Candide Tartuffe Essay
Shema 1
Kristen Shema
Mrs. Pulsfort
Western Literature Honors
28 April 2015
Religious Hypocrisy versus Honesty
Authors often incorporate their political and philosophical views in their works.
Tartuffe
, a play by Molière, and
Candide
, a novella by Voltaire, deal with religion in society.
Tartuffe is a satire about the French upper class’ attitude toward religion. Molière finds fault with extreme zealots and hypocrisy in religious people, and favors moderate beliefs. Voltaire’s
Candide
mocks
Western society by criticizing their religious figures. Voltaire finds scientific reasoning and free thinking important and is judgemental of religious optimism. Both writers agree that the religious establishments are tarnished with individuals who are not sincere in their faith and act fanatically about their piety, and find that realistic religious behavior is the best way to practice religion.
Both Molière and Voltaire find religious hypocrisy to be abundant in organized religion.
Molière denounces religious hypocrisy through Tartuffe. Tartuffe is a corrupt fraud who uses religion as a vehicle for committing crimes. He acts excessively reverent, but his personal actions contradict his religion. Tartuffe tells Dorine to “cover that bosom...The flesh is weak, and unclean thoughts are difficult to control. Such sights as that can undermine the soul” (Molière
287). Tartuffe talks about how important chastity is but immediately after giving this speech, he contradicts this notion. In Act 3 Scene 3, Tartuffe tries to seduce Elmire into having an affair on her husband with him. His actions directly go against one of the ten commandments, making it a major sin. His complete lack of regard for how bad adultery is shows his inconsistencies between
Shema 2
his behavior and his religious rants. His quick change of heart makes his religious hypocrisy much more radical. Voltaire attacks religious hypocrisy just like Molière. In the novel,
Kristen Shema
Mrs. Pulsfort
Western Literature Honors
28 April 2015
Religious Hypocrisy versus Honesty
Authors often incorporate their political and philosophical views in their works.
Tartuffe
, a play by Molière, and
Candide
, a novella by Voltaire, deal with religion in society.
Tartuffe is a satire about the French upper class’ attitude toward religion. Molière finds fault with extreme zealots and hypocrisy in religious people, and favors moderate beliefs. Voltaire’s
Candide
mocks
Western society by criticizing their religious figures. Voltaire finds scientific reasoning and free thinking important and is judgemental of religious optimism. Both writers agree that the religious establishments are tarnished with individuals who are not sincere in their faith and act fanatically about their piety, and find that realistic religious behavior is the best way to practice religion.
Both Molière and Voltaire find religious hypocrisy to be abundant in organized religion.
Molière denounces religious hypocrisy through Tartuffe. Tartuffe is a corrupt fraud who uses religion as a vehicle for committing crimes. He acts excessively reverent, but his personal actions contradict his religion. Tartuffe tells Dorine to “cover that bosom...The flesh is weak, and unclean thoughts are difficult to control. Such sights as that can undermine the soul” (Molière
287). Tartuffe talks about how important chastity is but immediately after giving this speech, he contradicts this notion. In Act 3 Scene 3, Tartuffe tries to seduce Elmire into having an affair on her husband with him. His actions directly go against one of the ten commandments, making it a major sin. His complete lack of regard for how bad adultery is shows his inconsistencies between
Shema 2
his behavior and his religious rants. His quick change of heart makes his religious hypocrisy much more radical. Voltaire attacks religious hypocrisy just like Molière. In the novel,