Moliere Tartuffe genre. Jean-Baptiste Moliere - Tartuffe, or the Deceiver

In the acclaimed film "Last lesson"(2008) by Jean-Paul Lilienfeld, teacher Sonia Bergerac (played by the wonderful Isabelle Adjani) tells her students about Moliere during a lesson. I would like to talk about it in this short review. I think that everyone who watched this film will forever remember that his real name is Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, the son of an upholsterer. Moliere became the leading playwright of the time of King Louis XIV. I think that my readers have watched another French film - "The King Is Dancing"(2000), where the role of the outstanding comedian was played by the French actor of Turkish origin Tcheky Karyo. The works of this author have been staged and filmed several times, including here. Moliere is one of the most popular French authors. Among the connoisseurs of his work is one of the greatest Frenchmen, Emperor Napoleon I, who watched the comedy “Tartuffe,” which I intend to talk about, more than 10 times and said: “The world is a great comedy, where for every Moliere there are a dozen Tartuffes”. I think that these words of the great emperor can be considered a kind of epigraph to the further text.

Our sovereign is the enemy of lies. From his vigilance
Deception and trickery cannot hide.
He shows vigilant insight
And, seeing the essence of things, he executes injustice.
He does not obey the voice of passions,
This great mind does not know extremes.
He crowns the worthy with immortal glory,
But their zeal does not blind him,
And rewarding them for their good deeds,
He strictly monitors the machinations of evil.
Could the insidious tricks of this creature
Do not immediately raise doubts in the sovereign,
Revealing many and not such intrigues?
He penetrated into the convolutions of the villainous soul.
The informer, having betrayed you, fell into his own network.
There is truth and law. Having seen these tricks,
Under his new name the sovereign recognized him
A daring villain, about whom I heard of old.
The king has known his affairs for a long time:
Their dirty list could be filled with
The ingratitude that he showed here,
The monarch was angered by an inveterate rogue,
And the cup overflowed from this drop.
For this purpose I was sent with him to your dwelling,
To let him reach the end in shamelessness
And after that, humiliate the insolent person in front of you.
The papers that the scoundrel got his hands on
By the will of the king, sir, I return it to you.
He deigns to terminate the contract,
According to what the daring thief planned
Appropriate this house and your entire estate.
And, moreover, the king grants you forgiveness,
At least your rebellious friend received help from you.
All these favors to you in honor of past merits
Provided now when you are not expecting them, -
Let everyone know how much the king is held in esteem
Good zeal. His soul is generous.
And its rules are not to forget goodness.

Having defeated the Fronde, His Royal Majesty set about strengthening his own power and its authority among the noble classes, above all. It is worth noting that in 1663, one of Louis Colbert’s prominent ministers organized the “Academy of Inscriptions,” which was supposed to write inscriptions for monuments and medals glorifying the king. In fact, art was declared a state matter, and artists were given direct instructions to glorify unlimited royal power, reflecting the ideals of absolutism. And Moliere steadily embodied this policy in his work. Here, perhaps, it is impossible not to agree with the words of Galina Ivankina in a LiveJournal post on the topic of relations between power and the creative elite: “We remember the Father of Peoples, Comrade Stalin. And why, in this case, not compare the Great Style of Comrade Stalin with the Great Style of the Sun King? Two rulers - two Great Styles. Ultimately, Mikhail Bulgakov, turning to the topic of Moliere and Louis, kept in mind precisely his personal - complex and contradictory - relationship with Joseph Vissarionovich". Here we are talking about the biography of the playwright "The Life of Monsieur de Molière", written by Bulgakov in the 30s for the ZhZL series, but never published then. If we talk about Stalin, then we should not forget, I believe, about his relationship with, to whom the leader ordered to write a trilogy about Russian victories over foreign invaders, and before that he praised his book.

In general, if we turn to the social-class character of the play, we can note that this is a work written by a representative of the third estate, where the scene of action is the house of the wealthy Parisian bourgeois Orgon. It is he who is rewarded in the end for his loyalty to the king. Such a move may well be considered a kind of political hint. It is worth noting that the theme of the French bourgeoisie, which was gaining strength and weight, which sought to participate in politics, in government affairs, in this era of active development of French capitalism, which was facilitated by the very competent policy of Colbert (by the way, a native of the third estate), was embodied in a number of other works by Moliere. For example, the famous play "A tradesman among the nobility". By the way, what’s interesting is that this was a state order directed against social elevators for commoners, which Natalya Androsenko very clearly notes in her article. Nine years earlier in the play "Funny primps" Moliere exposed the then salon opposition to royal absolutism. But let's return to our play.

