INTER-INFLUENTIAL RELATIONSHIP OF LITERATURE AND HISTORY IN ITS CONNECTION WITH HEGEMONY: A

PARALLEL READING ON MOLIÈRE’S TARTUFFE AND MARK KISHLANSKY’S LOUIS XIV

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters

By

YABES ELIA SURYANTO

Student Number: 034214061

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2008

INTER-INFLUENTIAL RELATIONSHIP OF LITERATURE AND HISTORY IN ITS CONNECTION WITH HEGEMONY: A

PARALLEL READING ON MOLIÈRE’S TARTUFFE AND MARK KISHLANSKY’S LOUIS XIV

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters

By

YABES ELIA SURYANTO

Student Number: 034214061

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2008

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The unexamined life is not worth living.

(Socrates) 

There are no whole truths; all truths are half-truths. It is trying to treat them as whole truths that

plays the devil. (Alfred North Whitehead)

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For my beloved Mother, Yetty Kemawati

Raharja

In heaven

For your incredible struggle

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to Jesus and Socrates, I finished my thesis. First of all, I would like

to give my deepest appreciation to my favorite characters, Jesus and Socrates

who have inspired me in every cell of my brain. They have proved me the

greatness of the texts in giving influences in people’s life.

Second, I would like to thank my advisor, Paulus Sarwoto, S.S., M.A, for

his thoughts, believes and every seconds during my thesis writing process. I

would like you to know that you are the most annoying, yet my favorite teacher.

My deepest gratitude also goes to my adored mother, Yetty Kemawati

Raharja. Thank you for showing me that every human is a super human. Thank

you for your life.

Thanks to my older sister, Yitra Ambarukmi Sutrisni S.E. I will never

make until this far without you. Thank you for giving me chances and

understanding. Thanks to you for allowing me walk along with you by my side.

My special thanks goes to I Putu Jody Sudiartawan and Andreas Teguh

Sujarwadi S.S for giving me ‘home’ every time I feel lonely. Thanks to my great

friends Wahyu Adi Putra Ginting, S.S. and Wahmuji for their special guidance.

Thank you for correcting my ill sentences. My special thanks also go to my

‘family’ Budi Utomo, Sunu, Gideon, Sugeng Utomo, Galang, Bigar, Kethek,

Ramto and Badu. I also would like to express my thanks to all my friends

especially Kentang, Boim, Tombro, Nitnot, Wedhus, Tiara, Danik, Stella,

Tumpal, Dika, Cosmas, Asep, Dodik, Mbendol, Bayu and all English Letters

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Students of 2003 for companying and supporting me during my study, it is great

to be their friends.

Finally, for my wife Tyas Purbasari, S.S. and my child Bumi Yabes, I

can not find any words to show my gratefulness. You are the reason in everything.

You are my steps in my walks. I am the luckiest man because of you, the logic of

my thought and the love of my emotion.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE............................................................................................ i APPROVAL PAGE .................................................................................. ii ACCEPTANCE PAGE ............................................................................ iii MOTTO PAGE......................................................................................... iv DEDICATION PAGE .............................................................................. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................... vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................... ix ABSTRACT .............................................................................................. xi ABSTRAK ................................................................................................. xii CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ............................................................ 1

A. Background of the Study ............................................................. 1 B. Problem Formulation ................................................................... 4 C. Objectives of the Study ................................................................ 4 D. Definition of Terms ...................................................................... 5

CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ........................................... 6

A. Review of Related Studies........................................................... 6 B. Review of Related Theories......................................................... 7

1. Elements of Drama …............................................................ 7 a. Theory on Plot ………………………………………….. 7 b. Theory on Character.......................................................... 10

2. Theory of Absolute Power………………………................... 12 3. Theory of Hegemony………………………………………. 14

C. Review on Historical Facts……………………………………… 15 D. Theoretical Framework ………………………………………… 18

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ……………………………………. 20

A. Object of the Study....................................................................... 20 B. Approach of the Study................................................................. 21 C. Method of the Study ..................................................................... 23

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ……………………………………………. 25

A. The Intrinsic Elements on Tartuffe .............................................. 25 1. Plot…………..……………………………………………… 25

a. Exposition………………………………………………. 25 b. Point of Attack...……..…………………………………. 27 c. Rising Action……………………………………………. 28 d. Climax…………………………………………………... 31 e. Resolution………..……………………………………... 32

2. Character....….……………………………………………… 33

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a. Orgon……………………………………………………. 33 b. Tartuffe………...……..…………………………………. 37

B. The Influences of the History in the Intrinsic Elements ………… 40 1. Plot………………………………………………………….. 40 2. Character ……………………………………………............ 52

C. The Influences of the Intrinsic Elements in the History ………… 58 1. Character ……………………………………………............ 58 2. Plot………………………………………………………….. 61

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION …............................................................ 65 BIBLIOGRAPHY ….................................................................................. 67 APPENDIX ………………………………………………………………. 69

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ABSTRACT

YABES ELIA SURYANTO. Inter-influential Relationship of Literature and History in its Connection with Hegemony: A Parallel Reading on Molière’s Tartuffe and Mark Kishlansky’s Louis XIV. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2008.

Begin with personal interests with this work, Molière’s Tartuffe, the writer tries to find historical information on this play. The writer finds that this play has its own special records. The finding on its special records and historical background inspire the writer to do deeper analysis on this play. The absolute power and its hegemony, as a way maintaining it, become the focus on this study. The writer chooses this topic because of his finding that the hegemony of absolute power has been some major problems in many countries over centuries.

The problems to be answered in this thesis are: (1) how the plot and characters are described in Tartuffe?, (2) how the history influences the plot and characters in Tartuffe?, (3) how the plot and characters in Tartuffe influenced the history?

The study of this thesis is a library research. It takes most information and references from books. The study uses the new historicism approach since the aim is to find the inter-influential relationship of literature and history in its connection with hegemony of absolute power.

Through this study, the writer discovers the inter-influential relationship of literary text and historical text in its connection with hegemony. The first influences are found in the intrinsic elements of the play, plot and character. The important role of absolute power, including its benefits and consequences, in the reign of Louis XIV, influenced the plot of the play. The ruling system of Louis XIV emphasized on the role of the king influenced Molière, the writer of the play, in creating Orgon’s characteristics. The second influences are in the history. A character in this play, Tartuffe, annoyed the church. This character caused the church to give an execution on Molière for heresy. The plot, on the contrary, caused Louis XIV to save the writer of the play from his execution.

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ABSTRAK

YABES ELIA SURYANTO. Inter-influential Relationship of Literature and History in its Connection with Hegemony: A Parallel Reading on Molière’s Tartuffe and Mark Kishlansky’s Louis XIV. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2008.

Berawal dari selera individu atas sebuah karya dari Molière yang berjudul Tartuffe, penulis mencoba mencari catatan sejarah yang berhubungan dengan karya ini. Penulis menemukan bahwa karya ini memiliki catatan sejarah yang istimewa. Penemuan-penemuan atas catatan sejarah dan latar belakang sejarah dari karya inilah yang menginspirasi penulis untuk melakukan analisa yang lebih lanjut. Kekuasan absolut dan hegemoni nya, yang dipandang sebagai salah satu cara untuk mempertahankan kekuasaan, menjadi focus dari studi ini.

Rumusan masalah yang akan dijawab dalam studi ini adalah: (1) bagaimana plot dan karakter dijabarkan dalam karya ini?, (2) bagaimana sejarah mempengaruhi plot dan karakter di dalam karya ini?, (3) bagaimana plot dan karakter dalam karya ini mempengaruhi sejarah?

Studi ini merupakan studi pustaka, artinya mayoritas informasi dan referensi bersumber pada buku. Studi ini menggunakan pendekatan new historicism karena tujuan utama dari studi ini adalah untuk menemukan hubungan antara karya sastra dan sejarah yang saling mempengaruhi dalam hubungannya dengan hegemoni kekuasaan absolut.

Melalui studi ini, penulis menemukan hubungan antara karya sastra dan sejarah yang saling mempengaruhi dalam hubungannya dengan hegemoni kekuasaan absolut. Pengaruh pertama ditemukan pada karya sastra, pada plot dan karakter. Peran penting dari kekuasaan yang absolute, termasuk keuntungan dan resiko nya, pada jaman pemerintahan Louis XIV mempengaruhi plot. Sistem kekuasaan yang bertumpu pada peran Louis XIV mempengaruhi Molière, penulis karya ini, dalam menciptakan karakteristik Orgon. Pengaruh kedua ditemukan pada sejarah. Seorang tokoh dalam karya ini, Tartuffe, membuat marah gereja. Tokoh ini membuat gereja menjatuhkan eksekusi pada Molière karena dianggap bidah. Plot pada karya ini, sebaliknya, mempengaruhi Louis XIV untuk menyelamatkan penulis karya ini dari eksekusi nya.

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

When the writer read the play, Molière’s Tartuffe, at the first time, the

writer was interested in its conflict and the personality of each character.

However, this play was not made just for the beauty in literature but it was made

for criticism. At the first time, the writer noticed that this play is Molière’s, the

writer of this play, critic towards hypocritical church through the characterization

in Tartuffe. However, when the writer read the history and recognized what

happened in France in 17th century, he then realized that this play is not only

criticizing the church but also producing a possibility that it shows Molière’s

disagreement towards the absolute power of Louis XIV.

Tartuffe was performed at the first time in Great Palace Versailles with the

royal court as the audience. After this play was performed, it made the church

annoyed because of the content. The play was banned for the public performance.

Although Tartuffe was extremely popular with audiences and was acclaimed by Louis XIV, the Archbishop of Paris issued a decree threatening to excommunicate anyone performing, attending, or even reading the play. It was not until 1669—after the bulk of political and religious power had shifted away from his most adamant opponents—that Molière was permitted to perform publicly the final version of the play.<Pavloski>

Though this play has ever been banned, yet the writer believes a

remarkable literary work will never die, even it will get stronger, if someone tries

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to kill it. This play has also become an evidence that literary work, sometimes, is

the mirror of reality. In literature, people can find historical facts which happened

in the real life. Moreover, if the people can see the reality deeper than it seems,

they can see that there are comedy, tragedy, drama and ode in the real world

usually seen in a literary piece. This play, in addition to becoming a reflection of

the reality, was not only influenced by the reality but also, interestingly,

influenced the reality.

That’s why when the writer knows that even though it had been banned

but Tartuffe is still alive till today and the writer trusts that the influence of

historical facts may reveal good lesson toward today’s life. And it makes the

writer consider that this play is worth studying.

Another reason is, absolute power had been some major problem in many

countries over centuries. The example of absolute power which occurred not long

ago was done by Soeharto in Indonesia (1968-1998). It proves that even absolute

power had existed for a long time ago, it is still alive now.

William Ewart Gladstone (1809 - 1898), a British statesman who is

referring to proposed electoral reforms and extension of the franchise (Reform

Bill, 1867) in his speech to the British Parliament stated that “I venture to say that

every man who is not presumably incapacitated by some consideration of personal

unfitness or of political danger is morally entitled to come within the pale of the

constitution”. Another opinion from Maximilien Robespierre (1758 - 1794), a

French lawyer and revolutionary in the Declaration of the Rights of Man is “any

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law which violates the indefeasible rights of man is essentially unjust and

tyrannical; it is not a law at all”.

