Femmes savantes are examined from a variety of different viewpoints, and through the eyes of different ages and cultures. The comedies-ballets, a genre invented by Molière and his collaborators, are re-instated to the central position which they held in his uvre in Molière's own lifetime; his two masterpieces in this genre, Le Bourgeois gentilhomme and Le Malade imaginaire, have chapters to themselves. Finally, the Companion looks at modern directors' theatre, exploring the central role played by productions of his work in successive 'revolutions' in the dramatic arts in France. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

My favorite of the Molieres by Wilbur
I've read all but one of Pulitzer-Prize winner Richard Wilbur's translations of French master playwright Moliere.This is my favorite.I was provoked to laugh out loud many times while reading it, something I rarely do with contemporary comedies, much less ones written in the 17th Century. The School for Wives I found more fresh and delightful than any present-day television sit-com and The Learned Ladies had its moments as well (especially the poetry reading by the pedantic Trissotin).

The School for Wives centers around a man, Arnolfe, who is afraid of being cuckolded. He has raised a girl from when she was very young to know nothing but praying and sewing, so that when she marries she will not have the wherewithal to cheat on him. Of course, a young man in the neighborhood happens to see her while Arnolfe is out. In a series of misunderstandings, the young man ends up enlisting Arnolfe's aid in wooing the girl. Arnolfe's every attempt to thwart their union is in turn thwarted by her. She may have been raised ignorant, but she is not stupid.

The Learned Ladies is, in present context, somewhat misogynist. Much of the comedy revolves around the matriarch of a family who rules her household "like a man." The plot again involves young lovers separated by a willful parent. The daughter of the matriarch wants to wed a young man who is equally in love with her but her mother wants her to wed the stuck-up court poet Trissotin. This is really just a pretext for a lot of the deflation of pomposity at which Moliere excels. For those who like the old battle-of-the-sexes screwball comedies, here is a likely progenitor.

The most famous of Moliere's plays are The Misanthrope, The Hypocondriac and Tartuffe.If you've already read them and like them, then I have no reservation recommending this delightful double-header.

Total Joy
Moliere and Wilbur, though they did not, of course, work together, are a match for Gilbert and Sullivan as a wedding of talents. Each of these plays is very funny and full of insights about human vanity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A genre of its own
I read this in the Russian so can't guarantee anything about this translation.

This is a biography, a novel and an experimental work all rolled into one. Bulgakov describes the life of one of the most famous and beloved French playwrights and indeed authors. He goes into the intrigue between him and his enemies, the controversies surrounding his satires, his times and personality. The end result is a magical picture of Moliere's France with the splendour and opulence of the period (the reign of Louis XIV). All this is done in a way that reminds me that common ideas about writing (eg. show don't tell) are just that: ideas. Bulgakov definitely tells more than he shows and the work ends up being a crossover genre piece rather than a straight novel. But this does not detract, in fact his intrusions into the text with respect to the evidence for certain periods in Moliere's life work well.

This may not be a masterpiece of world literature but it depicts Moliere in a very interesting way and it's from a writer who felt a special connection with him because of Bulgakov's own troubles with censorship and being ahead of his time. In fact, he refers to Moliere as a wolf of his time in the book, the same image he speaks of himself in one of his poems about how he was hounded; which makes this a splendid exposition of one literary wolf by another...

A very pro Moliere book that is a pleasure to read.
Mikhail Bulgakov's book The Life of Monsieur de Moliere is a very biased book that is uncritical of the great French writer Moliere.Despite the author's unabashed love of Moliere, the book is a treat from beginning toend.Bulgakov feels an affinity with Moliere because he wrote under atotalitarian regime headed by Stalin in Russia and Moliere wrote during thereign of Louis XIV.Although Moliere certainly had much more freedom thanBulgakov did, he still felt the sting of censorship from religious zealotsand was often persecuted by those whom he made fun of in his plays, (nobles, doctors, the affected ladies of French society).Bulgakov praisesMoliere as the greatest French writer and as one of the greatest comediensever.Indeed history has proven him correct.Three centuries laterMoliere's works are performed in almost every nation in the world.Thegreat joy that Bulgakov feels towards Moliere infuses the entire book(sometimes to the point of unintentional farce.) But he paints a vivid andenergenic portrait of the playwright, actor and director that captures theessence of his work.Many of the details of Moliere's life are unknown andBulgakov does take Moliere's side wherever there is ambiguity.( Forexample, many of his enemies have said that Moliere married his owndaughter and knew that in fact she was his daughter.)Bulgakov refutesthis charge as ridiculous and indeed, without proof, it should bediscounted.Bulgakov takes us from Moliere's birth (a very funny tellingof how the midwife who delivered him couldn't realize he was more importantto history than any royal baby she may have delivered) to his tragicallyironic death right after a performance of his play The Imaginary Invalid. Bulgakov wheres his love of Moliere on his sleeve and it works toperfection in this book.Moliere's plays have an energy that imbues everyverse.This book is the same way. Most other biographies are staid incomparison.They rarely capture the true genius of the great writer andalmost never convey the great fun embodied in his works.MikhailBulgakov's biography is the best book, even though it is biased, everwritten about the great French playwright. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Moliere Would Have Loved This Translation
This play is a treat to read, and I can't wait to see it performed.Moliere, however, must share the spotlight with the translator, Richard Wilbur, who shows an elegant flair for conversational prose.The contemporary American reader lives in a land of waning religiosity, yet one in which theocracy is ironically gaining influence in national politics.It is in this context that we have to smile, if not laugh, when Don Juan says,

