Tartuffe

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Tartuffe is a classic French comedy by Molière, first performed in 1664. It’s a farce about a man named Orgon who trusts Tartuffe, a beggar who pretends to be deeply pious. Tartuffe charms Orgon and even wants to marry Orgon’s daughter, while secretly trying to take the family’s money and home. Elmire, Orgon’s wife, sees Tartuffe’s hypocrisy and tries to prove it.

Orgon’s son Damis overhears Tartuffe boasting about his deceit, but Tartuffe turns the tables and accuses Damis of lying. Orgon, swayed by Tartuffe, banishes Damis and gives Tartuffe control of the household. Elmire then tests Tartuffe by inviting him to a private meeting, with Orgon secretly listening. Tartuffe’s piety proves false as he makes explicit advances toward Elmire, showing his true nature.

Soon after, a letter plot twists everything: Tartuffe reveals dangerous information about the king, and an officer arrives to arrest Orgon. In a surprising turn, Tartuffe is arrested instead for his long criminal history, and the king forgives Orgon, restores the family’s property, and allows Valère to marry Mariane. The play ends with the family grateful to be saved from disgrace.

Tartuffe caused real controversy because it mocked religious hypocrisy. The Archbishop of Paris banned public performances, and Molière revised the drama as L’Imposteur in 1667. A final, more accepted version, Tartuffe ou l’Imposteur, appeared in 1669 with the king’s support. Since then, Tartuffe has remained a staple of French theatre, and the term tartuffe has entered common language to describe a hypocritical pretender.