Many people disagree with absolute power and they will do their efforts to

against it. There are a lot of examples of the act against absolute power which is

happened in many countries such as America, in their war of independence (1775-

1783), England which is known as Puritan revolution (1640-1660), French

revolution (1789-1799).

The writer can not give any judgements on the act of opposing the

absolute power whether it is good or bad. The writer interests in the process on

how people get involved in the absolute power. The evidences from the history

show that there are a lot of people who involve in this matter whether they are

supporting by doing or against it. This phenomenon is widely occurred throughout

the world even all religions in this world believe that the God has the absolute

power. For those reasons, in the writer’s opinion, absolute power which is the

most popular phenomenon in the society is worth studying.

In Microsoft® Student 2008 [DVD], Antonio Gramsci, a Marxist political

theorist defined Hegemony as the ways in which ruling classes use a dominant

ideology to conceal their control of the masses. It is obviously seen that the

concept of hegemony is closely related with the absolute power since it can be the

most applicable and easiest way to maintain that condition, therefore studying the

concept of hegemony will give a better chance to deal with the existence of

absolute power, whatever position is taken. Therefore, the title of this study is

Inter-influential Relationship of Literature and History in its Connection with

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Hegemony: A Parallel reading on Molière’s Tartuffe and Mark Kishlansky’s

Louis XIV. The purpose of this study is finding the significance of the hegemony

of absolute power and revealing the process of this hegemony. Therefore the

readers who oppose the absolute power may have better chance to defeat it and

the readers who support it may have better chance to maintain or to achieve it.

The writer will give the readers a freedom to choose since the writer believes that

many people will refuse to be controlled by other people but those many people

will take the chance to have control on the other.

B. Problem Formulation

1. How are the plot and characters described in Tartuffe?

2. How does history influence the plot and characters in Tartuffe?

3. How do plot and characters in Tartuffe influence history?

C. The Objective of the Study

The objective of this study is to answer the questions in the problem

formulation. Firstly, by revealing the intrinsic elements, especially the plot and

characters in Tartuffe, the writer can reveal the significances of the history

towards this play. Secondly, the writer can show on how this play influences

history. Finally, by knowing those influences, the writer can relate the influences

with hegemony of absolute power.

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D. Definition of Term

As it is stated before, the term hegemony according to Gramsci is the ways

in which ruling classes use a dominant ideology to conceal their control of the

masses (Microsoft® Student 2008 [DVD]).

Barry Burke believes that by hegemony, Gramsci meant the permeation

throughout society of an entire system of values, attitudes, beliefs and morality

that has the effect of supporting the status quo in power relations.

Dominant groups in society, including fundamentally but not exclusively

the ruling class, maintain their dominance by securing the 'spontaneous consent'

of subordinate groups, including the working class, through the negotiated

construction of a political and ideological consensus which incorporates both

dominant and dominated groups." (Strinati, 1995: 165)

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

A. Review on Related Studies

Molière's Tartuffe as a satire on religious fanaticism

This was written by Lyman Allen Baker (1996). In this study, the author

wanted to show that what was written by Wilbur, a translator of Tartuffe who

wrote some analyzes on the primary source used in this thesis, misses the point of

the premise that Molière’s criticism, using the character of Tartuffe, applied only

to people who are religious but do not act in accordance with their sincere

professions. Orgon, who would easily believe and obey what church said, was

used to criticize the traditional Christian. It is shown through Orgon who believes

in Tartuffe because he comes from the church.

In this work, it is obviously shown that Orgon’s attitude is recognizably a

parody of St. Augustine. He was successful in commanding the Roman Empire

and Protestant reformers.

It was also described that Cleante is the one who can think clearly since he

argues that God wants his people to enjoy their life instead of mortify their flesh.

In this research, the writer agrees with the opinion of Lyman Allen Baker

that Orgon is used to criticize the power from the church. However, Baker did not

go deeper in her analysis. She only regarded Orgon as the victim of the church’s

power, not as the victim of something bigger than that: something behind the

church which is an absolute power held by the church in that time.

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The writer believes that a deeper analysis regarding the absolute power

from the church making Orgon as a victim is needed. There is a larger matter

involved such as why Orgon becomes a victim and how the power of the church

relates to its hegemony. Therefore, the writer tries to analyze the larger context

related with the absolute power and its hegemony. The writer tries to find the

inter-influential relationship of literary text and historical text in its connection

with hegemony of absolute power.

B. Review on Related Theories

1. Elements of Drama

The object of this study is a drama, which has some intrinsic elements.

Therefore, theory of elements of drama is provided. There are some intrinsic

elements of drama but there are only two elements which are discussed. The other

elements are not related to the problem in this study.

a. Plot

Plot is one of the most important elements in a story since it will guide the

reader to understand the story better. Plot will show the readers the significant of

every event from the beginning until the end of the story.

Based on Microsoft Student 2008, plot is the narrative and thematic

development of the story—that is, what happens and what these events mean.

English novelist E. M. Forster, author of works such as A Room with a View

(1908) and Howards End (1910), referred to the plot as a “narrative of events, the

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emphasis falling on causality.” In other words, plot is a series of contiguous

events that has a connection to one another, not a fragmented of unrelated

episodes.

Rohrberger and Woods in Reading and Writing about Literature

(1971:21) divide the plot of the story into four stages.

1. The first stage is exposition in which the author gives some

information about characters. The information is useful for readers

in order to understand what will happen in the story.

2. The author afterwards brings forward the complication or often be

called conflict. The stage is called raising action because the

conflict leads higher action for characters.

3. The third stage is the climax in which the action comes in the

highest level.

4. The stage is the resolution, or denouement. The characters find

some ways to minimize the conflict. Another term to describe this

stage is falling action.

According to Aristotle's Poetics, a plot in literature is "the arrangement of

incidents" that (ideally) each follows plausibly from the other. The plot is like the

pencil outline that guides the painter's brush. Aristotle notes that a string of

unconnected speeches, no matter how well-executed, will not have as much

emotional impact as a series of tightly connected speeches delivered by imperfect

speakers.

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According to Abrams (1971: 159), plot is constituted by events and actions

which directly order the achieving particular emotional and artistic effects. He

also suggests that a plot is also a bare synopsis of the temporal order of what

happens in a literary work.

According to Terrin Lynch Adair there are five elements of plot. The first

is point of attack. This is the moment of the play at which the main action of the

plot begins. This may occur in the first scene, or it may occur after several scenes

of exposition. The point of attack is the main action by which all others will arise.

It is the point at which the main complication is introduced. Point of attack can

sometimes work hand in hand with a play’s inciting incident, which is the first

incident leading to the rising action of the play. Sometimes the inciting incident is

an event that occurred somewhere in the character’s past and is revealed to the

audience through exposition.

The second element is exposition. Exposition is important information that

the audience needs to know in order to follow the main story line of the play. It is

the aspects of the story that the audience may hear about but that they will not

witness in actual scenes. It encompasses the past actions of the characters before

the play’s opening scenes progress.

The third element is rising action. Rising action is the section of the plot

beginning with the point of attack and/or inciting incident and proceeding forward

to the crisis onto the climax. The action of the play will rise as its set up a

situation of increasing intensity and anticipation. These scenes make up the body

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of the play and usually create a sense of continuous mounting suspense in the

audience.

The next element is climax/crisis. All of the earlier scenes and actions in a

play will build technically to the highest level of dramatic intensity. This section

of the play generally refers to the moment of the play’s climax. This is the

moment where the major dramatic questions rise to the highest level, the mystery

hits the unraveling point, and the culprits are revealed. This should be the point of

the highest stage of dramatic intensity in the action of the play. The whole

combined actions of the play generally lead up to this moment.

Resolution/Obligatory scene is the last element of plot. The resolution is

the moment of the play in which the conflicts are resolved. It is the solution to the

conflict in the play, the answer to the mystery, and the clearing up of the final

details. This is the scene that answers the questions raised earlier in the play. In

this scene the methods and motives are revealed to the audience.

b. Character and Characterization

Character is the most critical element in the play. Most of the times, the

reader can get the main idea of the play by seeing it through the characters.

According to Barnet, Berman and Burto, character has two meanings: (1) a figure

of literary work, and (2) personality, that is the mental and the moral qualities of

the figure, as when we may say that X’s character is strong, or weak, or immoral,

or whatever. (Barnet, Berman, and Burto, 1988: 71).

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In Glossary of Literary Terms (1981: 20-21) Abram defines character as

the person presented by the author as being endowed with moral and disposition

qualities that can be evaluated from the dialogue and the action.

In the book entitled Approach to Literature, Little gives explanation of

how to study a character. According to him, a character can be studied from: First,

his or her basic characteristics. This can be seen from:

i. The physical condition of the characters, including his or her age.

ii. The social relationship, which mean the personal relationship with

other characters or wider social relationship, such as social class

and occupation.

iii. The mental qualities, this is typical ways of thinking, feeling, and

acting.

Second, it can be seen from his or her appearance from various points of view.

This includes:

i. How the character sees himself or herself

ii. How other characters see him or her

iii. How he or she develops or fails to develop during the course of the

story

Third, is from his or her place in the work. It means:

i. The treatment of the author (sketched of fully rounded portrayed

descriptively or dramatically treatment sympatically or

unsympathetically)

ii. His or her place in the story (leading character or a minor one)

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iii. His or her relation to the theme. For example: whether the

character embodies something important that the author has to say.

In order to be believable or convincing, the characterization must observe

at least 3 principles (Perrine, 1969: 69). Firstly, the character must be consistent in

their behavior. They must have a strong and appropriate reason if they change. In

other words, a character may remain stable or unchanged or she/he may undergo a

radical change in her/his outlook and deposition from the beginning to the end of

the story, but she/he must be consistent with her/his behavior traits.

2. Theory of Absolute Power

According to William Benton and Helen Hemingway Benton (1983), the

etymology of the term ‘power’ is traced back to a Latin root (potere, potesse, or

posse), essentially meaning, “to be able to” or having the capacity to do

something. One common meaning of “power” now a rather ambiguous term is

“the ability to act”, “capacity to produce a result”, or simply “strength”. In politic,

this meaning became more specialized, referring to the ability to affect the actions

of others; that is, to produce alteration in their behavior. The most common

classification of power would divide it into economic, social, and political

categories essentially institutional classification. Political power pertains to the

state or government, economic power to the financial and production

establishments, and social power to the remaining institution. Similar, but more

elaborate, classifications that have been suggested would include religious,

militarily, judicial, informational, and international power along with economic,

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social and political power. From another perspective, this various type of power

can be regarded as referring to control over different kinds of valued resources.

Political scientists who have pursued this line of thought most explicitly list eight

types of human values: power, respect, rectitude, affection, well-being, wealth,

skill, and enlightenment. Since power can be based on the control over any of this

values, there are eight basic types of power (“forms of influence”): political

power, councillorship, mentorship, personal influence, violence, economic power,

expertness, and advisory influence respectively (The New Encyclopedia

Britannica 1983:697-702).