"It's no longer shameful to be a dissembler; hypocrisy is now a fashionable vice and all the fashionable vices pass for virtues.The part of the God-fearing man is the best possible role to play nowadays, and in our present society the hypocrite's profession has extraordinary advantages.It's an art whose dishonesty always goes unchallenged...The hypocrite, by means of pious pretenses, attaches himself to the devout, and anyone who then assails him is set upon by a great phalanx of the godly...The true believers are easily hoodwinked by the false...I can't tell you how many men I know who, by means of a feigned devotion, have glossed over the sins of their youth, wrapped themselves in the cloak of religion, and in that holy disguise are now free to be the worst of scoundrels!"

Amazon's rules prohibit me from disclosing the ending, though it has been known for some 331 years, but I will tell you that it leaves Don Juan's valet, Sganarelle, wondering how he'll ever get his back pay.

A Jocular Portrayal of an Immoral Atheist
"What a fine creed that is! So far as I can see, your religion consists of arithmetic." --said to Don Juan by his valet, Sganarelle

Richard Wilbur won the National Book Award, the Pulitzer Prize, and he has served as Poet Laureate of the United States. His translation of Moliere's once censored comedy, Don Juan (1665), successfully conveys to English readers not only the words but also the humor of the original. For his translation, Wilbur wrote an insightful Introduction explicating the play's moral subtleties.

The play's renowned French comic dramatist, Moliere (1622-1673), previously authored Tartuffe (1664), a comedy lampooning religious hypocrisy. However, Tartuffe offended pious sensibilities to the point that performances of it halted prematurely. As observed in Wilbur's Introduction, Moliere may have hoped to placate religious militants opposed to Tartuffe with a comedy about a young, wealthy, atheistic, amorous scoundrel that gets his just punishment in hell.

However, if placation of religious scruples partially motivated Moliere to select the Don Juan character, his intention failed. The comedy outraged the pious, forcing him to make cuts after the first performance. Like Tartuffe, Don Juan closed early although it was a box-office success. Wilbur suggests that the primary reason it offended is its moral ambiguity. For although Don Juan gets his just punishment for his wickedness, mockery of orthodoxy is just below the surface of the plot.

For example, in Act 1, Scene 1, orthodox beliefs are implicitly put on a par with superstition when Don Juan's valet, Sganarelle, reports that his master "doesn't believe in Heaven, or Hell, or werewolves even." In Act 3, Scene 1, Sganarelle asks if Don Juan believes in Heaven, Hell, and the Devil, to each of which he makes plain his disbelief. Finally, Sganarelle asks if he believes in the Bogeyman, and he answers, "Don't be an idiot." Sganarelle then objects, "Now there you go too far, for there's nothing truer in this world than the Bogeyman; I'll stake my life on that." Thus, Moliere casts a nincompoop as an apologist of orthodoxy.

Another offensive characterization is the pious Poor Man in Scene 2 of Act 3. He is an idiot living alone for ten years in the woods praying for the prosperity of those who give him alms while he himself lacks "a crust of bread to chew on." Don Juan suggests that he worry less about others and pray to Heaven for a coat. Offering him a gold coin, Don Juan says, "Here it is, take it. Take it, I tell you. But first you must blaspheme." The Poor Man replies, "No, Sir, I'd rather starve to death."

Perhaps most offensive is Don Juan's explanation of why he has decided to become a religious hypocrite in Act 5, Scene 2. Being a hypocrite will make it easier to hide his misconduct and make obtaining forgiveness easier by repentance if found out. Moreover, being the hypocrite will enable him to accuse his enemies of impiety, thereby stirring up against them "a swarm of ignorant zealots."