The production of the first edition of Tartuffe in 1664 outraged the king's mother, the famous Anna of Austria, to the extreme. Moliere was accused of insulting religion and the church, demanding punishment for this; as a result, performances of the play were banned. In 1667, Moliere created the second edition of the play (like the first, it has not reached us). The final, third edition. Which we have the opportunity to read today was created in 1668 and first staged on February 9, 1669. The play was a huge success. There were furious attacks against her, led by such officials as the President of the Paris Parliament, Lamoignon, and the Parisian Archbishop Perefix. “In this comedy, Moliere turned to the most common type of hypocrisy in those days - religious - and wrote it based on his observations of the activities of a secret religious society - the “Society of the Holy Gifts”, which was patronized by Anna of Austria. The king did not give sanction to the open activities of this ramified organization, which had existed for more than 30 years; the activities of the society were surrounded by the greatest mystery. Acting under the motto “Suppress all evil, promote all good,” members of the society set their main task to fight freethinking and godlessness. Having access to private homes, they essentially performed the functions of a secret police, conducting covert surveillance of those they suspected, collecting facts supposedly proving their guilt, and on this basis handing over alleged criminals to the authorities. Members of the society preached severity and asceticism in morals, had a negative attitude towards all kinds of secular entertainment and theater, and pursued a passion for fashion. Moliere observed how members of the “Society of the Holy Sacrament” insinuatingly and skillfully infiltrated other people’s families, how they subjugated people, completely taking possession of their conscience and their will. This suggested the plot of the play, and Tartuffe’s character was formed from typical traits inherent in members of the “Society of the Holy Sacrament.” Like them, Tartuffe is connected with the court, with the police, and is patronized at court. He hides his true appearance, posing as an impoverished nobleman looking for food on the church porch. He penetrates into Orgon’s family because in this house, after the owner’s marriage to young Elmira, instead of the former piety, free morals, fun reign, and critical speeches are heard. In addition, Orgon's friend Argas, a political exile, participant in the Parliamentary Fronde (1649), left him incriminating documents, which are stored in the box. “Society” might well have found such a family suspicious, and such families were under surveillance.” Moreover, not only Tartuffe is hypocritical in the play, but also other characters - his servant Laurent, who “matches him,” the bailiff Loyal, and Orgon’s old mother Madame Pernelle. However, the play not only exposes hypocrisy, but also poses an important question - why did Orgon allow himself to be deceived? “The reason for this is the inertia of Orgon’s consciousness, brought up in submission to authority. This inertia does not give him the opportunity to critically comprehend the phenomena of life and evaluate the people around him. If Orgon nevertheless acquires a sensible view of the world after Tartuffe’s exposure, then his mother, old woman Pernelle, a stupidly pious supporter of inert patriarchal views, never saw Tartuffe’s true face.”. But he was immediately seen by the younger generation, united by the maid Dorina, who led the fight against the rogue (in general, this is a quite typical image of a resourceful maid in European drama, who helps her masters achieve their goal and find happiness).

This play is not only topical, but also eternal. That is why she is so popular and does not lose interest in herself in our time. Your humble servant once played in her production, playing the role of bailiff Loyal. Actually, it was then that I first became acquainted with this outstanding work of the great French author. Re-reading this comedy once again, I decided that it was definitely worth writing this text about it, especially since, in some ways, it overlaps with the novel by Dumas the Father "Twenty Years Later", since we are talking about approximately the same time and place - France in the 17th century during the reign of Louis XIV. Moreover, due to the direction of my thinking, I have always been interested in the historical and political context of these works. And it is for this reason that I believe that today they have not lost their relevance - both the text of the 17th century and the novel of the mid-century of the 19th.

Madame Pernelle leaves her son's house in great indignation. She believes that everyone will contradict her. She calls Dorina, her granddaughter Mariana's maid, a loud rude woman, and her grandson Damis a fool. In her granddaughter, Madame Pernelle sees an imp hidden in a quiet pool, she accuses her daughter-in-law Elmira of wastefulness, and Orgon’s brother-in-law, Cleante, does not like her with his speeches.

The entire family, including the servants, opposes Tartuffe, the saint for whom Madame Pernelle prays. They consider him a hypocrite and a deceiver. Dorina accuses Tartuffe of being jealous of Elmira, Orgon’s wife. That is why, the girl believes, he is against receiving guests. Cleant says that nothing can stop people from gossiping. Dorina believes that people deliberately accuse others of sins in order to hide their own. Virtuous, according to Madame Pernelle, Oranta is seen by her as an old woman who turned to religion because her beauty had withered. Dorina notes that, unlike her mother, her son, Mr. Orgon, is completely obsessed with Tartuffe.

Having returned from the village, Orgon asks Dorina how things are in the house, whether everyone is healthy, but at the same time he is not at all interested in his wife’s migraine, but constantly asks about Tartuffe. In a conversation with Cleante, it turns out that Orgon reveres Tartuffe. He met him in church and was so struck by the imaginary piety of the saint that he brought him into his home. Cleante tries to open Orgon's eyes to Tartuffe, but he does not want to listen to him. Orgon does not give an exact answer to the question about the wedding of Mariana and her fiancé Valera.