In the international encyclopedia, the leader who has absolute power can

not allow anyone else to have any power whatever; he must depend on no one,

thus he must be able to dispense at anytime with any of his subordinates. The

analysis of absolute power is often concerned, therefore, with the identification of

elites and leadership, the discovery of the ways in which power is allocated to

different strata, relations among leaders and between leaders and non leader, and

so forth. The leader who has absolute power has a right issue commands;

subordinates perceive an obligation to obey. If the character of the communication

is questioned, then the leader is diminished and the bond that holds the

participants together is in danger of being served. The leader will be strong when

subordinates anticipated of superior even before they are voiced (Sills, 1972:473-

479).

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3. Theory of Hegemony

According to Gramsci, the term ‘hegemony’ is the ways in which ruling

classes use a dominant ideology to conceal their control of the masses

(Microsoft® Student 2008 [DVD]).

Strinati states that dominant groups in society, including fundamentally

but not exclusively the ruling class, maintain their dominance by securing the

'spontaneous consent' of subordinate groups, including the working class, through

the negotiated construction of a political and ideological consensus which

incorporates both dominant and dominated groups." (Strinati, 1995: 165)

The writer also found the definition from Barry Burke that by hegemony,

Gramsci meant the permeation throughout society of an entire system of values,

attitudes, beliefs and morality that has the effect of supporting the status quo in

power relations.

In WordNet® 3.0 by Princeton University stated that the dominance or

leadership of one social group or nation over others; "the hegemony of a single

member state is not incompatible with a genuine confederation"; "to say they have

priority is not to say they have complete hegemony"; "the consolidation of the

United States' hegemony over a new international economic system"

Based on those definitions on hegemony, the writer learned that hegemony

is related to political power. Since this study also discusses about political power,

the writer put the opinion that ‘politics influences literature’ from Edward Said.

Edward Said says in his book Orientalism that “In the second place, to believe

that politics in the form of imperialism bears upon the production of literature,

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scholarship, social theory, and history writing is by no means equivalent to saying

that culture is therefore a demeaned or denigrated thing”(Said, 1978:14).

C. Review on Historical Facts

This study tries to juxtapose historical facts and literary text and tries to

read the historical records within the frame of literature, then relates it to the

concept of absolute power. Since this drama was written in 17th century in France,

the writer chooses to provide particular data to make the analysis clearer.

Most of the facts on Louis XIV were taken from Microsoft Student 2008

as the main sources, as the writer sees that this source is reliable and easy to be

accessed.

This is a short summary on Louis XIV which is taken from Microsoft

Student 2008 written by Mark Kishlansky.

Louis XIV (1638-1715), king of France (1643-1715), known as the Sun King. Louis, third monarch of the Bourbon family, ruled for 72 years, the longest reign in European history. His rule typified the period of absolute monarchy in the second half of the 17th century, during which time kings ruled without the restraint of representative institutions. This epoch is widely known as the age of Louis XIV because other European monarchs imitated and competed with developments in France. Louis inherited a kingdom that was internally divided, militarily exhausted, and nearly bankrupt. He left to his heirs the greatest power in the Western world. Louis’s main achievements were expanding the effectiveness of the central government, increasing the boundaries of France to the north and east, and placing one of his grandsons on the throne of Spain. But these successes cost the nation dearly. The economy suffered

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during the long years of war, taxes increased, and the countryside was left vulnerable to punishing famines.

From this source, it can be learned that after Mazarin, a principal minister

from Louis XIII, died in 1661, Louis XIV ruled the country without a chief

minister, something no French king had done in history. Mark Kishlansky also

states that the system of absolute monarchy from Louis XIV emphasized the role

of the king and no monarch was more successful in creating the image of

monarchy than Louis XIV.

Other data from Microsoft Encarta 2008 which was taken for the evidence

in chapter IV are the data on some achievements and losses of Louis XIV. Louis

made the achievements in the areas of art, science, economy and military.

From 1661 until 1689, Louis built a royal palace named Versailles. This

royal palace is a part of an artistic renaissance that flourished under Louis XIV.

Louis also gave royal patronage to the great playwrights Molière and Jean

Baptiste Racine. Louis also created three French academies, later part of the

Institut de France, to support the study of fine arts, languages, and sciences:

L’Académie des Beaux Arts (1648), the L’Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-

Lettres (1663), and L’Académie des Sciences (1666).

Louis XIV trusted financial area in the hands of Colbert. Colbert used a

policy known as mercantilism. This policy formed the basis for an economic

recovery in the middle years of Louis’s reign. The improvements on the domestic

manufacturing led to improvements in transportation. Colbert also established

private merchant companies to expand overseas trade.

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In military, Louis worked with his minister Michael Le Tellier and Le

Tellier’s son, the Marquis de Louvois, to build up French defenses. They

expanded the size of the French army from 100,000 in 1661 to 300,000 in 1688

and then to 400,000 in 1702. They also built fortifications at river crossings and

conquered strategically placed towns, especially along the Rhine.

Unfortunately, Louis also had his losses. The main source of this study

states that Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685. This revocation caused

about 200,000 Huguenots, Protestants in France, fled France rather than convert to

Catholicism. Since many Huguenots are highly skilled craftsmen, the loss of

many highly productive citizens depressed the French economy. This revocation

also caused Protestants states, especially England and Holland, worried about the

revival of religious warfare. In 1689, England, Holland, Denmark and Austria

formed the League of Augsburg, called Grand Alliance. Mark Kishlansky also

stated that The War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) was the most brutal

and costly of Louis’s military endeavors. For the first time in over a century,

French armies lost battles, most notably by John Churchill, 1st Duke of

Marlborough, at the Battle of Blenheim (in what is now Germany) in 1704 and at

Ramillies (in what is now Belgium) in 1706.

Another source from Philippe Erlanger in Encyclopedia Britannica

supports the evidences from Kishlansky. Erlanger stated that Louis XIV was the

protector of writers, notably Molière and Jean Racine, whom he ordered to sing

his praises, and he imposed his own visions of beauty and nature on artists.

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Another source, written by Evans, stated that there was a great rejoicing in

France when Louis XIV died in 1715. Moreover, the Parlement of Paris nullified

the will, stating that Louis XIV left actual power in the hands of his son by Mme

de Montespan named the Duc du Maine, after his death.

Other evidences which are stated in chapter IV comes from Pavloski. She

stated that the production of Molière’s renowned work, Tartuffe, skewered and

offended several aspects of upper-class French society, the Roman Catholic

Church, and the influential underground society. She also stated that although

Tartuffe was extremely popular with audiences and was acclaimed by Louis XIV,

the Archbishop of Paris issued a decree threatening to excommunicate anyone

performing, attending, or even reading the play. In this page, Pavloski also stated

that Louis XIV’s personal support saved Molière from his execution for heresy.

D. Theoretical Framework In this analysis, all theories mentioned in the previous sub-chapter will be

used to answer the problems in the problem formulation. The first problem is to

find the intrinsic elements of the play which is related to the absolute power and

the second problem is to read the historical facts through the frame of the play’s

intrinsic elements.

The first theory is theory of elements of drama. In order to read the

historical facts within the frame of literary works which become the second

problem of this study, the intrinsic elements of drama are needed to be discussed

19

first using their theories. However, only two elements of drama which are

discussed in this study, they are plot and characters.

The second theory, theory on absolute power, is used to give the clear

description about absolute power. Since this study is about understanding the

effect of absolute power, a better understanding on the concept of absolute power

is needed.

The third is the historical facts on the life Louis XIV. These facts are

relevant with this study since this study tries to make a parallel reading between

historical facts and literary text.

The last theory is theory of hegemony. This theory is needed because in

this study, hegemony becomes the main cause of the influences between literary

text and historical texts.

After reading the script of the play, finding some elements which are

connected with the concept of absolute power, and knowing the historical facts on

the life Louis XIV, as it is stated before, the writer tries to read the historical facts

within the frame of the literary text to find the effects of hegemony of absolute

power.

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

This play, Tartuffe, was written by Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known as

Molière, in 1664 and firstly translated in 1670. The writer uses the translated

version by Richard Wilbur in the book entitled Types of Drama Plays and

Contexts 8thedition published by Longman in 2001. In this book, beside the script

of the play, a commentary on Tartuffe was added. The translated play in this book

consists of 32 pages. It consists of 4 pages of commentary and other information,

and 28 pages of the script of the play.

This play has its special records. According to the information added in

the book entitled Types of Drama Plays and Contexts, after it was performed for

the first time before the royal court and Louis XIV, it was banned. In 1667, this

play was entitled L’imposteur and some minor changes on the character was done.

However, in the same year, this version was also banned by the clergy after its

first performance. The ban was lifted in 1669 and it was reproduced several times

in several countries.

This play is about a hypocrite person named Tartuffe who tries to take

over all of Orgon’s, a noble man, possessions and wife by hiding in the name of

religion. This play ends with the king’s words saves Orgon from his misfortune

caused by his believes on Tartuffe.

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21

Another object in this study is a historical text on Louis XIV taken from

Microsoft Encarta 2008 [DVD]. This text was written by Mark Kishlansky, a

professor in Harvard University. The printed version of this text consists of 7

pages. Besides the main data on Louis XIV on this page, additional information,

such as related articles, quotations, further reading and websites related with

Louis XIV, are provided in the form of links to another page. In this page, some

pictures related with Louis XIV are also provided.

On this page, the data on Louis XIV, from his early life until his death, is

provided. The data also consists of achievements, losses and some wars involving

Louis XIV. The data is divided into 9 chapters from introduction until evaluation

and legacy.

B. Approach of the Study

The writer uses new historicism in this study since the writer tries to do a

parallel reading between historical facts and literary text. The writer also tries to

read the historical facts in a new way, reading it within the frame of literary text.

The term ‘new historicism’ was invented by the American’s critic

Stephen Greenblat in 1980 in his book Renaissance Self-Fashioning. Peter Barry,

in his book Beginning Theory (1995:172), stated that a simple definition of the

new historicism is that it is a method based on parallel reading of literary text and

non-literary text, usually of the same historical period. It rejects to believe a

literary foreground and historical background.

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The first difference between new and ‘old’ historicism is ‘old’ historicism

treats historical facts as background of the text. Nevertheless, new historicism

rejects to believe a literary foreground and historical background.

The second difference is in the method of the analyses. When old

historicism method only find in text the truth based on the historical context, new

historicism tries to read the historical facts within the frame of literary text.

Based on those differences, the result of the analyses will be obviously

different between new and old historicism. The result using old historicism will be

almost the same for some critics, but new historicist will has another

interpretation with other critics with the same approach; therefore it will produce a

new interpretation in reading the historical facts.

In other words, new historicism gives freedom to the writer to his liberal

idea, so that there will be a new concept but still based on the historical facts.

Another famous statement to describe new historicism is from American critics;

Louis Montrose, new historicism combined interest in ‘the textuality of history

and the historicity of the text’. (Barry, 1995: 172)

Peter Barry (1995:175) believes that new historicism does not belong to a

historical movement but it creates new history.