Thus, in Moliere's Don Juan, nothing is sacred, and Richard Wilbur's translation captures every outrageous bit of it. Buy it, read it and laugh!

Scrumptious
I had no intention ofreading a romance type novel, I dont even read them and I happenned to pick this up , just to pass the time while I waited in line. Iwas mesperized and laughing by the time I was at the front of the line. I putt back the book I was going to buy and bought this. You wont be disappointed. Perfect reading for a cold snowy night! ... Read more

Book Description

Condemned and banned for five years in Molire's day, Tartuffe is a satire on religious hypocrisy. Tartuffe worms his way into Orgon's household, blinding the master of the house with his religious "devotion," and almost succeeds in his attempts to seduce his wife and disinherit his children before the final unmasking.

Customer Reviews (30)

The Facades and Scandals of the Seventeenth Century and Today
Intriguing and entertaining, the play Tartuffe is a satire displaying the scandalous truths and facades of the seventeenth century. Although initially written for the people of King Louis the XIV, the book can be read by an every day high school student or adult. Through reading the play the audience is able to see the deception of people and that we can not always judge by what we see. Moliere brings about this concept through his witty play, and in such a manner that you can't put it down. In Tartuffe, Moliere uses the characterization, rhyme scheme, setting, and irony to effectively inform an every day audience about the distinction between appearances versus reality.

Characterization of Tartuffe

The perfect example of a hypocritical facade is displayed in the characterization of Tartuffe; in fact the name can be defined as one resembling false piety of religion.Tartuffe's character doesn't appear until nearly the middle of the play and the first image the audience receives is of him demanding his servant to, "hang up my hair-shirt, put my scourge in place, and pray Laurent for Heaven's perpetual grace. I'm going to prison now, to share my last few coins with the poor wretches there." (Tartuffe 3.2). The scourge and hair-shirt are used as a means of penance and chastisement. Religious ascetics will operate these items in private, showing their true devotion to God and to no one else. Tartuffe, however, made it obvious to the entire household what he was doing. Cleante, the character of reason, expounds upon Tartuffe's character, "those whose hearts are truly pure and lowly, don't make a flashy show of being holy. There is a vast difference it seems to me, between true piety and hypocrisy." (Tartuffe 1.5). If Tartuffe was truly pious, he wouldn't need ratification from others for his good deeds, self-satisfaction would suffice. Although Tartuffe appears holy and raves about his goodness, in reality it is just for show.

Another example of Tartuffe's hypocrisy occurs with Dorine. He tells Dorine to "cover that bosom, girl. The flesh is weak; such sights as that can undermine the soul." (Tartuffe 3.2). Tartuffe might appear offended by the act of seeing a women's chest, however, he doesn't have a problem with sleeping with another man's wife. In the next scene Tartuffe's counterfeit façade is dissolved with Elmire and he offers her "love without scandal, and pleasure without fear" if she will commit adultery with him. To Tartuffe "it is no sin to sin in confidence" and though "some joys are wrong in heaven's eyes, heaven is not averse to compromise." (Tartuffe 4.5). In the scriptures, committing adultery is the third worst sin to commit in God's eyes. Moliere uses this example of Tartuffe's character to expose the many scandals occurring in the seventeenth century with the priests and their inability to remain celibate. Despite the fact priests and those who act pious [such as Tartuffe] appear holy, in reality they sometimes use young girls, committed adultery, and partake in many other scandals.

Not only does Tartuffe aspire to sleep with another man's wife, but also he indulges in the seven deadly sins. While Orgon is away from the house, Tartuffe ate "a leg of mutton and a brace of pheasants,""snored away until the break of day," and "drank four beakers full of port." (Tartuffe 1.4) Tartuffe is supposed to be a devout follower of the son of God. Nonetheless he overstuffs himself, eats too much meat, drinks and oversleeps. Orgon tries defend Tartuffe by saying he "gave him gifts, but in his humbleness he'd beg me every time to give me less." What Orgon doesn't understand is that a Christ-like figure would not accept gifts, and Tartuffe still takes them in, along with wishing to overtake Orgon's household. Tartuffe's sanctimonious display allows the audience to effectively see that he is a hypocrite. Moliere makes it a point to the audience that just because someone appears holy, it does not always hold true and in reality they could be hypocrites.