Act II

Orgon forces Mariana to marry Tartuffe. Dorina shames Orgon for this decision. Orgon loses his temper, but does not change his decision. The entire time he is talking to Mariana, Dorina comments on his remarks. Orgon wants to slap her, but the maid runs away from him in time.

Dorina shames Mariana because the girl did not want to defend her love in front of her father. Mariana justifies herself with daughterly humility, timidity and girlish shame. Dorina mocks her, saying that the girl apparently strives to become Madame Tartuffe. Mariana asks the maid to help with advice. The girl promises to give up her life if she is forced to marry someone she doesn’t love.

Valere quarrels with Mariana over Tartuffe. He asks her to marry him. The girl, in a fit of anger, agrees and says that Valera can choose a new bride for herself. Dorina reconciles them and invites the lovers to come to terms with Orgon’s decision in order to gain time, delay, and then ruin the wedding with Tartuffe.

Act III

Damis wants to challenge Tartuffe to a frank conversation. Dorina asks him not to interfere. She believes that Elmira, with whom the saint is in love, will be more likely to achieve her goal.

Tartuffe begins to be a hypocrite when he meets Dorina. He gives the maid a handkerchief and asks her to cover her chest. Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Elmira.

Talking to Elmira, Tartuffe squeezes her hand tightly, strokes the velvet of her dress, and tries to sit closer. Damis overhears the conversation from the next room. Elmira asks Tartuffe if he wants to marry Mariana. The saint admits that he is attracted by completely different delights. Elmira denies him love and promises not to tell her husband anything in exchange for Tartuffe’s assistance in arranging the marriage of Mariana and Valera. Damis, who left the room, says that he will tell his father everything himself.

Orgon does not believe his son’s words. Listening to Tartuffe revile himself, he thinks that he is doing this out of humility. Orgon accuses the entire family of slandering the “saint,” deprives Damis of his inheritance and drives him out of the house.

Not wanting Tartuffe to leave, Orgon promises him a deed of gift for all his estates.

Act IV

Cleanthe tells Tartuffe that he does not understand why he, as a true Christian, is not ready to forgive Damis and reconcile him with his father, even if the first is wrong. Tartuffe considers such an act displeasing to heaven, because people will think that he is to blame. Cleante shames Tartuffe for encroaching on someone else's property, but the imaginary saint says that he will dispose of it better than sinners, after which he interrupts the conversation and supposedly leaves to pray.

Mariana asks her father to save her from her hated marriage. For this, she is ready to give up her dowry and go to a monastery. Elmira invites Orgon to see the true essence of Tartuffe with his own eyes. She sends her brother-in-law and daughter away and hides her husband under the table.

Elmira confesses her love to Tartuffe. At first he does not believe her words, believing that in this way the woman wants to get him to refuse to marry Mariana. To confirm his feelings, Tartuffe demands affection from Elmira. The woman is afraid of falling into sin, but the deceiver convinces her that there is no need to fear heaven. According to Tartuffe, one whose sin is unknown is sinless. Orgon reveals himself and orders the villain to leave the house. Tartuffe declares that the house is his and Orgon will have to leave.

Act V

Orgon is worried about the casket, which was entrusted to him for safekeeping by his friend Argas, who fled the country. Tartuffe once convinced Orgon to give him the casket, so that in case of problems he would be clean before the law.

Madame Pernelle refuses to believe that Tartuffe is an ordinary scoundrel.

The bailiff, Mr. Loyal, orders Orgon and his family to leave the house.

Valère brings the news that Tartuffe has denigrated Orgon before the king by handing over the casket of Argas to him. Then Tartuffe himself appears with the officer. The latter, unexpectedly for everyone, arrests not Orgon, but a cunning traitor. The officer explains that the king is a fair monarch who easily understood Tartuffe’s deceitful and vile essence. The monarch forgives Orgon for keeping the casket, putting the person's good deeds and, in particular, love for a friend above all else.

Cleanthe advises Orgon to pray to God for Tartuffe to repent. Orgon proposes to thank the king for the good deed, and then marry Mariana and Valera.

Moliere
Tartuffe, or the deceiver

Translation by V. Likhachev

Characters

Madame Pernel.

Orgone- her son.

Elmira- his wife.

Damis |

) children of Orgon.

Mariana |

Cleant- Elmira's brother.

Valer- Mariana's fiance.

Tartuffe.

Dorina- Mariana's maid.

Flipota- servant of Madame Pernel.

Loyal- bailiff.

Policemen.

The action takes place in Paris, in Orgon's house.

ACT ONE

SCENE ONE

Mrs. Pernel, Elmira, Damis, Mariana, Cleante, Dorina and Flipota.

Ms. Pernel (Flipote).

Come on, get moving! Away from sin...