New historicist essays always themselves another remaking, another permutation of the past, as the play or the poem under discussion is juxtaposed with a chosen document, so that a new entity is formed. (Barry, 1995:175)

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C. Method of the Study

This thesis is a library research which means the writer takes all the

information and references from the book, either it is printed or an e-book. This

study uses two kinds of resources, main resources and secondary resources. The

primary sources are Tartuffe, written by Molière, translated by Richard Wilbur in

Types of Drama Plays and Contents, for the literary text and the facts on Louis

XIV in Microsoft Student 2008 contributed by Mark Kishlansky.

The secondary resources are the sources which are related with the topic in

this study, including essay, theories and references, which are used to analyze the

main sources.

There were several steps used in this study. First of all, the writer read the

script of Tartuffe as a literary text and clearly understood the intrinsic elements in

the play such as plot and characteristics. Then, the writer observed the characters,

especially Orgon and Tartuffe, and the plot closely.

The next step was collecting the facts in 17th century since it is the time

when Moliére wrote the script of the play.

After there were enough data and understanding, the writer tried to read

non-literary text within the frame of literary text, thus the writer could find an

inter-influential relationship of literary text and historical text.

The first step, in analyzing the text, was identifying the plot in Tartuffe.

Identifying process was done by seeing through the whole text from the beginning

until the end of the play using the theory on plot. The plot is important because

the process and the events influencing the main character can be seen through this

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part. The second step was identifying the characteristics of Orgon and Tartuffe.

By doing the identifying process on the characters and plot, later the writer can

use it in the next step.

After done with the literary text, the writer tried to use the results from

previous processes to find the influences between the literary text and historical

text. First, the influences in the intrinsic elements by the history were shown.

Secondly, the influences in the history by the intrinsic elements were shown in the

next analysis. Hegemony was regarded as the main cause of those influences.

Then, the last step was making conclusion. The conclusion was made from

the analyses combined with the writer’s subjective and objective opinion.

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

Before going further into the analysis, first of all, the writer tried to

elaborate the plot and the characters of the play in order to give better view and

understanding for the analysis. These two elements helped the writer answers the

questions in the problem formulation as depicted in the first chapter. Both of them

influenced the history and, at the same time, are influenced by the history.

A. The Intrinsic Elements on Tartuffe

1. Plot

The plot in Tartuffe goes forward from the beginning to the ending. The

classification of the plot was based on theory on plot from Terrin Lynch Adair.

These are some points that can be found in the play.

a. Exposition

The story begins with a conversation between Madame Pernelle, Elmire,

Damis, Mariane, Dorine, and Cleante, Elmire's brother. Madame Pernelle,

Orgon’s mother, tries to warn them that they are sinners and that they should

follow Tartuffe since he is the most faithful person she ever knows. However, the

rest of the people do not believe it because they know who Tartuffe really is and,

on the contrary, they try to convince Madame Pernelle that Tartuffe is not as good

as she thinks. Madame Pernelle still does not believe them and she demands them

25

26

to follow Orgon to believe in Tartuffe. This is ended with Madame Pernelle’s

leaving in anger for the rest of the family still do not believe in her.

MADAME PERNELLE. I must. This house appalls me. No one in it will pay attention for a single minute. Children, I take my leave much vexed in spirit. I offer good advice, but you won’t hear it. You all break in and chatter on and on. It’s like a madhouse with the keeper gone (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:470). ---- DAMIS. Your man Tartuffe is full of holly speeches… MADAME PERNELLE. And practices precisely what he preaches. He’s a fine man, and should be listened to. I will not hear him mocked by fools like you. DAMIS. Good God! Do you expect me to submit to the tyranny of that carping hypocrite? Must we forgo all joys and satisfactions because that bigot censures all our actions? DORINE. To hear him talk- and he talks all the time- there’s nothing one can do that’s not a crime. He rails at everything, your dear Tartuffe. MADAME PERNELLE. Whatever he reproves deserves reproof. He’s out to save your souls, and all of you must love him, as my son would have you do. DAMIS. Ah no, Grandmother, I could never take to such a rascal, even for my father sake. That’s how I feel, and I shall not dissemble his every action makes me seethe and tremble with helpless anger, and I have no doubt that he and I will shortly have it out. DORINE. Surely it is a shame and a disgrace to see his man usurp the master’s place- to see this beggar who, when he first came, had not a shoe or shoestring to his name so far forget himself that he behaves as if the house were his, and we his slaves. MADAME PERNELLE. Well, mark my words, your souls would fare far better if you obeyed his precepts to the letter (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:471). The first act has described that there are two groups, the one

supporting Tartuffe (Madame Pernelle and Orgon), and the opposite, the

rest of the family. From this part, the first problem in this play is the

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misunderstanding or misconception about Tartuffe between the two

groups.

b. Point of Attack

It is stated in the second chapter that the point of attack is the moment of

the play at which the main action of the plot begins. This may occur in the first

scene, or it may occur after several scenes of exposition. The point of attack is the

main action by which all others will arise. It is the point at which the main

complication is introduced. Point of attack can sometimes work hand in hand with

a play’s inciting incident, which is the first incident leading to the rising action of

the play. From this part, Orgon’s character is revealed. He cares Tartuffe more

than his own wife and it is because he is obviously blinded by Tartuffe’s behavior.

DORINE. Your wife, two days ago, had a very bad fever, and a fierce headache which refused to leave her. ORGON. Ah. And Tartuffe? DORINE. Tartuffe? Why, he’s round and red, bursting with health, and excellently fed. ORGON. Poor fellow! DORINE. That night, the mistress was unable to take a single bite at the dinner-table. Her headache-pains, she said, were simply hellish. ORGON. Ah. And Tartuffe? DORINE. He ate his meal with relish, and zealously devoured in her presence a leg of mutton and a brace of pheasants. ORGON. Poor fellow! DORINE. Well, the pains continued strong, and so she tossed and tossed the whole night long, now icy-cold, now burning like a flame. We sat beside her bed till morning came. ORGON. Ah. And Tartuffe? DORINE. Why, having eaten, he rose and sought his room, already in a doze, got into his warm bed, and snored away in perfect peace until the break of the day. ORGON. Poor fellow (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:473,474)!

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Cleante, Elmire’s brother, tries to give advices not to easily judge someone

by a careless observation but, unfortunately, Orgon is as hard as a rock.

CLÉANTE. That girl was laughing at your face, and though I’ve no wish to offend you, even so I’m bound to say that she had some excuse. How can you possibly be such a goose? Are you dazed by this man hocus-pocus that all the world, save him, is out of focus? You’ve given him clothing, shelter, food, and care; why must you also… ORGON. Brother, stop right there. You do not know the man of whom you speak. CLÉANTE. I grant you that. But my judgment’s not so weak that I can’t tell, by his effect on others… ORGON. Ah, when you meet him, you two will be like brothers! There’s been no loftier soul since time began. He is a man who… a man who… an excellent man. To keep his precept to be reborn, and view this dunghill of a world with a scorn. Yes, thanks to him I’m changed man indeed. Under his tutelage my soul’s been freed from earthly loves, and every human tie: my mother, children, brother, and wife could die, and I’d not feel a single moment’s pain (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:474). This part gives the clearer problem faced by this family, that Orgon who

become the head of the family, have been deceived by Tartuffe and strongly

believes him no matter what other members of the family say about him. Orgon’s

belief will become the key to open the next doors of more complicated problems.

c. Rising Action

This part is filled with some problems. The first problem is present

between Mariane and his father, who forces her to marry Tartuffe regardless her

wish to marry another man, Valere. Orgon believes that a father will give the best

decision for his daughter, regardless anything, and a daughter is responsible to

accept every decision.

29

ORGON. Did you not hear me? MARIANE. Of whom, sir, must I say that I am fond of him, and would rejoice in being his wife, if that should be your choice? ORGON. Why, of Tartuffe. MARIANE. But, Father, that’s false, you know. Why would you have me say what isn’t so? ORGON. Because I am resolved it shall be true. That it’s my wish should be enough for you. MARIANE. You can’t mean, Father… ORGON. Yes, Tartuffe shall be allied by marriage to this family, and he’s to be your husband, is that clear? It’s a father privilege…(Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:476) Dorine tries to convince Orgon that Tartuffe will not become the perfect

husband for his daughter due to Tartuffe’s real personality. However, because of

Dorine’s position as Orgon’s servant and as a woman, which are not in the best

positions to give advices and because of Orgon’s characteristics, Dorine fails to

convince him about his decision.

DORINE. All right, then: we believe you, sad to say. But how a man like you, who looks so wise and wears a moustache of such splendid size, can be so foolish as to… ORGON. Silence please! My girl, you take to many liberties. I’m master here, as you must not forget. ---- ORGON. This servant-girl presumes to save my soul! DORINE. You would do well to ponder what I’ve said. ORGON. Daughter, we’ll disregard this dunderhead. Just trust your father’s judgment. Oh, I’m aware that I once promised you to young Valére; but now I hear he gambles, which greatly shocks me; what’s more, I’ve doubts about his orthodoxy. His visit to church, I note, are very few (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:477). Then the conflict grows more complicated when Tartuffe shows his true

intention by seducing Orgon’s wife, Elmire. Damis hides eavesdropping their

conversation. Damis, who is short-tempered, comes out from his hiding; loses his

temper and threats Tartuffe that he will tell his father, Orgon, this treachery.

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DAMIS (emerging from the closet where he has been hiding). No! we’ll not hush up about this vile affair; I heard it all inside that closet there, where Heaven, in order to confound the pride of this great rascal, prompted me to hide. Ah, now I have my long-awaited chance to punish his deceit and arrogance. And give my father clear and shocking proof of the black character of his dear Tartuffe. ---- DAMIS. No, I must do what I think right. Madam, my heart is bursting with delight, and, say whatever you will, I’ll not consent to lose the sweet revenge on which I’m bent. I’ll settle matters without much ado; and here, most opportunely, is my cue (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:485). However, when Orgon comes and Damis tells that his wife was seduced

by Tartuffe, instead of believing him, he is angry at his son for his disobedience.

Orgon does not believe in his own son and forces him to apologize to Tartuffe for

his false accusation. Obviously, Damis insists on his attitude, and that makes

Orgon mad at him, disinherit him and force him to leave the house.

DAMIS. …Yes, I’m surprised him with your wife, and heard his whole adulterous offer, every word. She, with her all too gentle disposition, would not have told you of his propositions; but I shall not make terms with brazen lechery, and feel that not to tell you would be treachery. ---- DAMIS. You’re going to force her to accept his hand? ORGON. Yes, and this very night, d’you understand? I shall defy you all, and make it clear that I’m the one who gives the orders here. Come, wretch, kneel down and clasp his blessed feet, and his pardon for your black deceit. DAMIS. I ask that swindler’s pardon? Why I’d rather… ORGON. So! You insult him and defy your father! A stick! A stick! (To Tartuffe.) No, no—release me, do. (To Damis.) Out of my house this minute! Be off with you, and never dare to set foot in it again (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:485,486). After Damis leaves the house, Orgon apologizes Tartuffe for his son’s

rudeness. The inheritance which belonged to Damis is given to Tartuffe by Orgon.

