Role of Women During the Enlightenment Period Discussed in "Tartuffe"

Roles of Women during the Enlightenment period
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Roles of Women During the Enlightenment period
Upon the rise of the enlightenment period in the play Tartuffe, Moliere basically highlights how women significantly contributed towards the changes relating to how the society perceived and treated women. Through how he depicts Mariane, he demonstrates that before the enlightenment period, women were considered subjects of oppression and were expected to obey and comply with whatever they were being told by men. For example when Oregon makes a marriage decision for Mariane to marry Tartuffe; “be your husband, is that clear? It’s a father’s privilege”. He further portrays how Mariane’s character was just but a clear reflection of what the society deemed acceptable in women and apparently where the society ranks women in its patriarchal hierarchy (Cardullo, 2009).. Moliere depicts the contribution of women in the enlightenment period by primarily focusing on their actions, words, and behaviors. Through the play Tartuffe, Moliere sends out a robust message by depicting female characters as figures that openly go against convention.
Moliere’s majorly revolves the contributions of women towards the success of the enlightenment around Dorine and Elmire. The two combine their abilities to make clever and rational decisions rational decisions in efforts to expose Tartuffe’s hypocrisy, all as strategy of to stop him from marrying Mariane. A decision Orgon had made out of his authority as a man over his family. Despite their endless efforts to reveal to Orgon how hypocritical to his position he was, Orgon never seemed to notice.
Through the play, Moliere uses Dorine’s character of bravery and fighting for what she believed to be right in demonstrating the contributions of women towa...