A summary of Moliere’s “Tartuffe, or Deceiver”
Ms Pernel leaves his son’s house in great indignation. She thinks that everyone will contradict her. She calls Dorin, the maid of her granddaughter, Mariana, a loud rude, her grandson Damis – a fool. In her granddaughter, Ms Pernel sees a demon hiding in a quiet pool, Elmira accuses her daughter-in-law of squandering, Orgon’s brother-in-law, Cleant, who does not like her with her speeches.
The whole family, including the servants, is opposed to Tartuffe, the pious who is prayed for by Ms Pernel. They consider him a hypocrite and a liar. Dorina accuses Tartuffe of jealousy of Elmira, the wife of Orgon. That’s why, the girl thinks, he also opposes the reception of guests. Cleant says that nothing is able to keep people from gossip. Dorina believes that people specially convict others of their sins in order to hide their own. Virtuous, according to Ms Pernel, Oranta is seen by her as an old woman who struck religion because her beauty wilted. Dorina notes
Returning from the village of Orgon asks Dorin how things are in the house, are they all well, but at the same time they are not at all interested in the migraine of their wife, but constantly asks about Tartuffe. In conversation with Cleant, it turns out that Orgon is in awe of Tartuffe. He met him in the church and was overwhelmed by the supposed piety of a saintly person, so much that he brought him into his home. Cleant 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.
Action II
Orgon forces Mariana to marry Tartuffe. Dorina shames Orgona for this decision. Orgon out of himself, but does not change his decision. All the time, while he talks with Mariana, Dorin comments on his lines. Orgon wants to slap her face, but the maid runs away from him in time.
Dorina shames Mariana for the fact that the girl did not want to defend her love before her father. Mariana
Valer quarrels with Mariana because of Tartuffe. He invites her to marry him. The girl agrees in an impulse of anger and says that Valer can choose a new bride. Dorin makes peace with them and suggests lovers to put up with Orgon’s decision in order to buy time, delay, and then rally a wedding with Tartuffe.
Act III
Damis wants to summon Tartuffe for a frank conversation. Dorina asks him not to interfere. She believes that Elmira, in whom the saint is in love, will soon be able to achieve his.
Tartuffe at the meeting with Dorin begins to hypocrite. He gives a maid of shawls and asks to cover his chest. Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Elmira.
Talking with Elmira, Tartuffe strongly squeezes her hand, strokes velvet dresses, tries to sit closer. Damis overhears the conversation from the next room. Elmira asks Tartuffe if he wants to marry Mariana. Svyatosha admits that he is attracted by completely different charms. Elmira denies him love and promises nothing to tell her husband in exchange for Tartuffe’s assistance in the arrangement of Mariana and Valera’s marriage. Released from the room, Damis says that he himself will tell everything to his father.
Orgon does not believe the words of his son. Listening to how Tartuffe is abusing himself, he thinks that he does it in his humility. Orgon accuses the whole family of slandering the “saint”, deprives Damis of his inheritance and expels him from the house.
Not wanting Tartuffe to leave, Orgon promises him a gift for all the estates.
Action IV
Cleant tells Tartuffe that he does not understand why, as a true Christian, he is not ready to forgive Damis and reconcile him with his father, even if the former is not right. Tartuffe considers such an act unpleasant to the sky, because people will think that he is guilty. Cleante shames Tartuffe because he encroached on someone else’s property, but the alleged saint says that he will dispose of them better than sinners, after which he interrupts the conversation and supposedly leaves to pray.
Mariana asks her father to save her from the hateful marriage. For this she is ready to give her dowry and go to the monastery. Elmira suggests Orgon to see the true essence of Tartuffe with his own eyes. She sends away her brother-in-law and daughter and hides her husband under the table.
Elmira admits to Tartuffe in love. He at first does not believe her words, believing that in this way a woman wants to get him to refuse to marry Mariana. As a confirmation of feelings Tartuffe requires Elmira lask. The woman is afraid of falling into sin, but the deceiver convinces her that there is no need to fear the sky. According to Tartuffe, the one whose sin is unknown is sinless. Orgon reveals himself and tells the villain to leave the house. Tartuffe says that the house is his, and Orgon will have to leave.
The action V
Orgone is worried because of the casket, which was entrusted to him for storage by a friend of Argas who fled the country. Tartuffe persuaded Orgon to hand over the casket to him so that in case of problems he was clean before the law.
Ms. Pernel refuses to believe that Tartuffe is the most common scoundrel.
The bailiff, Mr. Loyal, orders Orgon and his family to leave the house.
Valer brings news that Tartuffe vilified Orgon before the king, handing him the casket of Argas. Then there is Tartuffe himself with the officer. The latter unexpectedly arrest for all not Orgon, but a cunning traitor. The officer explains that the king is a just monarch who easily understood the untruthful and vile nature of Tartuffe. The monarch forgives Orgon for storing the casket, setting the good deeds of man and, in particular, his love for the friend above all else.
Cleant advises Orgon to pray to God that Tartuffe should repent. Orgon proposes to thank the king for the rendered benefaction, after which to marry Marian and Valera.
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