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ORGON. …I’ll give to you alone clear deed and title to everything I own. A dear, good friend and son-in-law-to-be is more than wife, or child, or kin to me. Will you accept my offer, dearest son? In this part, there are two problems. First, Orgon forces Mariane to wed

Tartuffe and Orgon disinherit his own son and gives Damis’ inheritance to

Tartuffe. Those problems, obviously, exist because of Orgon’s unchangeable

judgment and his power and because of that, the problems lead to the climax.

d. Climax

Elmire feels that her husband has already been totally blinded by Tartuffe.

Realizing this, she challenges Orgon to test his judgments on Tartuffe by hiding

under the table when Elmire tries to seduce Tartuffe. Orgon agrees with that and

finally he knows the truth. Losing his temper, Orgon jumps out from his hideout,

and forces Tartuffe to leave the house. However, instead of leaving, Tartuffe turns

to order Orgon to leave his own home since he and Tartuffe have drawn out the

deed that stated the house belongs to Tartuffe now.

ORGON (intercepting him). …I’ve long suspected you, and had a feeling that soon I’d catch you at your double—dealing. Just now, you’ve given me evidence galore; it’s quite enough; I have no wish for more. ---- TARTUFFE. No, I’m the master, and you’re the one to go! This house belongs to me, I’ll have you know, and I shall show you that you can’t hurt me by this contemptible conspiracy. That those who cross me know not what they do, and that I’ve means to expose and punish you, avenge offended Heaven, and make you grieve that ever you dared order me to leave (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:492).

32

This is the climax of the play; Orgon has a very serious problem because

he already gives all his belongings to Tartuffe through the deed that has been

signed by both of them. This is a very serious problem for the entire family since

the power of the deed cannot be changed by anyone, except the king himself.

e. Resolution

Feeling in despair, Orgon tries to run leaving his home because he hears

that Tartuffe has ordered an officer to arrest Orgon. The story ends with an

unpredictable ending. The officer, brought by Tartuffe to rest Orgon, turns to

arrest Tartuffe because the king has known the truth that Tartuffe tries to deceive

Orgon and takes over Orgon's house. The king ordered the officer that Tartuffe is

the one who suppose to be brought to custody.

TARTUFFE (to the Officer). Sir, spare me all this clamor; it’s growing shrill. Please carry out your orders, if you will. OFFICER. Yes, I’ve delayed too long, Sir. Thank you kindly. You’re just the proper person to remind me. Come, you are off to join the other boarders in the king’s prison, according to his orders. TARTUFFE. Who? I, Sir? OFFICER. Yes. TARTUFFE. To prison? This can’t be true (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:497)!

The play ends with a happy ending, with Tartuffe is sent into custody and

Orgon and his family are saved from their misfortune.

After the elaboration of the plot, the next intrinsic element that is going to

be discussed is characters. The next subchapter is the elaboration of the characters

of the play.

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2. Character

a. Orgon

Orgon is one of the main characters in the play. It is proven by his

appearance. He appears in almost all part of the play: in five acts, Orgon appears

in four. Orgon also has a significant role not only in the plot of the story but also

in the play’s point of view perceiving the concept of absolute power. Before

discussing the influences of history towards the characteristics of Orgon, the

writer will describe Orgon’s characteristics which can be seen in the text.

i. Care

It is true that Orgon’s attitudes towards his family are quite forceful.

Nonetheless, this is because of his care of the purpose of making his family

become better, on his own judgments.

He forces Mariane to marry Tartuffe because he thinks that Tartuffe is the

most suitable person for being his daughter’s husband. Orgon thinks that Mariane

will be happy if she marries a man who is religious, and refuses Mariane’s wish to

marry Vallere because he doubts Vallere’s faith towards God. In his opinion,

Tartuffe is the most faithful person who will manage to be the ideal husband for

his daughter.

ORGON. That will do. Speak of his poverty with reverence. His is a pure and saintly indigence which far transcends all worldly pride and pelf. He lost his fortune, as he says himself, because he cared for heaven alone, and so was careless of his interest here below. I mean to get him out of his present straits and help him to recover his estates-which, in his part of the world, have no small fame. Poor though he is, he’s a gentleman just the same. ----

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ORGON. Daughter, we’ll disregard this dunderhead. Just trust your father’s judgment. Oh, I’m aware that I once promised you to young Valére; but now I hear he gambles, which greatly shocks me; what’s more, I’ve doubts about his orthodoxy. His visit to church, I note, are very few (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:477). In act 3, Orgon disinherits Damis and orders him to leave his house

because he wants Damis to learn to respect his father and to respect a faithful

person.

ORGON. Villain, be still! I know your motives; I know you wish him ill: yes, all of you—wife, children, servants, all—conspire against him and desire his fall, employing every shameful trick you can to alienate me from this saintly man…(Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:486) In act 4, when Orgon finally knows the real personality of Tartuffe and his

intention towards his wife, he becomes strongly against Tartuffe, whom he trusted

very much in the beginning, and forces Tartuffe to leave his house. It can be seen

that Orgon actually loves his wife, Elmire, and wants to protect her from the man

who wants to ruin their family.

ORGON (intercepting him). Hold on, my passionate fellow, not so fast! I should advise a little more restraint. Well, so you thought you’d fool me, my dear saint! How soon you wearied of the saintly life—wedding my daughter, and coveting my wife (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:492)!

From the evidences above, Orgon can be considered as a man who cares of

his family, and wants to protect them, but he has another characteristic, which

sometimes makes him become a strict father.

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ii. Strictness

Orgon is a strict person, especially when it is related to religious matters.

He does not give any tolerance to the people who are unfaithful. He believes that

all things related to the religion will bring happiness.

Those reasons make him bring Tartuffe into the house. Orgon sees

Tartuffe as a faithful person and cares of heaven only. Orgon believes that inviting

Tartuffe in the house will bring nothing but good to the family.

Orgon believe that Tartuffe has changed him into a better person. Better

means to care for heaven more than anything else in this world.

ORGON. Ah, when you meet him, you two will be like brothers! There’s been no loftier soul since time began. He is a man who… a man who… an excellent man. To keep his precept to be reborn, and view this dunghill of a world with a scorn. Yes, thanks to him I’m changed man indeed. Under his tutelage my soul’s been freed from earthly loves, and every human tie: my mother, children, brother, and wife could die, and I’d not feel a single moment’s pain. (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:474) He also believes that he must protect a pious man, takes care of him and

pleases him since they are sent by God.

ORGON. Villain, be still! I know your motives; I know you wish him ill: yes, all of you—wife, children, servants, all—conspire against him and desire his fall, employing every shameful trick you can to alienate me from this saintly man. Ah, but the more you seek to drive him away, the more I’ll do to keep him. Without delay, I’ll spite this household and confound its pride by giving him my daughter as his bride(Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:486).

Orgon also will not tolerate any unfaithful actions. He believes that an

unfaithful person will not bring any happiness; therefore, he must keep that

unfaithful person away from his home.

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ORGON. Daughter, we’ll disregard this dunderhead. Just trust your father’s judgment. Oh, I’m aware that I once promised you to young Valére; but now I hear he gambles, which greatly shocks me; what’s more, I’ve doubts about his orthodoxy. His visit to church, I note, are very few (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:477).

From those evidences presented above, it can be seen that Orgon is really

believe in his religion. He must do everything based on his faith to God and he

must keep the unfaithful person away from him and his family. Orgon’s strong

faith creates his strictness that will not allow any tolerance.

iii. Arrogance

It is obviously seen that Orgon’s arrogance leads to his unwillingness to

consider other opinions. He only believes in himself since he does not trust that

there is another person better than him. He regards himself as a noble man, who is

better than a maid, Dorine. The writer found that Orgon says to Dorine “This

servant-girl presumes to save my soul!” (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto,

Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:477). His intention from this statement can

be interpreted that a servant girl is not suppose to give advices to her master.

He also believes that he can judge someone’s personality better than

anyone.

ORGON. Brother, your language savors of impiety. Too much free-thinking’s made your faith unsteady, and as I’ve warned you many times already, ‘twill get you into trouble before you’re through (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:474). ---- ORGON. Daughter, we’ll disregard this dunderhead. Just trust your father’s judgment. Oh, I’m aware that I once promised you to

37

young Valére; but now I hear he gambles, which greatly shocks me; what’s more, I’ve doubts about his orthodoxy. His visit to church, I note, are very few. (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:477)

Orgon always believes that he is greater than other persons and because of

that, he can have a higher status. His authoritarian status, which makes him higher

than anyone in his family, makes him forget than anyone can make a mistake. By

only stating his status and despite another lower status than him, Orgon believes

that a judgment from higher status is better.

ORGON. Yes, Tartuffe shall be allied by marriage to this family, and he’s to be your husband, is that clear? It’s a father privilege…(Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:476) ---- ORGON. This servant-girl presumes to save my soul! ---- ORGON. Silence please! My girl, you take too many liberties. I’m master here, as you must not forget (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:477).

From those three characteristics, it can be said that Orgon actually loves

his family and wants to protect them from any evil. Yet, most of times his

arrogance and his strictness make him unable go well along with his family. Later

in the further analysis, it will be explained how this character is influenced by the

characteristics of Louis XIV, the king of France at that time.

b. Tartuffe

Another character which will be analyzed is Tartuffe. Tartuffe is the

character in this story that annoyed the Church after this play was performed. The

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further analysis on this character will be discussed later, but now the writer tries to

elaborate the characteristics of this character first.

Hypocrisy

Tartuffe was invited by Orgon to join the family because, according to

Orgon, he can give good influences to his family. Tartuffe blinds Orgon with his

religious acts, but his truly intentions are to fraternize Orgon’s wife and to take all

Orgon’s properties.

Tartuffe shows his first acts when he met Orgon for the first time. He tells

him that he already left his property because he cares for heaven than anything

else.

ORGON. That will do. Speak of his poverty with reverence. His is a pure and saintly indigence which far transcends all worldly pride and pelf. He lost his fortune, as he says himself, because he cared for heaven alone, and so was careless of his interest here below. I mean to get him out of his present straits and help him to recover his estates-which, in his part of the world, have no small fame. Poor though he is, he’s a gentleman just the same (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:477).

Another action of Tartuffe is done when he meets Dorine. He says to her

to cover her bosom because he is afraid that his flesh is too weak so that he can

keep his holiness.

TARTUFFE (taking a handkerchief from his pocket). For mercy’s sake, please take this handkerchief, before you speak. DORINE. What? TARTUFFE. Cover that bosom, girl. The flesh is weak, and unclean thoughts are difficult to control. Such sights as that can undermine the soul (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:483).

39

However, his first true intention was seen when he meets Elmire

personally. He offers her to have a scandal with him.

TARTUFFE. I may be pious, but I’m human too: with your celestial charms before his eyes, a man has not the power to be wise. I know such words sound strangely, coming from me, but I’m no angel, nor was meant to be, and if you blame my passion, you must needs reproach as well the charms on which it feeds. …In short, I offer you, my dear Elmire, love without scandal, pleasure without fear (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:484).

The last real motive and characteristics of Tartuffe were seen at last when

Orgon finally knows that he seduces his wife. Tartuffe wants to take all of

Orgon’s belongings.