Characterization of Orgon

Moliere uses the characterization of Orgon to portray a father attempting to control his household when in reality Orgon is gullible and Tartuffe is running the household. Orgon enforces his "fatherly role" upon Mariane telling her Tartuffe is "to be your husband, is that clear" because "it's a father's privilege." (Tartuffe 2.1). He also repeatedly orders the other members in the family around, announcing he is the one giving the orders in the household. (Tartuffe 3.6). Although Orgon attempts to be the one giving the orders in the house, Tartuffe depicts Orgon as growing "more gullible by the day" and that he "could lead him by the nose." (Tartuffe 4.5) Tartuffe is able to get Orgon to sign papers to make him Orgon's only son and heir and eventually Tartuffe takes over Orgon's household. Moliere uses this example to effectively inform his audience that even though we appear to be in control of situations, giving someone too much power and being gullible can lead to a reversal of fortune.

Rhyme Scheme

Another tool Moliere uses to show the difference between appearance and reality is through the rhyme scheme. Moliere employs rhymed couplets to amplify the reading tempo. A rhymed couplet is two lines where the ending syllable of each line rhymes. For example: "there is nothing that I more cherish and admire than honest zeal and true religious fire." (Tartuffe 1.5). The prompt reading symbolizes the frantic disorder of Orgon's household. Although the family tries to put on a façade that they are a perfect aristocratic family of the time, in reality turmoil and conflict subsist throughout the household. This example was true of many families of the time and is also true today.

Setting

The setting also portrays the turmoil of the home and augments the pace of the play. The whole play takes place in the same room in Orgon's home and the characters are constantly entering and exiting the room. This causes chaos and confusion resembling the situation of the family. Moliere efficiently informs the audience that although households [in the 1600s or today] may appear to be perfect on the outside, if you dig a little deeper into the reality, they can be muddled.

Dramatic Irony

Moliere also utilizes irony to expose the difference between demeanor and veracity to the audience. On two occasions the play uses the dramatic irony of Damis or Orgon hiding in a closet or under the table while a conversation between Elmire and Tartuffe is occurring. The first instance has Damis hidden in a closet and the audience gets a whim of Tatuffe's true character. Although Tartuffe "may be pious, he is human too." (Tartuffe 3.3). Tartuffe starts touching Elmire and proclaiming his lusts for her and his pious mask becomes undone. It is not until the second occurrence of dramatic irony that Tartuffe's façade is completely gone and the reality of his lasciviousness is unveiled. Tartuffe tells Elmire "to be his pupil" and he will show her "how to conquer scruple." (Tartuffe 4.5). Once again the audience can see the hypocrisy of Tartuffe.Moliere uses this tool of dramatic irony to show the audience that we can not always believe what we see because, once we truly get to know someone they can be a completely different person than they appeared.

I would highly recommend this book to all people fifteen and over because not only does Moliere give you insights on life, but also he is very entertaining and satirical. Due to the rhymed couplets, the book is a very quick read and it is enjoyable because of the irony and witty diction used throughout.Tartuffe is guaranteed to make you laugh and it will institute deep thinking for those wanting to read an academic work.

Excellent for those who love satire
For those who knows Shakespeare's story, "Othello", it's amazing how similar this is.The only difference is the knowledge of situation by the sharp-tongued maid.Oh, and the deus ex machina ending that abruptly steals the remainder of your breath away (after having laughed so hard at the ridiculous, satirical antics of the antagonist and the idiocy of the protagonist).If you enjoy French humor, this is for you.If not, or if you prefer to cross the thin line between comedy and tragedy, read Othello instead.

Dover is Not the Wilbur translation!
Beware! The Dover edition is NOT the wonderful Wilbur poetry translation. It is a lumbering, stilted prose translation based on an 18th century version. The play comes through, but barely. Since no translator was listed and so many reviewers indicated that this was the Wilbur version, I ordered this for my theatre class to read -- disaster! Spend the money on the Wilbur -- it's worth it.

Pleasant & Witty
This book satirizes the conventions of the time period it was written.It is extremely funny, if you can understand it. The translation is a bit difficult, not for the common reader.I had to truly concentrate to understand everything.
It is short and concise, for those who like a fast accelerating plot.

