We never enjoy conversation that involve correction and another person expressing to us our shortcomings because it deflates our pride and maybe brings these shortcomings to the surface, when it was much easier to keep them in the dark. In the first scene of the last act of Tartuffe, Cleante takes the responsibility of addressing some problems or “extravagances” he has seen in his brother in law, Orgon. “Right reason and yours are very different, and you are always throwing yourself out of one extreme to another” (Moliere, 44). Cliente is suggesting to Orgon That he typically makes generalized judgements. “You see your error and are sensible that you have been imposed on by a hypocritical zeal; but in order to reform, what reason is there that you should make no difference between the heart of a perfidious worthless wretch and those of all honest people?” (44) Cleante brings it to Orgon’s attention that not all people fall under the category of trustworthy, neither do they align with deception, because Orgon impulsively makes impulsive and rash judgements on character and it comes across as super extreme. Cleante showed he cared about his brother in law by choosing to address personally the problem he saw in Orgon, so he can possibly grow passed these tendencies. The behavior of assuming someones character and intentions before they have the opportunity to prove themselves has always been a prevalent issue that is a common source of discord.
I commented on Madison Flowers and Moriah Nelson’s blog posts
Comments