So, Tartuffe is a jerk, we got that much down. But how does he teach the reader good qualities when he's such a bad guy. And how does a funny French play teach us the value of friendship and forgiveness?
Well... first off, he doesn't... not directly anyways.
Tartuffe's attitude teaches us, using reverse psychology, what a true friend should be. By being the bad example, he provides the worst standard. I mean, at this rate, anything better than Tartuffe is pretty great. Not only were his actions deceptive, but his treasonous attitude that (finally) appeared to Orgon caused a drift and taught a lesson unparalleled by any other. These factors taught Orgon and his family the dangers of trusting those who seem too good to be true. Yet, even this terrible monster of a human can be redeemed and forgiven.
Cleante shows grace and love by reminding Orgon to stay calm as they take Tartuffe away. Should Orgon have finished his sentence, something tells me the play may have continued a little longer, ending with a fist fight and a murder. Cleante's grace extends to Tartuffe the same way Jesus' love extends to us. By forgiving Tartuffe's sin against the family, Cleante mirrors the steps Jesus took to show us his forgiveness. Tartuffe was allowed to move forward and was left alone to handle his own guilt to handle; it was no longer a responsibility of Orgon's family, just like our sin is no longer condemning us as it has been handled though Christ's sacrifice on the cross.
So even though Tartuffe was a WHOLE jerk, he was a very valuable teacher.
And even though Cleante was very far away from best friends with Tartuffe, he knew the way to love the people he never liked.
P.S. I commented on Cade Wood and Addison Zanda's posts
Well... first off, he doesn't... not directly anyways.
Tartuffe's attitude teaches us, using reverse psychology, what a true friend should be. By being the bad example, he provides the worst standard. I mean, at this rate, anything better than Tartuffe is pretty great. Not only were his actions deceptive, but his treasonous attitude that (finally) appeared to Orgon caused a drift and taught a lesson unparalleled by any other. These factors taught Orgon and his family the dangers of trusting those who seem too good to be true. Yet, even this terrible monster of a human can be redeemed and forgiven.
Cleante shows grace and love by reminding Orgon to stay calm as they take Tartuffe away. Should Orgon have finished his sentence, something tells me the play may have continued a little longer, ending with a fist fight and a murder. Cleante's grace extends to Tartuffe the same way Jesus' love extends to us. By forgiving Tartuffe's sin against the family, Cleante mirrors the steps Jesus took to show us his forgiveness. Tartuffe was allowed to move forward and was left alone to handle his own guilt to handle; it was no longer a responsibility of Orgon's family, just like our sin is no longer condemning us as it has been handled though Christ's sacrifice on the cross.
So even though Tartuffe was a WHOLE jerk, he was a very valuable teacher.
And even though Cleante was very far away from best friends with Tartuffe, he knew the way to love the people he never liked.
P.S. I commented on Cade Wood and Addison Zanda's posts
Comments
I didn't even think about the lesson we could learn from the character Tartuffe! I had been solely focused on the lessons to be learned from Orgon and I appreciate your different take on the book. And I agree, Tartuffe was a WHOLE jerk.