Tartuffe And Candide: Role Of Religion

The role of religion played a major part in Tartuffe and Candide. In both of the stories, they have two different roles. In Tartuffe, the play exposes religious hypocrisy and in Candide, Voltaire uses religious satire to describe the role of religion. In the late seventeenth century, during the Age of Enlightenment period, was a period for great turmoil. The Enlightenment led many thinkers to the conclusion that kings and queens were subjected to death. It was a revolutionary change for political, social and religious thoughts. The Enlightenment incorporated many ideas on the center of reason. It eventually advanced ideals of liberty, tolerance and the acceptance of being able to separate from the church and the state. Before the eighteenth

century, the notion of divine right and the belief that monarchs governed with authority from God, was effectively destroyed. They were forming to push God further and further away and religion was stilled figured as a political reality. Both stories share many similar characteristics that regardless of when each story was written they both share the different roles in religion.

Jean-Baptiste Moliere provided an expose of religious sham. He wrote Tartuffe not to criticize religion but rather to disapprove of hypocrisy. In Tartuffe, Moliere targeted the role of religion hypocrisy so well that the Catholic Church forced the king to ban it. Fortunately, Moliere managed to have it published and produced by 1669. (Puchner – check pages) He wanted to advise audiences through the use of humor, on the importance of moderation and a clear thought process in all areas of life. Although the play was denounced as an outright attack on religion and devout people, a proper reading suggests the opposite. Religion itself wasn’t the problem, but the misuse of religion for personal gain at the expense of innocent people was Moliere’s concern. In the text one of his characters’ Orgon explained, “He used to come into church each day, and humbly kneel nearby, and start to pray. He'd draw the eyes of everybody there, by the deep fervor of his heartfelt prayer; He'd sigh and weep, and sometimes with a sound of rapture he would bend and kiss the ground” (Puchner 22). This particular quote stood out to me because Orgon might have misinterpreted

this passage that was originally the Gospel of Matthew.

The actual verse says, "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (Matthew 6:5-6). It was another instance of the religious hypocrisy because it explained that you don’t have to proclaim to be such a religious person for God to reward you. He will reward you for the fact that you didn’t have to announce and show everyone that you are worshipping Him, He’ll honor you regardless. Moliere’s points throughout Tartuffe was spot on. He gave us an insight of how inside the church’s reality in a comedic, rhythmic and truthful way. The story eventually unfolds when Tartuffe tries to seduce Elmire, Orgon’s wife. She devised a plea deal with Tartuffe, explaining that if he refuses to marry Mariane, she won’t tell Orgon what took place and Tartuffe agreed. Elmire and Orgon’s son did not approve of this and soon as Orgon walked in, he

immediately explained what happened and what he seen. Unfortunately, Orgon didn’t believe his own son because of him and Tartuffe’s bond. He would’ve never suspected him to betray his trust. It eventually comes to a head when Elmire attempts to seduce Tartuffe again, in pursuit to show Orgon that she’s telling the truth. Tartuffe was unaware that Orgon was under the table listening to it all. Orgon then pops out under the table enraged with Tartuffe, after hearing what he heard. When Orgon confronted Tartuffe, he reminded him that he had rights to his property and threatens to get his revenge. Shockingly, when Tartuffe went to tell the police officer that he was assaulted and to arrest Orgon. The officer surprisingly arrests Tartuffe instead (Puchner 63-65) – check pages. It turned out that Tartuffe was a well-known criminal. Moliere’s thought process in which he planned out the religious hypocrisy was impeccable. The role of religion in Tartuffe to be a religious, God-fearing man was false, that in reality he kept the biggest secret of being a criminal, and a big master manipulator. Tartuffe was a complete religious hypocrite.
Francois-Marie Arouet, also known as Voltaire, was the author of a wide range of moral, philosophical and political essays and treaties. After experiencing early success as a dramatist, he was exiled from Paris following a quarrel with an aristocrat. In 1726, he went to England, where the impact made on him by English empirical science and philosophy teachings in the two years he spent in London would be lifelong (Voltaire 1). He’s always had the reputation as a freethinker and wanting to do things his own way. Voltaire rose to new heights of fame as a result of his aggressive engagement with the forces of religious inequalities and intolerance (Means 1). In his work, he took his personal involvement in creating a realistic and truthful story of what he experienced in his earlier life. Voltaire wrote Candide, in regards to the religious satire being portrayed. He wrote Candide to be “brief and easy to read that it was immediately popular with a wide range of readers” (Puchner 99). Candide’s role of religion was apparent throughout the story. Candide involves organized religion in its satire. Most religion beliefs are that God has a higher purpose of why things happen.