Elmira.

Excuse me, mother... I’m really suffocating.
I can't keep up...

Madame Pernel.

Eh, dear daughter-in-law!
I don't ask and I don't need...

Elmira.

I'm so sorry!... I just don't understand
Why are you in such a hurry...

Madame Pernel.

For what?!.
I have no strength! I'm sad and in pain
See it all! Yes, like a mother
I have the right, I must say:
I am very, very unhappy...
For mercy's sake, what kind of family is this?!
There is no fear or respect in anyone...
Everyone has their own views and judgments...
Tell me: where did I end up?
At the market, in a gypsy camp?!
I don’t know... but certainly not in a Christian home...

Dorina.

Madame Pernel.

And you are a maid, my friend, -
You shouldn’t interfere in our conversation!
The tongue is too long
And in general, I see, little
They are demanding from you here...

Damis.

Madame Pernel.

Yes, you are a fool!... Everyone has known for a long time,
That you are no consolation to your father,
But only shame and grief!
Remember forever, it’s already decided...

Mariana.

Madame Pernel.

What a real sheep!
Here is a truly innocent soul!
Afraid to say a word at the wrong time...
But in the still waters - you know that, don’t you?!

Elmira.

However, mother...

Madame Pernel.

To tell you without concealment -
Whether you're angry or not,
But to the stepmother, wife and mistress
It’s not a good idea to behave so frivolously!
Why waste your mind on rags?
Set an example for others
By your prudence:
To please your husband, there is no need to dress up...

Cleant.

Madam, allow me now...

Madame Pernel.

Ah, sir, I respect you very much...
But if I were the master here, I don’t know
Would this door be open for you!
Sometimes listen to how you look at life -
You yourself will find yourself in hell!...
Don't charge me for this:
Sometimes you blurt out what’s on your heart...

Damis.

But your Tartuffe...

Madame Pernel.

Worthy, exemplary,
Wonderful person! And anger takes over me,
When it goes against him
Some... empty-headed chatterbox!

Damis.

So, in your opinion, should I remain silent?
And whatever he says is undeniable
Accept it as holy truth?!.
Well, no, sir, thank you humbly!...

Dorina.

Indulge him in everything
So you don’t dare do anything!
He watches everything and everything is not according to him:
Now it’s shameful, now it’s sinful... Well, really, you’ll go crazy!...

Madame Pernel.

Let him watch, let him follow everyone!
His supervision is your salvation!
If only my son were stricter, he would
I would have inspired love and respect for him long ago...

Damis.

No, grandmother, the work would be in vain:
Because of other people's calculations and whims
I don't intend to cheat!
And if he ever again
It will affect me, I'm sure
It won't end well for us!…

Dorina.

It’s a shame that: unexpected, unexpected,
A nameless tramp came to the house;
They looked upon us like God - well-fed and dressed.
For a beggar, it seems, that’s too much!
What else? I would pray to God
For benefactors - but no!...
He came in rags, barefoot... now, come on,
Everyone is his slave, and he is the ruler...

Madame Pernel.

Well, yes, we are mired in sins because
That we little honor pious people...

Dorina.

People like him, unscrupulous and deceitful!...
There is no piety here, but simply hypocrisy!…

Madame Pernel.

Dorina.

Well I'm not being a hypocrite
And I’ll say it straight out: I don’t trust him for a penny -
I got to know him enough!…

Madame Pernel.

Are you saying you found out? That's it!...
We are used to running away from the truth -
Not everyone wants to listen to her...
And he has one concern:
To return the lost to the path of salvation...

Dorina.

Let it be so... but why?
He makes noise and noise,
When guests come to us -
Especially younger men?...
Everyone here is our own... I’ll say so, so be it...

(Points to Elmira.)

Believe me, he is jealous of the lady...

Madame Pernel.

Shut up! shut up! I have no patience!...
Is he the only one with this opinion?
Listen to what they are saying around!...
For mercy, the house is open to everyone!
Guest follows guest - and there are no more carriages!...
I don't want to think about anything bad
But it’s also bad that they talk about it...

Cleant.

How do you keep chatterboxes silent?
It’s impossible to please them
It’s best to break all ties!…
Yes, it would be even useless...
In my opinion there is no way to stop
Empty, idle slander.
It’s better to live the way we lived.
Let them chat for good measure!

Dorina.

And who’s talking?! Those,
Who wants to distract suspicion from himself
And whose behavior is truly shameful.
A magpie on its tail will bring them gossip -
Let's work with languages!
Then they will take you apart, piece by piece,
What was not dreamed of, they will drag in -
And they think that they themselves have become cleaner!…

Madame Pernel.

It’s not true, I know respectable ladies...

Dorina.

