Who Is Orgon In Tartuffe?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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ORGON,

husband of Elmire

, son of Madame Pernelle, and father of Mariane and Damis, is the central character of the play and comes entirely under the influence of the hypocrite Tartuffe. Yet, whereas Tartuffe is the obvious hypocrite and scoundrel, Orgon is a much more complex character.

Who does Orgon represent in Tartuffe?

ORGON,

husband of Elmire

, son of Madame Pernelle, and father of Mariane and Damis, is the central character of the play and comes entirely under the influence of the hypocrite Tartuffe. Yet, whereas Tartuffe is the obvious hypocrite and scoundrel, Orgon is a much more complex character.

Who is Orgon mother in Tartuffe?

Character Description Elmire:

Armande Béjart-Molière

Wife of Orgon, step-mother of Damis and Mariane
Dorine: Madeleine Béjart housemaid (suivante), who tries to help expose Tartuffe and help Valère and Mariane. Cléante: La Thorillière Brother of Elmire, brother-in-law of Orgon (the play's raisonneur)

Is Orgon in love with Tartuffe?


Orgon becomes infatuated with Tartuffe

and invites him to move into his home. However, the other characters within the comedy see through to the real Tartuffe, who is a man using acts of deception and trickery to develop a relationship with Orgon, who gives him everything and remains a disciple to him.

Is Orgon a king in Tartuffe?

A middle class landowner who

served the King of France

well in a recent civil war, Orgon makes the mistake of placing his trust in the devious, hypocritical Tartuffe. Throughout the play, Orgon bullies his daughter Mariane, disowns his son Damis, and neglects his wife Elmire because of Tartuffe's negative influence.

Is Orgon rich in Tartuffe?

Tartuffe the Character

Most of the characters realize that Tartuffe is a loathsome hypocrite who pretends to be a religious zealot. However,

the wealthy Orgon

and his mother fall for Tartuffe's illusion.

How does Tartuffe betray Orgon?

He plans to force his daughter to marry Tartuffe and to disinherit his son in order to make Tartuffe the sole heir to his fortune. … Orgon finally learns that he has been

betrayed by his guest when he overhears Tartuffe trying to seduce his wife

.

How does Tartuffe end?

Furthermore,

the king has invalidated the deed and has pardoned Orgon for keeping the documents of an exile

. The wise king thinks much more of a man's virtues than he does of a man's mistakes; Orgon's past loyalty to the king is rewarded, and his mistakes are now forgiven.

Who is the antagonist in Tartuffe?

Orgon praises Tartuffe for looking over his family when in reality Tartuffe wasn't looking out for the family; he was trying to seduce Elmire. Antagonist is the person who is opposed to, struggles against, or competes with the protagonist. In Tartuffe the antagonist was

Tartuffe himself

.

Does Marianne marry Tartuffe?

Mariane is daddy's little girl. She loves her guy, Valère, there's no doubt about it, but she's used to saying yes to everything her father Orgon asks. So, as you might expect, she's a little confused when her father asks her to break off her engagement with Valère and

marry Tartuffe

.

What is the moral of Tartuffe?

The main theme of Tartuffe is

hypocrisy—pretending to be something one is not or claiming to believe something one does not

. Some characters in the play are knowingly hypocrites—Tartuffe, the invisible Laurent, and Monsieur Loyal. Other characters—such as Orgon and his mother—do not recognize their own hypocrisy.

Who does Tartuffe attempt to seduce?

Tartuffe tries to seduce

Elmire

, but she fends him off and agrees not to tell Orgon about his attempted seduction if Tartuffe promises to let Mariane marry Valere. Damis overhears everything and threatens to reveal Tartuffe's hypocrisy.

Why is Orgon so fooled by Tartuffe?

Tartuffe is

psychologically messing with Orgon's mind

. He confuses Orgon because Tartuffe should not be defending Damis and because he is, that makes Orgon think that Tartuffe is telling the truth and not Damis.

Is Orgon a hypocrite?

Whereas Tartuffe is the

obvious hypocrite

and scoundrel, Orgon is a much more complex character. Having once adopted a life of piety, Orgon tries to become the epitome of the pious person and goes to absurd extremes both in his words and deeds. …

How does Orgon see Tartuffe?

Orgon calls Mariane in

for a chat

. He wants to know how she feels about Tartuffe. When she acts surprised, he tells her how she's supposed to feel: she respects him, is fond of him, and will marry him.

Is Tartuffe a comedy or tragedy?

Tartuffe is very much a play of the world,

a satiric comedy

. Set in an urban landscape, the play insistently translates the idealized passions of tragedy and romantic comedy—love, honor, loyalty—into their ironic counterparts—lust, hypocrisy, betrayal.

Maria LaPaige
Author
Maria LaPaige
Maria is a parenting expert and mother of three. She has written several books on parenting and child development, and has been featured in various parenting magazines. Maria's practical approach to family life has helped many parents navigate the ups and downs of raising children.