Tartuffe by Molière (most motivational books TXT) 📕
Description
The first three acts of Molière’s Tartuffe were first performed for Louis XIV in 1664, but the play was almost immediately suppressed—not because the King disliked it, but because the church resented the insinuation that the pious were frauds. After several different versions were written and performed privately, Tartuffe was eventually published in its final five-act form in 1669.
A comic tale of man taken in by a sanctimonious scoundrel, the characters of Tartuffe, Elmire, and Orgon are considered among some of the great classical theater roles. As the family strives to convince the patriarch that Tartuffe is a religious fraud, the play ultimately focuses on skewering not the hypocrite, but his victims, and the hypocrisy of fervent religious belief unchecked by facts or reason—a defense Molière himself used to overcome the church’s proscriptions. In the end, the play was so impactful that both French and English now use the word “Tartuffe” to refer to a religious hypocrite who feigns virtue.
In its original French, the play is written in twelve-syllable lines of rhyming couplets. Curtis Hidden Page’s translation invokes a popular compromise and renders it into the familiar blank verse without rhymed endings that was popularized by Shakespeare. The translation is considered a seminal by modern translators.
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- Author: Molière
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Or dreamed of muddy water. Best of all,
They cannot marry you to anyone
Without your saying yes. But now, methinks,
They mustn’t find you chattering together.
To Valère. You, go at once and set your friends at work
To make him keep his word to you; while we
Will bring the brother’s influence to bear,
And get the stepmother on our side, too.
Goodbye.
To Mariane. Whatever efforts we may make,
My greatest hope, be sure, must rest on you.
To Valère. I cannot answer for my father’s whims;
But no one save Valère shall ever have me.
You thrill me through with joy! Whatever comes …
DorineOho! These lovers! Never done with prattling!
Now go.
Starting to go, and coming back again.
One last word …
DorineWhat a gabble and pother!
Be off! By this door, you. And you, by t’other.
She pushes them off, by the shoulders, in opposite directions.
Act III Scene I Damis, Dorine. DamisMay lightning strike me dead this very instant,
May I be everywhere proclaimed a scoundrel,
If any reverence or power shall stop me,
And if I don’t do straightway something desperate!
I beg you, moderate this towering passion;
Your father did but merely mention it.
Not all things that are talked of turn to facts;
The road is long, sometimes, from plans to acts.
No, I must end this paltry fellow’s plots,
And he shall hear from me a truth or two.
So ho! Go slow now. Just you leave the fellow—
Your father too—in your stepmother’s hands.
She has some influence with this Tartuffe,
He makes a point of heeding all she says,
And I suspect that he is fond of her.
Would God ’twere true!—’Twould be the height of humour
Now, she has sent for him, in your behalf,
To sound him on this marriage, to find out
What his ideas are, and to show him plainly
What troubles he may cause, if he persists
In giving countenance to this design.
His man says, he’s at prayers, I mustn’t see him,
But likewise says, he’ll presently be down.
So off with you, and let me wait for him.
I may be present at this interview.
DorineNo, no! They must be left alone.
DamisI won’t
So much as speak to him.
Go on! We know you
And your high tantrums. Just the way to spoil things!
Be off.
No, I must see—I’ll keep my temper.
DorineOut on you, what a plague! He’s coming. Hide!
Damis goes and hides in the closet at the back of the stage.
Scene II Tartuffe, Dorine. TartuffeSpeaking to his valet, off the stage, as soon as he sees Dorine is there.
Lawrence, put up my haircloth shirt and scourge,
And pray that Heaven may shed its light upon you.
If any come to see me, say I’m gone
To share my alms among the prisoners.
Aside. What affectation and what showing off!
TartuffeWhat do you want with me?
DorineTo tell you …
TartuffeTaking a handkerchief from his pocket.
Ah!
Before you speak, pray take this handkerchief.
What?
TartuffeCover up that bosom, which I can’t
Endure to look on. Things like that offend
Our souls, and fill our minds with sinful thoughts.
Are you so tender to temptation, then,
And has the flesh such power upon your senses?
I don’t know how you get in such a heat;
For my part, I am not so prone to lust,
And I could see you stripped from head to foot,
And all your hide not tempt me in the least.
Show in your speech some little modesty,
Or I must instantly take leave of you.
No, no, I’ll leave you to yourself; I’ve only
One thing to say: Madam will soon be down,
And begs the favour of a word with you.
Ah! Willingly.
DorineAside. How gentle all at once!
My faith, I still believe I’ve hit upon it.
Will she come soon?
DorineI think I hear her now.
Yes, here she is herself; I’ll leave you with her.
May Heaven’s overflowing kindness ever
Give you good health of body and of soul,
And bless your days according to the wishes
And prayers of its most humble votary!
I’m very grateful for your pious wishes.
But let’s sit down, so we may talk at ease.
After sitting down.
And how are you recovered from your illness?
ElmireSitting down also.
Quite well; the fever soon let go its hold.
TartuffeMy prayers, I fear, have not sufficient merit
To have drawn down this favour from on high;
But each entreaty that I made to Heaven
Had for its object your recovery.
You’re too solicitous on my behalf.
TartuffeWe could not cherish your dear health too much;
I would have given mine, to help restore it.
That’s pushing Christian charity too far;
I owe you many thanks for so much kindness.
I do far less for you than you deserve.
ElmireThere is a matter that I wished to speak of
In private; I am glad there’s no one here
To listen.
Madam, I am overjoyed.
’Tis sweet to find myself alone with you.
This is an opportunity I’ve asked
Of Heaven, many a time; till now, in vain.
All that I wish, is just a word from you,
Quite frank and open, hiding nothing from me.
Damis, without their seeing him, opens the closet door halfway.
TartuffeI too could wish, as Heaven’s especial favour,
To lay my soul quite open to your eyes,
And swear to you, the trouble that I made
About those visits which your charms attract,
Does not result from any hatred toward you,
But rather from a passionate devotion,
And purest motives …
That is how I take it,
I think ’tis my salvation that concerns you.
Pressing her fingertips.
Madam, ’tis so; and such is my devotion …
ElmireOuch! but you squeeze too hard.
TartuffeExcess of zeal.
In no way could I ever mean
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