I know them too... they live approximately.
But why? You probably want to know? -
They are beyond their years to sin!
They grew old and the beauty faded...
The world forgot them - they locked themselves...
Others didn’t know how to restrain themselves,
And now don’t approach her:
She is strict without mercy - I really envy her!
There's fun all around, and she
And I would be glad, but I don’t need it anymore:
Resign! Oh, it’s both bitter and offensive!…

Ms. Pernel

(Elmira).

And with such chatter
You're having fun, dear daughter-in-law!
And we, unfortunate ones, won’t even open our mouths!…
But I still have to speak out!
So know this: my son did great,
That he welcomed a famous person into the house,
To which the devil inspired you
Such hatred and malice.
He is a righteous man, his soul is pure -
And what does he see and hear?
Around yourself?!. What kind of infection are they breathing?
All these gatherings, all this fuss...
Balls and dinners... receptions and lunches...
And day and night!... And the guests? What about conversations?!.
No piety, no modesty in anyone...
On the tongue there is only empty self-indulgence,
Nothing sacred... But what is this?
Pandemonium? Sodom?!.
And if we start looking...

(Points to Cleanthes.)

Exactly! Ready to laugh already!...
But I’m not a fool for him,
To make fun of me...
It wasn’t the same one that was attacked, sir, yes, sir!...

(Elmira.)

Goodbye, honey! When you come to your senses
And everything will go as it should for you,
I’ll come to you again... and you can’t wait sooner...

(Slaps Flipote.)

Well, you gaping bastard, march forward!...

PHENOMENA SECOND

Cleant and Dorina.

Cleant.

No one is left out – everyone gets an equal share!…
Poor old woman!...

Dorina.

Oh oh oh!…
Well, you know, for such a compliment
She wouldn't thank you...
Have you forgotten what's wrong with this lady?
Can't you joke?

Cleant.

But how it boiled over!...
And what did she love so much about Tartuffe?

Dorina.

What else does she need!... Here is Mr. Orgon -
So he really is in love:
It doesn't look like anything at all -
And I don’t understand anything at all...
Yes, here's how to say: Tartuffe for him
Wife, children and mothers are more valuable!…
Tartuffe wants it that way... that's what he ordered...
“Tartuffe is angry... Tartuffe does not allow...”
Tartuffe fell asleep - stop! Tartuffe sat down to dinner -
Everyone go hungry while he eats!
He is also a sage, he is also a prophet...
Whatever he says or does is a lesson for us silly ones...
Of course he understands all this
And he doesn’t put insults on his hands:
Where he threatens, where he smears him with honey,
You look - as if in passing -
A little money will rip off...
The servant is the same - he was given outfits:
Whether it's a flower or a bow - trouble!
Will take it away, throw it away... Sometimes
Let's dress better - and we're not happy!
One of these days - think! - deigned to break
He came across a handkerchief in the Lives of the Saints.
Not only that, but he also shouted:
How, they say, can the demonic interfere with the divine!...

PHENOMENA THIRD

Cleant, Dorina, Elmira, Damis and Mariana.

Elmira

(Cleanthe).

You're happy - you didn't go, but we still got it...
I saw Orgon there:
I’ll go upstairs - I wouldn’t meet him...

Cleant.

Go. We'll talk here...

SCENE FOUR

Cleant, Dorina and Damis.

Damis.

Now, uncle, I’d like to find out about my sister!
I feel Tartuffe is already weaving something:
He apparently doesn't want this wedding...
I'm also involved...

Dorina.

SCENE FIFTH

Cleante, Dorina and Orgon.

Orgone.

Ah, hello, brother...

Cleant.

Great! Well, successful
You went, huh?... Is there grace in the village?...
Although it’s sad, of course...

Orgone.

Sorry... I want to know
What's new with us... one minute!
I haven’t been there for two days – no joke!…
So be patient! (Dorina.) I'm listening to. Please
Tell everything in detail...

Dorina.

At first
Your wife fell ill:
Chills and fever... and headache...

Orgone.

Dorina.

Tartuffe? And it is in vain to ask:
Fat and fat, rosy and fresh -
Habits and inclinations are still the same.
Isn’t life wonderful for him here?

Orgone.

Dorina.

In the evening barely
I was sitting at the table - my head hurt,
And she refused to eat at all...

Orgone.

Dorina.

He sat opposite;
One ate two partridges
And there’s not much left of the lamb...
But he didn’t want to anymore...

Orgone.

Dorina.

The night passed in anxiety:
It’s not sleeping, it’s burning – and don’t you dare fall asleep!
We are exhausted, we can barely drag our feet...
And so we waited until the morning!

Orgone.

Dorina.

Satisfied, full,
He calmly stood up from the table,
Fell into bed like dead
And all night long...slept!

Orgone.

Dorina.

The blood should have been drawn long ago
He doesn't want to! Finally, trembling all over with fear,
Our lady has decided -
And then she thanked us all...

Orgone.

Dorina.

