Opinion of French Neoclassical Theatre

Opinion of French Neoclassical Theatre

Comedy "Tartuffe" holds a special place in the works of Moliere. His satire was directed against the mannered and pretentious aristocracy, various oppressors, reactionaries, doctors, quacks, parsimony, stupidity, arrogance, and boastfulness.

When creating a play, Moliere primarily sought to show the hypocrisy masked in nefarious activities and low-lying principles of Christian morality. According to the playwright, they are the most enduring and dangerous vices of his time. As theatre has a great potential for correction of manners, Moliere decided to use a sharp satire to ridicule and expose vice, thereby inflicting a crushing blow. He valued honesty in a relationship between people and hated hypocrisy. Moliere has built his story on the above observations of the religious people, nicknamed "bondage Hypocrites" ("Society of the Holy Sacrament"). That is why the image of the mail character was composed of the typical features inherent to sectarians.

The value of the play lies in the fact that it clearly exposed the reactionary role of the clergy, the image created by the synthesis of Tartuffe, which has become synonymous expression of bigotry and hypocrisy.

Despite all the revelations of it spiritual rank, I do not think this is an anti-religion play. To my mind, the author did not address the issue of faith or God. He does not criticize the Bible and the Holy Scriptures. Moliere exposes the flaws of his time, but it's not a vice of religion, it is a vice of those who call themselves believers and appropriate the title of spiritual ranks. Therefore, at the time, it caused such a negative reaction of religious people, because no one likes legitimate criticism. In his comedy mocking religious people, he encourages people to be more vigilant and true to their faith, but not to liars who tells they are saint.

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