A simply delightful read!
I was required to read this book for a course I am taking at Univeristy. I found Tartuffe to be a simply delightful and fun read.The (rhyming) prose is translated well, although I question if the original meter was consistent throughout the play or not. The english meter is not.Tartuffe pokes fun at the neo-classical era religious hypocrite.Even today,hundreds of years after the writing of this book I still found myself laughing at Moliere's jokes and wit. ... Read more

Book Description
These are the best of Moliere's masterful one-acts, blending broad farce and pointed wit to express his never-ending delight in human foibles. But Moliere is more than just the "master of the laugh," for behind the comic gestures of these matchless rogues, tight-fisted masters, possessive lovers and elegant ladies lurk fears, insecurities and their consequences. Includes: The Jealous Husband, The Flying Doctor, Two Precious Maidens Ridiculed, The Imaginary Cuckold, The Rehearsal at Versailles, The Forced Marriage, The Seductive Mistress. ... Read more

Book Description
The classic works of literature contained in each of these volumes represent each author's best and most famous writings. A wonderful introduction to world literature, this finely crafted and affordable series offers the works of these world-renowned authors to a wider audience. Includes The Doctor In Spite of Himself, The Hypochondriac, The Miser, and Tartuffe.

Las obras clásicas de literatura en cada volumen son una representación de los mejores y más famosos escritos de los autores. Una introducción maravillosa a la literatura universal, esta serie hermosamente diseñada pone las obras de los autores mundialmente conocidos al alcance de todos. ... Read more

Book Description
For anyone who wants to understand Moliere's plays, this book is a perfect introduction. It features a comprehensive and thorough examination of Moliere's most performed plays, and it is a great asset to own. For a great playwright like Moliere, it helps very much to have a clearly written guide to assist in the navigation of such a large body of important work. ... Read more

Book Description
In The Doctor in Spite of Himself, Moliere's scalpel-sharp satire of the medical profession, Sganarelle's wife spreads the word the he is secretly a brilliant doctor who won't reveal his skills unless he is unmercifully punished. The Bourgeois Gentleman, Moliere's classic treatment of snobbery, presents Monsieur Jordain's obsessive desire to move up out of the ranks of the middle class and associate with the gentry. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

clear and modern translations of great plays
Bermel's translations are funny and sharp and a little bawdier than most, but they will appeal more to modern audiences reared on Mtv and reality shows. The Doctor is especially sharp and would make an excellent piece for college theatre groups. Both bring forth Moliere's satire beautifully.

A Bad Translation?
These are two comdedies that fail in a modern sense: a woodcutter as a doctor
and a middle class fellow who wants "Culture".Coming from California
I have felt the sting of New York/ east coast snobbery and
wanted to be able to reply.So the Bourgeois Gentleman
isn't funny to me: it is cruel.The Army made a medic of me
despite of my religious history, so I sympathize with the poor woodcutter.
Had the translation been better the plays might have survived them,
but it fails the humor of the plays and they fall flat. ... Read more

Book Description
This volume of Moliere's dramatic commentaries on society presents The Miser, a misguided hero who obsessively disrupts the lives of those around him. The School for Wives is newly translated for this edition and was fiercely denounced as impious and vulgar. Moliere's response to his detractors became The School for Wives Criticized. Even more alarming to critics was his version of Don Juan. In The Hypochondriac, he produced an outrageous expose of medicine. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

the miser and other plays
moliere is one of the great comic genuises of our time. The miser, which is perhaps the most well known and definately my personal favorite play in this book, is a great example of his quick wit and irony. this translation,while for clarity completely perfect, seems to stray a little from otherand more beautiful translations of this play i have read. However, what atreat for the actor and the reader alike. Second only to the misanthrope(and maybe Tartuffe) this, one of Moliere's classics, is a must read. Notealso, for the actor, that there are some wonderful scenes that requiregreat timing in this play and would be wonderful as a duo audition piece. ... Read more

Book Description
Seven plays by the genius of French theater.

Including The Ridiculous Precieuses, The School for Husbands, The School for Wives, Don Juan, The Versailles Impromptu, and The Critique of the School for Wives, this collection showcases the talent of perhaps the greatest and best-loved French playwright. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

tartuffe
very funny satire and wonderful reading. It is amazing how you can relate ... Read more

Book Description
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, also known as Molière (1622- 1673) was a French playwright and actor who is considered one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature. He studied at the Jesuit Clermont College, then left to begin a life in the theatre. Thirteen years on the road as an actor helped him to polish his comic abilities, while he also began writing combining Commedia dell'Arte elements with the more refined French comedy. Through the patronage of a few aristocrats including the brother of Louis XIV, he procured a command performance before the King at the Louvre. He was granted the use of the Salle du Petit-Bourbon at the Louvre and the Palais-Royal. He found success among the Parisians with plays such as The Affected Ladies, The School for Husbands and The School for Wives. This royal favour brought a royal pension to his troupe and the title "Troupe du Roi" (The King's Troupe). His satires attracted criticisms from moralists and the Church. Tartuffe; or, The Hypocrite roundly received condemnations from the Church while Don Juan was banned from performance. ... Read more