Having learned that there is a lot of strength
The patient lost as a result of the operation,
He immediately compensated for the loss:
Two extra glasses at breakfast
Reverently drained!...

Orgone.

Dorina.

However, by your return
The lady’s illness has left...
Go say that loving spouse
I'm extremely happy about her recovery!...

SCENE SIX

Cleanthes and Orgon.

Cleant.

She laughs at you in your eyes -
And rightly so, I’ll say it straight!
Is it possible to deceive yourself so stubbornly?!
Don't be angry, my dear friend, -
But where have you seen a sedate man
I forgot myself, my family, everything
For a person... far from respectable!
Be fair...

Orgone.

Wait! Quiet your ardor!
You're wasting words:
You're talking about someone you don't know at all...

Cleant.

Don't know? May be. But to get to know him
And form a correct opinion about him...

Orgone.

Find out, find out! I'm ready to take an oath
That you will come to admiration from him!
What a man!... Oh, what a man!...
The kind of person...
Well, in a word - a man! Such greatness
We will never achieve with you...
Whoever follows it tastes peace of mind
And looks down on the human race
With all its deplorable futility...
Take me: I have become completely different!
My soul is closed to tender feelings...
Die now at my feet
Even though the whole family, I won’t look at them:
To family and friends all killed
The slightest affection in me!…

Cleant.

Quite humanly!…

Orgone.

I remembered how I met Tartuffe:
He visited our church...
I noticed him immediately -
And from then on I always noticed it.
Kneeling from start to finish,
Not far from me
He prayed, then meekly touched,
Then filled with sacred fire:
Sighed, groaned and looked to the sky
Reverently raised...
He bowed and kissed the ground,
And he pounded his chest with his fists as hard as he could...
When I left, he hurried forward
And he was waiting for me at the door with holy water.
I finally couldn’t stand it anymore and decided:
With his servant - the same as he -
Made an acquaintance, got into conversation
And I found out everything... I was amazed!
Like a beggar, he lived meagerly and wretchedly...
Then I started helping the poor guy.
At first - no way!... Then I started taking
Particles: “Half is too much for me”...
And if I didn’t take it back -
Before my eyes, he gave everything to the poor...
But finally - thanks be to God! -
He moved into my house -
And so, as you see, little by little
Changed everything in my life.
The wife didn’t dodge either:
He looks after her like a nanny,
And if anyone noticed, I liked it, -
No further discussion!
When they call me jealous even -
So what is he?! How can I relate to him!...
In oneself - to an insignificant sin,
To a simple oversight - stern without leniency:
Happens in the middle of a night's reflection
Accidentally kills a flea -
And would you believe it, he doesn’t sleep from contrition!…

Cleant.

Come on, stop it! Deceive yourself
But not others... what madness!
We are not children and we are not stupider than you,
So as not to see...

Orgone.

O freethinking!
Listen to me - calm down:
It’s not too late, because... otherwise, beware!...

Cleant.

I heard these arguments!
In your opinion, whoever is blind lives righteously,
And who is at least a little more disgraceful, - without a doubt,
Both the scoundrel and the freethinker,
And there is no forgiveness for the unfortunate one!
Not a terrible sentence!... When I don’t melt
There are no vile feelings or villainous plans in yourself
Under the mask of the antics of the Pharisees, -
I do not tremble for my future.
We are strangely made: with outlandish tenacity
We do not distinguish ourselves from pious people
Known deceivers, hypocrites
And imbued with pretense to the bones.
We are dissatisfied with what fate has given us;
And we tirelessly worry about one thing:
Lose your natural appearance without a trace
And become anything, but not yourself...
I say all this by the way...

Orgone.

Well, yes! After all, you are the only smart one,
Both educated and learned!
Honor to you! Books in your hands too!
And we are donkeys and fools...
Neither life experience nor wise sciences
We were not given...

Cleant.

What nonsense!...
Believe me, I know my worth:
I don’t want to be modest or brag,
But I can guess the rogue under any guise
And I can always distinguish a lie from the truth...
I deeply respect piety in people,
But, don’t blame me, I can’t stand bigots!
I can't stand all these hypocrites -
Slicksters, saints, fanatics
And the piety of shameless traders...
They have nothing sacred... -
Self-interest alone! You got in their way -
They don’t care about sacrificing you...
And the excuse is ready:
They want to save others by your death!
Their goal is foul and their means are terrible:
In the eyes of the gullible crowd
They are lamps, pillars,
And all their actions are high and beautiful...
This is why they are strong and why they are dangerous!
So is this fellow...
And he, the arrogant rogue,
Respected here as a rare specimen
All virtues! And he, the low liar,
Your mentor and your first favorite?!
Your friend and brother?! Orgon, Orgon!
Come to your senses! You are terribly blinded...

Orgone.

Cleant.

Orgone.

All the best to you!…

Cleant.