TARTUFFE. No, I’m the master, and you’re the one to go! This house belongs to me, I’ll have you know, and I shall show you that you can’t hurt me by this contemptible conspiracy. That those who cross me know not what they do, and that I’ve means to expose and punish you, avenge offended Heaven, and make you grieve that ever you dared order me to leave (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:492). From the evidences above, it can be concluded that Tartuffe’s real

intentions and motives are to take Orgon’s wife and property away. In order to

achieve that, Tartuffe needs to pretend to be a pious person in front of Orgon, the

leader of the family.

Tartuffe may have other characteristics, but the writer only stated his

hypocrisy since this is the relevant characteristics with this study. The further

analysis on Tartuffe will be discussed later.

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B. The Influences of the History in the Intrinsic Elements

In the analyses on the influences of the history in the intrinsic elements,

the writer put all the evidences found in the primary source, Microsoft Encarta

2008 [DVD], in second chapter. The evidences which were found from the other

sources were put in the following analyses. This arrangement was made for

efficiency reasons.

1. Plot

As stated before, the story goes and ends when someone tries to use their

power over other people. The power of Orgon makes him almost lose all of his

belongings but another power, from the king, saves him. The role of power in this

play is a reflection of the reality which happened in that time, when Louis XIV

became the ruler of this country.

In other words, the plot of this play was made because of the atmosphere

of absolute power strongly influenced the social and political condition in the time

when this play was written. It is possible that the writer of the play intended to do

so to make a memorial picture of France at that time, but it is also possible that it

was made not in a deliberate purpose. It happened because the atmosphere of

absolute power was just too strong in that time so it influenced the writer of the

play unconsciously.

The writer believes that there is a possibility that the plot, indeed, was

made because it was influenced by the same condition in the history. The writer

believes in the statement from Edward Said in his book, Orientalism. In this book,

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he says that “In the second place, to believe that politics in the form of

imperialism bears upon the production of literature, scholarship, social theory, and

history writing is by no means equivalent to saying that culture is therefore a

demeaned or denigrated thing” (Said, 1979:14). The writer learned from that

statement that politics, indeed, influence literature. The writer also believes that

the similarities caused by the succeeded hegemony of absolute power by Louis

XIV.

According to Barry Burke, by hegemony, Gramsci meant the permeation

throughout society of an entire system of values, attitudes, beliefs and morality

that has the effect of supporting the status quo in power relations.

From Microsoft Encarta 2008, the writer found that one of the most

influential ideas was that the power of governments is based not only on brute

force of the military and police, but also on hegemony. Gramsci used the term

hegemony to mean the ways in which ruling classes use a dominant ideology to

conceal their control of the masses.

Based on the definitions of hegemony, the writer tried to analyze the

relation of the influences on the plot and another influences with hegemony.

The writer found there are two influences found from his analyses on the

influences of history in the plot. The first influence is the importance of absolute

power in the history, during the reign of Louis XIV, influenced the plot of the

play. The second influence is absolute power which leads to different results,

losses and achievements, in history, influenced the plot. The arrangement of the

analyses on this finding is made started from the importance of absolute power in

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the plot and history, followed by the results created by absolute power in the plot

and history. In each part of the analysis, the writer puts the evidences from the

historical texts first, then, the writer tries to read the evidences within the frame of

literary text. The analyses on the first thing found by the writer, the importance of

absolute power in the plot and history, can be read in the following paragraphs.

Most people who read the play will notice that the play was filled with the

atmosphere of absolute power. It can be seen through the role of absolute power

in the plot. Moreover, the reader of the play can see the political and social

condition in France in Louis XIV’s reign, which is drawn within the plot.

From the plot, which is a reflection of the social and political conditions,

the writer found that the absolute power has an important role. The people in

France, consciously or unconsciously, believed that the absolute power influenced

their life and they also believed that this absolute power leads them to the good

results and unavoidable consequences. Molière as the writer of the play and

obviously as a part of the society, consciously or unconsciously, believed, or at

least saw it, during his life. He drew it in the plot of the play as the picture of the

reality.

The idea of the importance of absolute power can become a reason why

people believe that they must have a person with the absolute power. When they

realize the importance of the absolute power, they will not try to erase it from

their life. It is because when something is considered as an important thing, it will

be maintained. They will maintain it because an important thing will need to be

replaced if it is removed. It needs a replacement because when they are removed,

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it will leave an empty space of an important role on the people’s life. Obviously,

the people will choose to take the available thing rather than finding another thing

which has an important role or leave it empty, for example, the importance of

religion in the society. People believe that religion is important because it

accommodates their needs on something that bigger than them, their needs on

simple explanations to answer their sophisticated questions. Obviously, the people

will not remove the existence of religion, at least, not until the importance does

not exist anymore. The evidence that the writer found from the historical records

is the people of France did not do something to overthrow the position of Louis

XIV as the king, at least not until his power had weakened because of the

condition in France was getting worse.

The idea of the importance of the power itself, obviously, is constructed

by the people who hold the power. The purpose is obvious. In order to keep the

position safe from any interference, the idea of being important needs to be

constructed and maintained by the holder of an absolute power.

The analyses above were made based on the evidences on Louis XIV that

the writer found. These evidences show the political and social condition which

influenced the plot of the play. The evidences can be read at the following

paragraphs.

The writer of this play, Moliére, wrote this play when Louis XIV became

the ruler of France. Louis XIV was a great king with a great power. It is recorded

that he is the most successful king in France in maintaining his power. He had the

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longest reign in European history and he ruled the country without any

restrictions.

As it is stated before, that Louis did his job without any restrictions, Louis

XIV ruled without a chief minister, which had never been done by other France’s

kings. He did not share power with Estates-General and Parlements. He did that

because he believed that he was chosen by God to be the king, and he was

responsible to God alone. However, his ruling system, which was emphasized on

the role of the king, made his kingdom became the most successful monarch.

It obviously can be seen that, in the reign of Louis XIV, the atmosphere of

absolute power filled the political and social conditions in that time. The

important role of absolute power, in the history, in the reign of Louis XIV,

influenced the plot of the play.

The evidences, presented above, are the evidences from the history that

show the important role of an absolute power. Next, the writer put the evidences

found in the plot of the play.

From the plot on Tartuffe, it obviously can be seen that ‘powers’ lead the

story from the beginning until the end. The role of absolute power in the play is

very important. It means that the story flows when there is someone involves with

an absolute power.

First, in the exposition, Orgon, as the head of the family, believes in his

own idea that Tartuffe is a pious person. This is because Tartuffe’s hegemony of

religion power has been internalized in Orgon’s and Madame Pernelle’s minds.

Regardless of anything, Orgon and Madame Pernelle believe that Tartuffe is

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religious. Besides introducing the characters, the exposition in this play shows

that the hegemony of absolute power from Tartuffe has been internalized in some

characters minds. The hegemony divides the family into two oppositional groups,

the group which has been internalized and the group which refuse to believe.

Orgon’s judgment on Tartuffe leads to next part of the play: point of attack.

In the point of attack, the idea of Tartuffe as a religious person in Orgon’s

mind is seen more obvious from the way he talks. Orgon starts to put attention on

Tartuffe more than on his own wife.

Orgon also begins to spread the idea of Tartuffe as a religious person to

another member of the family. When Cleante tries to give some advices to Orgon

about his judgments, Orgon says to him that Cleante does not know the real

Tartuffe. Instead of reconsidering the advice from Cleante, Orgon tries to

internalize his idea on his brother-in-law’s mind. In this part of the play, the

results of hegemony of absolute power begin to be seen clearer. The results lead

to the next part of the play, rising action.

In the rising action, Orgon begins to act based on his own judgment on

Tartuffe. Orgon also makes his actions using his power as the head of the family.

First, Orgon forces his daughter to marry Tartuffe in spite of her objection.

Secondly, the absolute power of Orgon forces his own son, Damis, to leave

Orgon’s house and disinherits him when he insults Tartuffe. Orgon also signs the

deed that makes Tartuffe the owner of all Orgon’s possessions because of his

judgments on Tartuffe.

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In this part of the play, the importance of absolute power is clearly seen.

The hegemony of absolute power from Tartuffe makes some great results. It

influences the act of Orgon. Moreover, the absolute power from Orgon makes

another great result which leads the story into the next part.

In the climax of the play, Orgon already passed down his absolute power

to Tartuffe. He no longer owns the power in the house. He already gave it to

Tartuffe through the deeds in the rising action. Tartuffe finally shows his real

motive: taking over all of Orgon’s possessions. Orgon is forced to leave his own

house by Tartuffe. In this part, Tartuffe holds the absolute power in the house and

he uses it to send Orgon to the jail. The absolute power, which now belongs to

Tartuffe, leads the story to the next part, resolution.

The last absolute power is seen when the king saves Orgon from his

problem. In this part of the play, absolute power takes another important role. It

seems that the absolute power from Tartuffe and from the deed is not really

absolute. Those powers face a bigger power, the king’s. The power from Tartuffe

and the deed are absolute in certain area but, obviously, the absolute power of the

king has a bigger scope. The importance of the absolute power is seen once again

in the ending of the plot. It ends the play.

That is the first influence of the history in the plot. In the plot of the play,

the absolute power leads everything to the next events and this was because, in

that time, the social and political conditions were also influenced by the absolute

power. The condition in France, which was ruled by Louis XIV, plays a

significant role of the absolute power.

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Another idea, the second, found by the writer, from the plot which is the

reflection of the reality, that absolute power can save the people becomes a better

way to maintain a power, yet, it still has consequences.

Most of the people will not refuse to be saved from a critical problem.

They also want to have a great leader that will help them achieve many

improvements. It is true that Louis XIV had given the evidences that he was

valuable. Most of the historical texts recorded Louis XIV’s achievements. The

writer found it difficult to find historical records on Louis XIV without

mentioning his greatness in his achievements.

In the beginning of his reign, Louis had three objectives: to reorganize the

administration of government, to replenish his empty treasury, and to establish

borders that he could defend against attack from his enemies.

In order to reorganize the administration, Louis centralized the control of

his departments, regions, and duchies on his hands by the use of regional

intendants, officials who were sent to the provinces with instructions to establish

order and effective royal justice.

In financial area, Louis left it in the hands of Colbert, the finance minister.

For the financial objectives, Colbert made a new policy called mercantilism. It is a

way to avoid raising taxes from the citizens by increasing tariff for exporting

goods. This method was successfully improving the financial conditions.

Obviously, Louis XIV did not make a mistake choosing Colbert to handle the

financial conditions.

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In the military, Louis XIV also made some improvements. His purpose on

defending France from invasions from another country succeeded. Louis

succeeded expanding his army through the years. He also succeeded making some

fortifications on France’s borders.

Louis XIV also made some great achievements during his reign, especially

in art and literature. One of the greatest achievements is his royal palace named

Versailles. In 1661, Louis begun building his royal palace named Versailles. This

palace was built involving 30,000 men in 28 years (1661-1689). The project,

which drained royal treasury for decades, was filled with images of Louis’s glory.

This building was an evidence of Louis great achievements in architecture.

Other Louis’s achievements in architecture were the building of Louvre,

Les Invalides, and Paris. Besides architects, he also sponsored remarkable artists

and playwrights. Louis even created three French academies to support the study

of fine arts, languages and sciences.

