Tartuffe

Molière, Chris Campbell

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9781783190751
• eBook ISBN: 9781783195749
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

When the seemingly perfect Tartuffe ingratiates himself with the wealthy Orgon and his mother Madame Pernelle, he is soon welcomed into their home and into their lives. His combination of charm, respectability and religious authority proves so irresistible that he is eventually promised the hand of Orgon's daughter in marriage. But the rest of Orgon's family have grave doubts – is there more to Tartuffe than meets the eye? When the threat of eviction for the family and imprisonment for Orgon become apparent, is it all too late to find out? This hilarious and irreverent whirlwind of lies, religious hypocrisy and family feuds features one of theatre's most perfect comedy creations, the beguiling Tartuffe.

ACT 1

SCENE 1

MRS PERNELLE carries FLIPOTE, her tiny dog. She’s pursued by ELMIRE, MARIANE, DORINE, DAMIS, CLÉANTE.

MRS PERNELLE

Come on, Flipote, good girl, we won’t be staying here a moment longer.

ELMIRE

Wait, wait.

MRS PERNELLE

Not a word, daughter-in-law, not one word.

I’ve never seen behaviour like it.

ELMIRE

But we have nothing but respect for you.

Dear mother, why are you in such a rush to leave?

MRS PERNELLE

I simply cannot bear the way you do things here,

Nobody has a thought for me.

I’m leaving you in a state of very considerable displeasure:

All my advice is ignored,

There’s no respect and everyone talks back,

In short, the whole place is an absolute shambles.

DORINE

If…

MRS PERNELLE

You, my dear, are supposed to be a lady’s maid,

Well, you’re a bit too mouthy, and a lot too impertinent:

You may keep your opinion to yourself.

DAMIS

But…

MRS PERNELLE

You, my lad, are quite simply an ass;

I tell you this as your Grandmother;

And a hundred times I’ve told my Son, your Father,

That you’re turning into a young scoundrel,

Who’ll bring him nothing but torment and trouble.

MARIANE

I think…

MRS PERNELLE

By God, yes you, his sister, you seem so discreet,

You seem so modest, so demure and sweet;

But there’s plenty more to you than meets the eye

And you’re carrying on in secret in a way that I detest.

ELMIRE

But, Mother…

MRS PERNELLE

Daughter-in-law, if I may say so without offence,

You are completely wrong in everything you do and everything you say;

You should be setting them a good example,

As their dear late Mother did so infinitely better.

You’re a spendthrift; and it pains me more than I can say,

That you go about dressed like a marzipan princess.

A lady who wishes to please only her husband,

Dear daughter-in-law, does not need so much finery and slap.

CLÉANTE

But, Madam, after all…

MRS PERNELLE

As for you, her brother,

I esteem you highly, love you, and revere you;

However, if I were the man of the house and not my son,

I would heartily beseech you not to visit us anymore.

You bore us all with your advice on life,

Which is, quite frankly, scandalous to all right-thinking folk.

I hope there’s no offence, you know I just speak as I find.

DAMIS

Of course, Mr Tartuffe…

MRS PERNELLE

Now there is a truly good man, and you’d do well to heed him;

I simply cannot bear to hear him disparaged by a madman like you.

It makes me wild with rage.

DAMIS

What? So I’m supposed to put up with this sanctimonious creep

Coming here and taking over, banning everything he doesn’t graciously permit?

DORINE

According to him there’s nothing you can do which isn’t a crime or a sin;

He’s against absolutely everything.

MRS PERNELLE

And rightly so!

He is pointing out the pathway to heaven, like a holy road sign

And you, my son, should be supporting him.

DAMIS

Oh come on, Mother, he’s not my dad.

I really think I’m going to sock him one one day.

DORINE

Yes, and it’s just so galling,

To watch this nobody insinuate himself here in our house;

He had nothing when he arrived,

Whose whole wardrobe was worth about sixpence,

And now he swans about like he owns the place.

MRS PERNELLE

Well bless my soul!

Everything would be so much better,

If everyone simply conducted themselves according to his pious commands.

DORINE

He’s not a saint he’s a flaming hypocrite.

MRS PERNELLE

Language!

DORINE

Well I wouldn’t trust him or his valet further than I could chuck them.

Which wouldn’t be far.

MRS PERNELLE

I know nothing of his servant’s character;

But for the master, I give my personal guarantee that he’s a good man.

The only reason you dislike him and wish him ill,

I...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Act 1
• Act 2
• Act 3
• Act 4
• Act 5