Wait a minute... Let's leave this dispute
And let's have a family conversation...
Have you forgotten that you gave Valer your word?...

Orgone.

Cleant.

And you appointed the day...

Orgone.

I don't forget anything.

Cleant.

Why put it off then?

Orgone.

Cleant.

Perhaps you have other dreams?...

Orgone.

Everything can be...

Cleant.

Break a promise?!.

Orgone.

I didn't say anything about it.

Cleant.

You didn't say... but this hesitation...
And for no reason at all...

Orgone.

For whom...

Cleant.

Valer asked me to talk to you...

Orgone.

Cleant.

What do you want me to convey?

Orgone.

Cleant.

Well, Orgon, why do you need to be with me?
Should we resort to such subterfuge?
I see you have a solution ready -
So why not announce it?!

Orgone.

My decision is not a secret: to enroll,
As duty dictates...

Cleant.

So, will you keep your word?

Orgone.

Cleant

(one).

Well, brother Valer, it seems
Your affairs are not important here... Be strong!...

Moliere Jean-Baptiste

Tartuffe, or the Deceiver

Jean-Baptiste Moliere

Tartuffe, or the Deceiver

Comedy in five acts

CHARACTERS

Madame Pernel, his mother.

Elmira, his wife.

Damis, his son.

Mariana, his daughter.

Valere, a young man in love with Mariana.

Cleanthes, Elmira's brother.

Tartuffe, saint.

Dorina, Mariana's maid.

Mr. Loyal, Bailiff.

Flipota, Madame Pernelle's servant.

The action takes place in Paris, in Orgon's house.

______________________________________________

*ACT ONE*

SCENE ONE

Mrs. Pernel, Elmira, Mariana, Damis, Dorina,

Cleant. Flipota.

Ms. Pernel

Flipota! Follow me!.. Let them be here themselves...

Wait, mommy! We can't keep up with you.

Ms. Pernel

You should have respected me first, not now.

Without your wires, I will find where the door is.

Oh no! Our sense of duty orders us to see you off.

But why were you with us for so short?

Ms. Pernel

But because I’m sick of this whole house

And there is no more strength to endure your insolence.

They don’t put me down, they will contradict me, no matter what I say.

Truly, nothing is sacred to them!

Everyone argues, everyone yells, no one has respect.

Yes, this is not a family, but a madhouse!

Ms. Pernel

My darling! I have often noticed

That you are too impudent and too loud-mouthed.

I don't ask impudent servants for advice.

Ms. Pernel

You are a fool, my precious grandson,

And it’s time to wise up - you’re already a lot of years old.

I warned my son a hundred times,

That his offspring is quite a fool,

With which he will sip his fill of grief.

But grandma...

Ms. Pernel

No way, she said a word

Quiet granddaughter? Humble sheep?

Oh, shy one! I'm afraid the proverb about her,

That the still waters are full of devils.

But, mommy...

Ms. Pernel

Please, dearest daughter-in-law,

Don't be angry if I speak harshly.

There were 6, they now have a living mother,

That's not what she would teach her children -

And this fool, and this dunce.

You are wasteful. Dressed like a princess.

When wives think only about their husbands,

They have no need to dress up to the nines.

Madam!..

Ms. Pernel

Ah, you, her dearest brother!

Is it really that stream of absurdities and incoherence,

What wisdom do you dare to pass off?

Do you want to vomit on me again?

In the place of your most honorable son-in-law

And my son, without wasting words on arguments,

I would stop letting you in the door.

I don't want to flatter you. Truthfulness is not a vice.

Your Mr. Tartuffe is a trickster, there is no doubt about that...

Ms. Pernel

He is righteous! His good instructions are soul-saving. It's a shame for the whole family

Why are you, little sucker, starting an argument with him?

Why should I remain silent in front of that uninvited guest, Who here, with us, has become an all-powerful tyrant?

Don't do anything, don't say a word

Without the permission of the obnoxious bigot!

Listen to the sermon of the persistent saint,

Everyone will be so bad, only he will be good.

From morning to evening he teaches us.

Ms. Pernel

And he is, of course, right. Your house is mired in sin.

This man is leading you to the path of salvation,

And my son teaches you to have respect for him.

No one will inspire me, not even my father,

What a righteous Tartuffe. He's simply a scoundrel.

I will stand my ground, let them hang me!

His words and his antics infuriate me.

This goose disgusts me to the extreme,

And I have a presentiment that I will fight him again.

No, think about it! Isn't this a miracle?

God knows who appeared, from God knows where,

In beggar's rags, almost barefoot,

And here you go, I’ve already taken over the whole house.

And it got to such a point that, contrary to reason,

We all must now dance to his tune.

Ms. Pernel

I. It would be better for you not to argue with him,

And to live, as he teaches, according to holy rules.

Saints? Is it fitting for you to be so gullible?

Is there any holiness here? Just hypocrisy!