From those evidences, it can be seen that Louis’s role in building France is

irreplaceable. He made remarkable achievements in the history of France art and

literature using his absolute power as a king of France.

Those are the evidences of Louis’ success in making some improvements

in France. On the other hand, his absolute power made some miserable results for

some people in France and other countries.

Louis invaded some countries in order to create defensible positions. It

was Spanish and Holland which were invaded by France under the command of

Louis XIV, and he succeeded capturing some important cities. Although it is not

49

stated in the records on Louis XIV, obviously, war makes some miserable

conditions especially for the lost side. The conditions of the people there could be

full of fears, worries, and sorrow. Obviously, those conditions are not good for

them.

Louis’ dominations created the atmosphere of fears and worries in the

other countries and, in order to prevent the France’s expansions, those countries

made an alliance named Grand Alliance in 1689, consisting of England, Holland,

Denmark and Austria.

Another miserable effect caused by the absolute power of Louis XIV was

the revocation Edict of Nantes. The Edict of Nantes was made by Henry IV in

1958 which allowed the Christians in France, known as the Huguenots, to have

religious activities and civil rights. Louis XIV has some strict opinions on his own

religion, Catholic. He did not want any other religions in his kingdom, and he

wanted to convert the people who were not Catholic. Therefore, he revoked the

Edict of Nantes and restricted any Protestants religious activities. This revocation

caused some loss in economic condition since the Huguenots prefer moved out

from France to altering their belief. Some of the Huguenots were skilled

craftsmen and, when they were escaping from France, they ruined Colbert’s

economic programs.

From historical records, it can be learned that the absolute power does not

only lead to better conditions but also has some consequences. However, it is not

only the absolute power that has its consequences, everything and every act in this

world has its own consequences. Even praying to God has its own consequences.

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The point is, sometimes, when people feel something good, they will forget about

the consequences behind it. The only thing that people think is the goodness, and,

when they feel the consequences, they will put the blame and responsibility on

someone else. The historical record of Louis XIV written by Charles T. Evans is

the evidence.

When Louis XIV died in 1715, at the age of seventy-seven, there was great rejoicing in France that he was finally gone. His heir, Louis' great-grandson, was a five-year-old child not expected to live long. Louis had wanted to leave actual power in the hands of the Duc du Maine, his son by Mme de Montespan and had drawn up a will to that effect, but the Parlement of Paris nullified the will after his death, thus setting in motion the course of events that led to the revolution of 1789 <Charles T. Evans>.

When Louis XIV was dead, the people in France felt rejoiced and the

king’s will was nullified. Those kinds of attitude show that, in the end of the

king’s reign, they did not like him. It is true that, in the end of his life, the

condition in France was getting worse. French people forgot that Louis XIV had

done many good things to the history of France, and he left the condition in

France better than the condition before he became the king.

This epoch is widely known as the age of Louis XIV because other European monarchs imitated and competed with developments in France. Louis inherited a kingdom that was internally divided, militarily exhausted, and nearly bankrupt. He left to his heirs the greatest power in the Western world. <Microsoft Encarta 2008> This kind of response did not only happen on Louis XIV, but it happens all

the time. The relation of that kind of response with hegemony as a way

maintaining the power is that it becomes the consequence by holding an absolute

power.

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From the historical facts, it can be learned that Louis’ power leads to

different effects, losses and achievements. It leads to the economics, politics and

art improvement. On the other hand, his power leads to some severe damages to

other countries, the Huguenots, and the country itself. The writer believes that

these conditions were experienced by the writer of the play since he lived in the

same time as Louis XIV, and has a close relationship with him. Consciously or

unconsciously, like the importance of absolute power, the writer put these results

in the plot of his play.

The absolute power of Orgon makes him almost lose all of his belongings

and his family. Using his power, he forces Damis to leave the house and

disinherits him. He also uses his power to sign the deeds giving all of his

possessions in the hands of Tartuffe. In the other hand, the king’s absolute power

saves him from his misfortunes. The king’s words come when Orgon is about to

be sent to jail by Tartuffe. The king also breaks the deeds signed by Orgon and

Tartuffe telling that Tartuffe is the owner of all Orgon’s possessions. The king

returns the possessions back to Orgon. The writer believes that these different

results in the play were also influenced by the history.

From the play, the writer can see that the absolute power leads into some

results, losses and improvement. Orgon’s power leads him losing his properties

and families but, on the other hand, the king’s power saves them from those

miserable conditions. These results also happened in the France during the reign

of Louis XIV. The use of absolute power by Louis XIV led the conditions into

some losses and improvements. The improvements happened in the area of

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finance, politics and arts. On the contrary, the same absolute power led into

miserable condition in the end. The fears and worries among the people, and the

escapes of Huguenots which caused economic loss, were the miserable results

caused by the absolute power.

2. Character

After discussing the influences of the history towards the plot, the next

step is revealing the influences of the history towards the character. The character

who is influenced by the history is Orgon. Previously, the writer has elaborated

the characteristics of Orgon: caring of his family, strict, and arrogant. Those

characteristics can be seen as the reflection of the characteristics of Louis XIV.

Louis XIV also had the same characteristics as Orgon. He cared of his family, was

strict and arrogant.

Those characteristics of Louis XIV are represented in those of Orgon’s.

The similarity of the characteristics between Orgon and Louis XIV is regarded by

the writer as the characteristics of people who are involved in hegemony of

absolute power. Both Louis XIV and Orgon experience and use the hegemony of

absolute power.

The cares, strictness and arrogances, which are Louis XIV’s

characteristics, can be seen through Orgon in the text. It can be said that Orgon

symbolizes Louis XIV in the way he thinks, acts and believes. The similarities

can happen because the writer of the play had a close relationship to the king,

Louis XIV. There is a source from Encyclopedia Britannica [DVD] by Philippe

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Erlanger showing that Louis XIV was the protector of writers, notably Molière

and Jean Racine, whom he ordered to sing his praises, and he imposed his own

visions of beauty and nature.

Being similar with the first characteristic of Orgon which is cares for his

family, Louis XIV also cared for his kingdom. Louis would do whatever it takes

to protect his own kingdom as Orgon does. Louis believed that to secure his own

kingdom he must take over the border threatening its defense. He conquered

strategic towns and made a fortification on his kingdom border line. He invaded

Spanish Netherlands to strengthen France’s northern border.

From the evidences, it can also be known that his invasion to Spain was on

purpose of securing his heirs position. This kind of idea also can be found in

Orgon’s mind. Orgon shows his cares when he forces his own daughter to marry

his version of the best man. Orgon believes that, by giving his own daughter to

Tartuffe, he makes the best decision, just like Louis XIV, who wanted to secure

his heirs position.

Another characteristic of Orgon is strict in religion, or it can be said that he

is a fanatic person. This characteristic can also be found in Louis XIV’s

characteristic. Orgon does not want to give Mariane to Valére because he thinks

that this man is unfaithful, Valère gambles and rarely visits the church. Orgon

does not want any unfaithful persons inside his home and family. Orgon even

disinherits and throws his own son, Damis, away because he insults Tartuffe, the

pious man. This kind of idea can be the reflection of Louis’s characteristic. Louis

XIV was known as fanatic Catholic, and the evidence is his revocation on Edict of

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Nantes. Louis also believed that everyone should have the same belief as his. He

did not give any tolerance in religious matters. He revoked the Edict of Nantes

which allowed the Protestants, the Huguenots, to have their religious activities and

civil rights. He even allowed violence to the Huguenots, which make them

escaped from France, causing some economic loss.

Another characteristic of Orgon is arrogant. Louis XIV is also known as

an arrogant person. He regarded himself as a king who was chosen by God.

Therefore, he did not choose a new chief minister and he did not assemble the

Estates-General.

Louis’s statement showing his arrogance, when a coach supposed to meet

him arrived just in time, is “I almost had to wait”. (Microsoft Encarta 2008)

Besides seeing the characteristics of Orgon as a result of Louis XIV’s

influences, the writer regarded those characteristics to hegemony. Two

characteristics support hegemony but another one may ruin it.

Barry Burke believes that by hegemony, Gramsci meant the permeation

throughout society of an entire system of values, attitudes, beliefs and morality

that has the effect of supporting the status quo in power relations. Therefore, the

characteristics that support maintaining hegemony are cares for family and

arrogance. Cares for family in this study can be interpreted as cares for other. It is

needed to support hegemony because, from the definition, it can be learned that

the object of hegemony is the people. One of the purposes of hegemony is to

create a good image in the people’s mind. Therefore, someone must care of others

in order to learn the concept of good image according to the people’s mind. It

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does not really mean to care of everything about the people. At least, it is to know

the most importance idea in the people’s mind. For example, in the play, Orgon

cares of his family. He wants his family to get the best thing in their life.

Unfortunately, his definition of goodness does not fit the other’s definition. He

thinks that Tartuffe will become a good husband for Mariane but, unfortunately,

he lacks of references. Tartuffe is a good example in understanding the people’s

important idea. He knows that Orgon believes that religion is important for him

and his family. He uses that idea to create his hegemony on Orgon. Behind the

name of the church, Tartuffe can make Orgon happily follow Tartuffe’s ambition.

Another characteristic which support the hegemony is arrogance. One of

the purposes of hegemony is to internalize someone’s values and norms into

people’s minds. Arrogant people regard themselves as a better person than

anybody else. They believe that they are more valuable than the others and they

tend to show their values to the people. If they do not show their values, they will

fail to internalize their values to the people’s mind. In the play, the writer found

that, many times, Orgon tells his family that he is the head of the family and the

one who gives the order in the house. His declaration makes the members of the

family obey him, though reluctantly. Mariane and Damis, though unwillingly

obey his father’s orders, admit that their father has the power over them. Another

example is Louis XIV’s. Arrogance told him to build Versailles which was filled

with his glory. The effect is that, until these times, when people see, read or learn

Versailles, they will remember how great Louis XIV was. Before his death, he

gave an advice to his heir, “Try to keep peace with your neighbors. I have loved

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war too much; do not copy me in that nor in my extravagance.” <Microsoft

Encadtra 2008 [DVD]> He realized that he was arrogant and, no matter he

regretted it or not, his arrogance makes him a remarkable king in the history of

France.

The last characteristic that the writer found from the analysis on the

influences of the history towards the character is strictness. This characteristic is

the one which will ruin the hegemony. What is meant by strictness here is prohibit

to any tolerance. This strictness will make someone fails in creating a good image

and internalizing their norms. Many people will disagree with having no

tolerance. When someone is strict, they will directly oppose the different idea that

makes the internalizing of an idea fail. The writer wrote a statement in the

background of this study that many people will refuse to be controlled by other

people but those many people will take the chance to have control on the other.

When someone strictly and directly forces his idea, the people will realize that

they are being controlled and obviously the people will refuse the idea. The

example from the play is when Orgon tries to convince Mariane that Tartuffe is

the best man to be her husband. He does not think that Valére is a good person

because he notes that Valére rarely visits to church. Orgon directly forces this

idea. He directly orders Mariane to accept the idea that Tartuffe is the best man

for being her husband. He also directly forces the idea that it is a bad thing to

insult a religious person, and he will not make any tolerance for that. It is true that

Orgon can internalize the idea that he is the one who gives the orders to his family

but he fails to transfer the idea that Tartuffe is a religious person.

