Tartuffe: Bishop and Catholic Church
Brendan Guiney
Melissa Williams
English 121
3, April 2013
Catholic Church Sexual Scandals Throughout the play Tartuffe written by Molière in 1664 we, the audience, get a glimpse into the life of Tartuffe and what he truly stands for. Tartuffe may come across as a ethical and religious man but once we see him and his conniving ways we begin to realize that he really isn’t the moral authority that he claims to be, instead he is an unethical and sacrilegious man who will do whatever it takes to get ahead and get his way. This have happened very often in the history of the world, specifically recently with the whole church molestation and child abuse scandals surrounding the Catholic Church. These were instances when Priests, Bishops, Cardinals, and other people of moral authority went against all that they claimed to stand for, much like Tartuffe. This theme of morality and ethics in Tartuffe reminded me greatly of the child molestation and abuse scandals that fell over the Catholic Church in the 2000’s. The Catholic Church with over 1 billion followers has been a tough situation for the last decade or so and under great scrutiny for all of the child abuse and molestation cases that doomed over so many apparently pious men. Like Tartuffe, these men were seen as moral authority and preached what they claimed to believe in. However, some committed distasteful crimes with minors and the Church has received great scrutiny for what some of these religious men did. Though not the entire Catholic Church and every priest, bishop, or cardinal committed these crimes many people felt betrayed by the Catholic Church for several reasons. The fact that all priests, bishops, cardinals, and popes are supposed to be supporting and help build the youth and build everyone’s faith, this was seen as very hypocritical when some of them would be preaching what the Church believes yet committing acts completely contradicting what they are teaching everyone. The sexual abuse scandal
Melissa Williams
English 121
3, April 2013
Catholic Church Sexual Scandals Throughout the play Tartuffe written by Molière in 1664 we, the audience, get a glimpse into the life of Tartuffe and what he truly stands for. Tartuffe may come across as a ethical and religious man but once we see him and his conniving ways we begin to realize that he really isn’t the moral authority that he claims to be, instead he is an unethical and sacrilegious man who will do whatever it takes to get ahead and get his way. This have happened very often in the history of the world, specifically recently with the whole church molestation and child abuse scandals surrounding the Catholic Church. These were instances when Priests, Bishops, Cardinals, and other people of moral authority went against all that they claimed to stand for, much like Tartuffe. This theme of morality and ethics in Tartuffe reminded me greatly of the child molestation and abuse scandals that fell over the Catholic Church in the 2000’s. The Catholic Church with over 1 billion followers has been a tough situation for the last decade or so and under great scrutiny for all of the child abuse and molestation cases that doomed over so many apparently pious men. Like Tartuffe, these men were seen as moral authority and preached what they claimed to believe in. However, some committed distasteful crimes with minors and the Church has received great scrutiny for what some of these religious men did. Though not the entire Catholic Church and every priest, bishop, or cardinal committed these crimes many people felt betrayed by the Catholic Church for several reasons. The fact that all priests, bishops, cardinals, and popes are supposed to be supporting and help build the youth and build everyone’s faith, this was seen as very hypocritical when some of them would be preaching what the Church believes yet committing acts completely contradicting what they are teaching everyone. The sexual abuse scandal