Ms. Pernel

His servant, Laurent, is a match for him,

Both cannot be trusted one bit.

Ms. Pernel

I don't care about his servant,

But I can confidently vouch for the owner.

It’s not hard to guess what made him angry:

He speaks the whole truth without embellishment.

He, the fierce enemy of sin and the guardian of purity,

Brands immorality and glorifies virtue.

How's that? Why is this moral teacher

Have you kept all the guests away from our house?

Is their arrival really so displeasing to God?

To sound the alarm every time because of this?

We are all our own, and I will tell you the truth:

He's simply

(points to Elmira)

jealous of the lady.

Ms. Pernel

You don’t know what to come up with out of anger.

But all these guests of yours are suspicious

He's not the only one. Not so big secret

What a line of carriages crowding under the windows

And there are always servants milling around the porch

It has long been an eyesore throughout the area.

Let these gatherings be innocent. But you

We must understand that there is food for rumors here.

Would you like to hide from slander?

Let's say I was able to stop the empty chatter,

Having renounced devoted friends for this, -

But wouldn't life then become sadder?

Yes, if 6, following your advice,

We dared to make this sacrifice,

Would the malicious gossips be shut up?

There is no cure in the world for slander.

We need to live honestly and despise slander,

And let the gossips chat for their health.

Who started the malicious rumor about us?

It's not hard to guess. I'll tell you them.

There are no great masters of nasty inventions,

Than Daphne with her faithful husband.

Whoever is unclean in soul is no stranger to rumors.

Such people will hear something, take a peek,

Enters into a fierce struggle against religious bigotry. In the original version, the main character of the play was depicted as a monk. This play became the subject of a fierce struggle. Twice the clergy sought its ban. Twice Moliere turned to the king for help. Twice he remade the play, changing its title and the name of the hero. The comedy first appeared in 1664, in its final version in 1669.

Moliere playing the role of Caesar in Corneille's tragedy The Death of Pompey. Artist N. Mignard, 1656

Tartuffe here is no longer a monk, but a layman, a shameless hypocrite and swindler. However, the author's main idea remains the same. With his false piety and humility, cunning conversations about contempt for earthly goods, Tartuffe captivates the narrow-minded bourgeois Orgon and his stupid old mother.

Moliere appears here under the banner of criticizing hypocrisy as a purely moral vice; this is deliberately emphasized in the speeches of Cleanthes - reasoner, i.e., a positive character characteristic of classic comedy, expressing the author’s ideas in the form of reasoning. Trying to open Orgon's eyes to Tartuffe, he proves that true religious faith has nothing to do with hypocrisy.

Moliere may be referring to the secret religious organization of the time, the Society of the Blessed Sacrament. Its agents caught “unreliable” people, penetrating, like Tartuffe, into the homes of the bourgeoisie and ordinary people.

Orgon is the embodiment of gullibility and blindness, a trait that is comically sharpened in his behavior in the play. His face clearly depicts the type of limited, uncultured and inert French wealthy city dweller of that era. His patriarchal despotism in family life is also typical.

Admiring the “uplifting” influence of Tartuffe, Orgon says:

I became completely different from these conversations with him:
From now on I have no attachments,
And I no longer value anything in the world:
Let my brother, mother, wife and children die,
This will upset me so much, by the way!

To which the smart Cleant ironically replies:

I have never heard more humane speeches!

The democracy and nationality of the comedy were especially clearly expressed in the beautiful image of the maid Dorina. Brave, insightful and witty, this woman of the people immediately saw through Tartuffe and most actively fights for the happiness of the family.

Tartuffe. Film based on Moliere's comedy

At the end of the play, the king turns out to be the defense against darkness and deception, thanks to whose wisdom Tartuffe’s machinations lead not to Orgon, but to himself, to prison. This satire of Molière thus does not affect the absolutism of Louis XIV.

The comedy is mainly designed in the manner of classicism. The action takes place over the course of a day in one place – Orgon’s house. It centers around one big conflict. Each of the main images purposefully emphasizes one leading feature, shown in satirical exaggeration. In the image of Tartuffe, this is religious hypocrisy, serving as a mask for predatory self-interest. Even before Tartuffe appears on stage, we hear about his extreme piety and humility, even to the point of repenting that he once killed a flea during prayer.

Then the background to this piety is revealed. And then it turns out that hypocrisy is not his only vice. We learn how Tartuffe loves to eat heartily at someone else's table, how he is partial to the beauty of a maid, we see how he does not disdain any means, trying to seize other people's property, how he tries to seduce the wife of his benefactor. This hypocrite finally exposes his asceticism, declaring that “whoever sins in silence commits no sin.” All these are growing manifestations of a single essence of character, which does not change in any way from beginning to end.

The truthful picture of social life painted by Moliere in this comedy is not limited to denouncing bigotry. She shows us a living and vibrant canvas of French society of that time.