A Modest Proposal Vs. Tartuffe: Comparison Between Two Satires

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We also need to check what type of people were reached out by a Satire while evaluating which one is more or less successful. “Tartuffe” is a theatrical comedy performed in theaters. This means that even those people, without the ability to read and write, are able to enjoy and understand the comedy. Nowadays it may seems ridiculous to measure it on the way it is reaching the audience, but back in the golden age, when literacy was a luxurious good reserved to the upper class, it was the key to success. Of course we got to keep in mind that not everyone was able to go to the theater. It was an expensive entertainment that not everyone could afford.

Another credit I would like to give Moliere is his way of writing the comedy. “Tartuffe” is written in a very simple language which makes it easy to read and understand. It is entertaining but still delivers a very serious message to the audience. Readers and listeners do not have to look up every second word to understand the meaning behind “Tartuffe”.

People tend to enjoy comedies that make them smile and feel entertained more than just plain texts. Comedies are entertaining and popular to read or to watch. It does not tent to bore the audience and keeps their concentration on the topic. Moliere is hiding his message of the Satire behind his comedy. People go and enjoy watching the play in the theater or take the reading in their hands and start reading with the attention to get entertained and not lectured. It is self-criticism that the audience will experience after seeing how Tartuffe, a religious hypocrite, makes a fool out of himself and attract the anger of others on him. Moliere finds a way to show how stupid and wrong the character “Tartuffe” is. His religion and his belief in god are just excuses for his wrong doings. An alibi to play the men in need, that is sneaking out much more than just attention and some dole. Going to church, reading the bible and “sacrificing” himself for God, does not make him a good person. It is thanks to all characters, who are standing critical against Tartuffe, to see for the audience that Tartuffe is not more than a hypocrite. We do not even have to think if Tartuffe is a good or a bad person. Moliere takes the decision for us. Dorine, Cléante, Damis and Mariane reveal all the wrongdoings of Tartuffe and expose him as a hypocrate. They are not impressed by his appearance at all. And in my opinion, their relationship and opinion about Tartuffe, makes it easy for us to find our opinion towards Tartuffe easier. It also shows us what a fool Orgon is. The head of the family. A man who let a fake person mess around with him and his family. The comedy does not leave much space for us to interpret, which is in my opinion fine, because it is not a fiction, a genre that leaves the much space to imagine. It is straight forward and for everyone to understand.

“Tartuffe” is working so much better than “A Modest Proposal” because it gives us someone to hate. And in “Tartuffe” it is the character Tartuffe itself. Moliere found the right way of presenting him in a bad light. There is no sympathy to find for Tartuffe. He is the despicable person, hated by everyone. Orgon, on the other side, is the stupid person that got trapped by Tartuffe. A trap of big words and lies. Impressive speeches but empty content. It is impressive to see how easily people can be fooled. And we think that something like that could never happen to us. But history has shown that humans, in big and small groups, can get trapped by someone else’s talent to twist them around their finger. And even though Satires are supposed to educate the reader and keep them for making the same mistakes, it happens again and again. A very successful comedy, written hundreds of years ago, published all around the globe, studied and taught in classrooms all over this world even today, does not have the power to show humanity how to do it better. So yes, it does work as a Satire, but it takes more than just a well written Satire to get into the heads of people to change them. It takes the willingness of people to change.