Analysis of Moliere’s Would-Be Gentleman

Castiglione's The Courtier presents a set of female and male indications for being ideal or well-rounded persons, spread across four books of what was to become a Renaissance-specific manual for achieving the human etiquette ideal. A parallel is to be traced between these precepts that were drawn five centuries ago, and the current situation.

In Moliere’s Tartuffe he creates this being and character that cons two characters out of their dignity. Those characters are Pernelle and her son Orgon and while everyone sees this con man doing what he does best, Pernelle and Orgon do not. Orgon ends up giving away everything he’s worked for and Tartuffe has almost gotten where he’s wanted him until these characters are not blinded with the help of their family; but, is it true that some readers may believe differently. Tartuffe is a con man and a hypocrite and the psychology of the situation is blinded by that fact. The reason why Tartuffe blinded Orgon and Pernelle was because they were susceptible of it; they were the only ones in the household that could be susceptible. Every one of the

Rome and Persia had a “warrior status” based class system during their rise. However, they had a very different system during their fall. A military leader was held very high up in society in Persia, however the priest were held even higher. The ways that a soldier or a noble would move up the social ladder would be if they achieved outstanding military service. An example of this would be if a general

Nobles have pressure on them not to dishonour their family’s name and to achieve and excel in areas from wrestling, to the art of first impressions (Castiglione, p. 54). Members of the bourgeoisie class do not feel that pressure, nor do they feel the need to surpass and outdo what their ancestors have achieved. However, this pressure will actually work in the noble’s favor. If they do not at least meet the standard their ancestors have set for them, they are at risk of reprehension. In addition, the bourgeoisie did not have the “hidden seed” nobels are thought to have. All the “noble” behavior and skills must be taught to them, while a noble is thought to possess these “essential characteristics” naturally. (Castiglione,

The society of the Roman Empire was one in which ones social experience was overwhelmingly decided by their position in the strict and universally agreed upon social hierarchy. This social hierarchy was built upon, and contributed to, the deep social divides between classes which were overwhelmingly prevalent in Roman imperial society. The process of manumission, continued presence and increase of freedmen and vast base of slave population were all factors which contributed to the strength of the exceedingly divided imperial social system which dictated position and social experience for all social classes. While social structure was a strict, established system in imperial Rome, it was also a system in which social mobility was a possibility

The Courtier was significant not only to the lives of those in the Renaissance, but also to those in contemporary society. It is the hope of the general public for a person of success to maintain that air of natural ease, portraying a vibrant, kind personality to others. An ‘elite’ member of society should be educated, well spoken, and known for one’s endeavors. Similarly, the impression that success is earned through hard work pertained to Renaissance society as much as it does to the 21st

In the middle classes, the passion for wealth was closely connected with the desperate need for respectability. By 1880, a generation had passed into manhood with an outlook which made them ideally suited to govern the empire. In itself, wealth alone was hardly enough to make a Victorian respectable. When everyone at the time was busy making money and working to better themselves, someone with money who just laid back and enjoyed the pleasures of life was not a winner. It was said that to be a merchant prince was a far finer thing than to be a gentleman. This means

Since the beginning of time, humans have had an innate desire for stability and order. This very inclination led to the creation of civilization itself. Most of, if not all civilizations have had social hierarchies and systems that defined the everyday of life of its citizens. An excellent example of this is Renaissance-era Europe. Organized social structures with an emphasis on wealth and family lines dominated society in that era. Baldassare Castiglione’s work The Book of the Courtier is an excellent insight not only into this society, but beyond that as well. The Book of the Courtier exemplifies the different roles for men and women in Renaissance-era Europe and has many applications to the modern world.

The social classes, their treatment, and the rule of the throne all work together, and under Queen Elizabeth’s rule, they all changed for the better. There were five social classes during the sixteenth century, some with corresponding sub-classes. These classes were kept separate by the rules of Parliament that didn’t allow the lower classes to have as many things as the upper-classes. Queen Elizabeth I had great rule over her kingdom, but she did not extend her family line with marriage nor children. The social systems of the time are not much different than the hierarchy in modern-day

“My parents were undoubtedly respectable, I have six years of honourable service in the army and I have the means to maintain a reasonable position in society…To be honest, Monsieur, I must tell you frankly that I am not in your sense a gentleman”. Cleonte has a barrier between family honor and love to cross. He chooses to tell the truth that he is nothing a noble. Being a noble does not mean being a gentleman and vice versa. Why Cleonte does not answer that he is a noble, so he could marry Lucile. The honour of a man is way important to him compared to the fake noble that he would be if he answered the other way. From Cleonte’s perspective, parts of Parisians, despite the conflict of being the middle class level, still retain the ethics, the morality that they originally came from instead of selling it at any cost, just like Monsieur wants his daughter to marry a marquis. The noble is the goal. “On one thing I am absolutely determined. My son-in-law shall be a gentleman.” People always desire to surround the ambition and gandy cover but forgets about how behavior determines our true soul. In the other way, Cleonte decided to be noble, he is going to lose what personality he kept. Paris is so beautiful to observe from the outside, but inside, the ambition exist that will fade away the way you used to learn

The sixth essay examines papyri reflecting how those of New Testament times understood rank and status. Judges argues that the study of nomenclature can aid in understanding how social rank was viewed. He concludes the essay by examining four letters which reveal how status relationships are conducted within the circle of family and friends. Judge correctly asserts that Christian’s view of status and rank collides with the Roman classical

"I cannot improve on it, and assuredly never shall," said Molière of his satire The Misanthrope, {1} and the critic Nicholas Boileau-Despréaux concurred by accounting it one of Molière's best plays.{2} But the French public did not like it much, preferring the dramatist's more farcical The Doctor in Spite of Himself--a play that, according to tradition, was written two months after The Misanthrope's premiere to make up for the latter's lack of success.{3} In fact, The Misanthrope horrified Rousseau, who thought that its aim was, in Donald Frame's words, "to make virtue ridiculous by pandering to the shallow and vicious tastes of the man of the world."{4} Both he and Goethe after him regarded

Notably, the nobility were particularly disdainful of the merchants who, in the eyes of the nobility, were perceived as misers. The nobility’s behavior was in contrast to that of the merchants; the noblemen

In Michigan State University’s performance of The Misanthrope by Moliere, the cast provided a delightfully accurate period piece that utilized time accurate acting in a believable, rational course of actions, but occasionally fell victim to restraint of the actors to fully immerse within their characters. This particular style of acting was much more presentational than society is used to for a play or film, but served as a very fitting portrayal the avoidance of humor imbalance. In addition, the form of acting performed by the actors focused heavily on the text and physical movement compared to the modern style of acting which centers more on vocal tonality and facial expressions, given the much more intimate devices and aim. Although the

And for two years no one spoke to me of heresy, because they could see that I was passionately in love with this girl” (Ladurie 79), this is an incredible example of the details that these reports contained. The comparison of Pierre Maury and Pierre Clergue and many other individuals and families was imperative to this book and therefore crucially important in the understanding of the reader in regards to the social and personal structures of Montaillou in the 14th century. It is emphasized in the book the significance that connections had in Montaillou, whether about families, business or alliances. By these unions and alliances, which most people achieved through marriage, families became more powerful because of the union of the two families both in social status and monetary wealth. This can be the reason to why members of poor families tried to marry into higher social classes. Though, that would prove extremely difficult since most wealthy families kept marriages between their family in order to keep the wealth in it.