Moliere's Use of Eavesdropping
When reading great literary works such as the masterpieces of Shakespeare, Moliere, or Wordsworth, one must read them as one would drink a glass of fine wine. One cannot merely guzzle it down like a cold soda; one must concentrate and savor it slowly, in order to fully appreciate its true essence. One will find in all great pieces of literature several common elements that illustrate why they are worthy of being called masterpieces: a sense of direction, a diction and a style, and most importantly, an underlying theme that if examined carefully can reveal many insights into the author's perceptions and even certain edifying truths. A great illustration of the importance of an underlying theme can be seen in Moliere's Tartuffe and his use of eavesdropping.Before analyzing any specific passage in Tartuffe, let us first focus upon the context of 'listening in and overhearing' within the play. Once we have an adequate understanding of this, then we can examine why the concept of eavesdropping is so vital to this play. The play stresses the importance of listening in and overhearing either as a vehicle to uncover the truth, or as a mask to conceal the truth. Moliere weaves these elements throughout his work in order to propel the
" A third reason why this occurrence of eavesdropping is noteworthy is because it mirrors the first one in the play, the one where Dorine eavesdrops on Orgon. As a consequence of this final episode of eavesdropping, the rest of Tartuffe's treacherous conspiracies are revealed to us. Moliere seems to be telling us, "Take notice, there is trouble brewing!!" It is at this point that Orgon tells Mariane of his wishes and we can finally acknowledge that something is terribly wrong. The audience learns of the strong box and of what it contains. In the next act, after eavesdropping on the conversation between his mother, Elmire, and Tartuffe, Damis is convinced that he has enough evidence to convince his father about the real Tartuffe. Moliere demonstrates to us once again how vital his use of eavesdropping is to the developing plot of the play. However, when Damis tells his father the truth, Orgon becomes even more blinded by Tartuffe's hoax. Orgon does eavesdrop, and it is through this scheme that he finally learns of Tartuffe's true nature. " This is a wonderful twist by Moliere: Elmire insists that Orgon can only "see the facts as plain as day" if he is hidden out of sight. The audience can now breathe a sigh of relief and cheer for the return of justice. This scene is noteworthy because it signifies the beginning of the play's crisis, and it should set off alarm bells in the audience's mind, telling them that something is amiss. However, before he tells her, he makes sure that there are no eavesdroppers. " Moliere demonstrates through this statement that the King is able to see through any illusions created by Tartuffe.
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