As I reread the first part of the play, because to my own confession I read it the first time but I did not comprehend and/or analyze it. The person I sympathize with the most in this story is Mariane. To me this is a girl, or should we call her a woman since she is to be married some, this is a young lady that doesn’t have a voice, when it come to her father. She adores her father, yet she feels inferior to him, and honored to be his daughter and to just be loved by him. When Mariane’s father asked her a question and after she responded, his reply was “I’ve always loved your gentleness” (Moliere 156). Mariane then responds, “And for your love, I’m grateful, Father dear” (Moliere 156). Her father knows that she loves him, yet he wants her to prove it, he then states, “Well said. And to prove that you are sincere, And worthy of my love, you have the task of doing for me anything that I ask” (Moliere 156). Because this young woman doesn’t have a voice that her father cares to hear from, her family has to stand up for this little girl. Cle’ante, Elmire, and even Dorine try to be her voice. Marine seems fearful of her father or doesn’t want to upset him, or maybe go against the order tradition, and just goes with whatever FATHER says. Even as Dorine and
Orgon went back and forth about Mariane’s life she sat and said nothing. After Orgon leaves the room Dorine asked her, “Tell me, have you lost the power of speech” (Moliere 161). Dorine was livid because Marine was just sitting there and saying nothing as Orgon was deciding her life, her future, and her plans to marry a man that she did not want. Mariane replied, “Against my father, what am I to do” Moliere 161).
I think it's funny how easily she stands up to Valere, compared to her inability to say no to her father. It's not a male power thing, it's all about the societal power structure. She is so soft with her father, but then she's just flat out cold to Valere, he says "And so it's plain to ese, Your heart never felt a true love for me." to which she replies, "If you want to, you may think that is true. It's clear this thought has great appeal for you." (pg.165; ln.33). Her tone is night and day compared to her conversation with her father. I think this is Moliere highlighting societal structure's importance.
ReplyDeleteMoliere does highlight the social structure and generates how order has become a way of living. I believe society has been ordered from male power. Men created social structure from their beliefs, which would develope order to bring people together through structure. Mariane had not a voice only from the power of her father's beliefs and desires demanded within his household. Because of societal power structure, only the enmity of a commoner man or a higher power could be derisive. Tartuffe used religion, the highest power of all, to ostracise Orgon away from his being. Tartuffe states to Orgon, when punishing Damis, "In the name of God, don't be that way. Brother, I'd rather suffer, come what may, Than have this boy receive what's meant for me." as Orgon turns to Damis, "Heathen!" (Moliere 176). Mariane gives her voice to lower socials, like Dorine or Valere, in a society; that I think is the real structure for social power.
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