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Sometimes, someone needs to say ‘yes’ in order to make people say no.

Elmire is the good example of that statement that can be learned. When Elmire

wants her husband, Orgon, believe that Tartuffe is not a real pious person, she

does not force Orgon to accept this idea. She does not force her husband to trust

her judgment but she asks him to see the facts by himself and she succeeds.

ELMIRE. Do answer me; don’t be absurd. I’m not now asking you to trust our word. Suppose that from some hiding-place in here you learned the whole sad truth by eye and ear—what would you say of your good friend, after that? ORGON. Why, I’d say… nothing, by Jehoshaphat! It can’t be true. ELMIRE. You’ve been too long deceived, and I’m quite tired of being disbelieved. Come now: let’s put my statements to the test, and you shall see the truth made manifest. ORGON. I’ll take that challenge. Now do your uttermost. We’ll see how you make good of your empty boast (Wilbur in Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, Lesley Ferris & Gerald Rabkin, 2001:489). Strictness also made Louis XIV fail in maintaining his hegemony. As it

was learned before from previous analysis, that Louis XIV was a devoted

Catholic, he wanted to remove any religion other than his from his kingdom. He

wanted to have the Protestants convert their religion into Catholic by revoking the

Edict of Nantes. Instead of having the conversion, he made the Protestants escape

from France causing some loss in economic field. Louis failed to transfer the idea

that Catholic is the best religion to the people.

Actually, the strictness was a result from hegemony of the church. Orgon

and Louis XIV only followed the norms that had been internalized into their

minds by the church. No matter the backgrounds are, strictness can interrupt the

process of hegemony.

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C. The Influences of the Intrinsic Elements to the History.

Although the previous subchapter discuss the plot first, in this part, the

writer wants to discuss the influences of character of the play first, which is

Tartuffe. It is due to the chronological reasons. The influences of the character

came before the influences of the plot. This arrangement was made in order to

make the reader easier to understand the analysis.

1. The Character

As it is written before, the character of the play producing an influence in

the history is Tartuffe. The characteristic of this character had been discussed in

the previous part in this analysis: he is a hypocrite. Tartuffe is man who intends to

take over someone’s property and make a scandal with someone’s wife, but to

achieve it, he hides in the name of God.

Through understanding that Orgon is a reflection of Louis XIV, the writer

was not sure whether Tartuffe is a reflection of some people or a person in the

history or not. Surely, the writer found that Tartuffe gave influence towards

history. This character was regarded as an insult for the church at that time.

Feeling annoyed, the church took a step by banning the play and accusing the

writer of the play as a heresy. The church must be really annoyed since they did

not easily forgive Molière. This matter shows the greatness of this play, it is a

reflection of the reality, yet it annoyed the real world. This play forced the church

to take an action.

The controversy surrounding him increased, however, with the production of his most renowned work, Tartuffe, which skewered

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and/or offended several aspects of upper-class French society, the Roman Catholic Church, and the the influential underground society, Compagnie du Saint Sacrement, which boasted many powerful and influential members. Although Tartuffe was extremely popular with audiences and was acclaimed by Louis XIV, the Archbishop of Paris issued a decree threatening to excommunicate anyone performing, attending, or even reading the play. (Linda Pavlovski) The church seemed to be seriously taking this matter as a problem. From

the book entitled Types of Drama Plays and Contents, the writer found that, in

1664, Moliére had to write a petition to the king to defend this play and he had to

defend again on this play five years later in 1669 in his Preface to Tartuffe. He

even had to change some parts of the play, such as the title and the character. In

1667, this play was entitled L’Imposteur and Tartuffe was renamed Panulphe.

This new version was also suppressed by the church after a single public

performance in 1667.

There are some possible reasons why the church banned this play.

Possibly, this character, Tartuffe, insults God, and the people who believed that

they are the representation of God in earth must take an action to punish the writer

of the play. Perhaps, the church was just afraid that this character will ruin their

good image in the society, and thus makes the believers convert into other

religions which make them have no good payments and positions anymore.

Whatever the real reasons were, the writer believes that it is possible that

the church banned this play because it involved the hegemony of religion.

Besides the political power, it can be seen that this play contains an idea

on hegemony of religion. It is inevitable that religion becomes one of the most

influencing powers in this world. Many people are influenced by this power. The

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evidences are the writer of the play, Molière, Louis XIV, and the Huguenots. It

seems that nowadays religion is not merely about God anymore. Sometimes,

religion is about a higher power controlling it believers. When it is about power,

hegemony is needed to maintain this condition. That was what happened with the

problem faced by Molière.

From the analysis of the influences of the play towards the history, it can

be learned that the church was annoyed by a character in the play, Tartuffe and

they banned it. If it is about God, maybe the church did not need to be annoyed

by a character in a play. Considering that God is almighty, which is believed by

the church, God will not be influenced by such words. Moreover, the play does

not mention that God is evil or immoral. It just shows that one of the church

believers is a hypocrite. The church could just say that a human can not escape

from a sin. Instead of saying that, the church banned the play.

The writer believes that the church tried to maintain their hegemony.

When the readers of the play learned from the play that people who come from

the church can still do bad things, then the church will be disturbed in

internalizing its values to the people. The church banned this play because they

thought it could disturb their hegemony. An idea of a hypocrite that comes from

the church can decrease their image in the people’s minds.

From the previous analyses, it can be learned that not only did the church

fail to maintain their hegemony but also, in another chance, the church succeeded

doing it. When Orgon and Louis XIV strictly prohibited any tolerance in term of

religion, they had been internalized with a norm by the church. Orgon forces his

61

daughter and son to respect a religious person and Louis XIV forced the

Huguenots to convert their religion. They are considered as having been

internalized by a norm of the church because they did exactly like what the church

did. The church did the same thing when they knew there is a character from a

play that can ruin their images. They did not give any tolerance to Molière for

having a hypocrite in his play. The church was opposed to any tolerance and it

seemed that this idea had been transferred to Orgon and Louis XIV.

2. The Plot

It is true that the character of the play made the writer of the play, Molière,

in danger. The church accused him for heresy and asked Louis XIV to ban this

play. However, the king saved him from execution.

The King's personal support of Molière was unfailing, and it is possible that without his royal favor and protection, the dramatist might well have been executed for heresy. Following the controversy surrounding Tartuffe, Molière resorted on several occasions to writing less consequential farces. <Linda Pavlovski>

It is possible that the plot, especially the ending of the play, saved him.

From the historical records, the writer found that Molière was supported by Louis

XIV to make works to praise him.

It is possible that the ending of this play, in which the king’s command

comes down and saves the entire family of Orgon from miserable future, inspired

Louis XIV to defend Molière from the accusation of the church. No one knows

Molière’s exact reason when he ended this play with that idea. It is possible that

he intended to do so in order to please the king. Another possibility is that Molière

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did not have any intention to do it, but it just like it was stated before, that the

absolute power polluted France too much, thus, making people, including the

writer of the play, Molière, tended to have an idea of absolute power.

Those are the possibilities of reasons why Molière was saved by the king,

but the fact said that Louis XIV felt pleased with the play indeed. Louis was

pleased though the church was not. He had his own opinion about this play.

Although Tartuffe was extremely popular with audiences and was acclaimed by Louis XIV, the Archbishop of Paris issued a decree threatening to excommunicate anyone performing, attending, or even reading the play. <Linda Pavlovski> The king could feel pleased with the play because, in the end of the play,

Orgon is saved by the words of the king. Louis XIV could regard that this king in

the play, who saves Orgon, represents him as the king at that time. Louis could

believe that this ending is based on Molière’s personal opinion on him. Louis

thought that Molière regards him as a king who could solve any problem, and

Molière believes that he is lucky to have him as his king (just like Orgon who is

lucky to have such kind of king).

The interesting part that the writer found in this study is that Molière, as

the writer of the play, had the same trouble and way out as Orgon, a character in

his own play, did. In the play, it can be seen that Orgon has almost sent to the

prison because of Tartuffe. Nevertheless, he is saved by the words of the king.

Molière also had the same experiences with Orgon. He was almost executed

because of Tartuffe and he was saved by Louis XIV, the king at that time.

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If the ending of the plot in Tartuffe was not like it was, maybe, Louis XIV

could still save Molière. However, the writer’s judgment that said the plot in

Tartuffe “saved” Molière was based on some thoughts. First, from the analysis

before, it can be said that Louis XIV was a devoted Catholic. His actions towards

the Huguenots become the proof that he was fanatic in religion. Second, in the

case of Molière against the church, Louis did not make the same decision with the

church. Third, there must be something else that Louis found from the play that

influenced his personal judgment. Finally, when the church did not want the play

to be read by many people, they thought that, if this play was read by the people,

the idea of hypocrisy will be spread among the society. The only possible reason

why Louis saved Molière and his play from being banned is that he wanted to

spread the idea which is embed in the end of the play: the idea of a good king that

could save many people with his power. The king may see this play as a way of

hegemony.

The function of hegemony is creating the good image of the power holder

by making good results or making something bad look good. It is the reason why

good images become the purpose of hegemony, that when a bad image has

already been drawn and seen, the ruler’s position is threatened.

The idea presented above brings into the next part of the analysis on

hegemony. From the analysis of the influence of the plot towards the reality, it

can be learned that Louis helped Molière from his problem with the church. This

kind of act can be seen as an effort on creating good image in the society. Louis

possibly knew that the end of the plot can be a chance to create an image of a

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good powerful king. A power holder has to create as many good images as

possible to maintain his position.

When the play was performed for the first time before the king in his royal

court, he felt amused. He saw that the king in the play was a good powerful king.

Perhaps, he thought that the people who read the play will learn that they need not

only a good king but also a powerful one, and he believed that the people can see

that kind of king in him.

Lucks, coincidences or fate, the writer will not make any prediction on

those reasons. The writer only found and believed that the plot of Tartuffe

changed the history of its own writer. The plot in the play, which was created by

Molière, happened in his own life.

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

After doing the analyses, the writer has come into the conclusion. The

writer has found the inter-influential relationship of literary text and historical

text. The first influence is the influences in the intrinsic elements by the history

and the second is the influences in the history by the intrinsic elements.

There are two intrinsic elements that are related with this study. They are

plot and characters. From the plot, the writer found that the plot of the play is

influenced by the existences of absolute powers and it leads the characters into

different results, first is achievements and second is losses. From the characters,

the writer found that there are two characters which are related with this study,

Tartuffe and Orgon. The characteristic of Orgon are cares his family, strict and

arrogant. The characteristic of Tartuffe is hypocrite.

From the next analyses, the writer found that there are some influences in

the intrinsic elements caused by history. The first are found in the plot. From the

historical facts, it can be learned that Louis XIV had an important role in France

during his reign. His absolute power filled the atmosphere of political and social

condition. The absolute power which was hold by Louis XIV has an important

role at that time. This absolute power also leads to different results, achievements

and losses. These conditions caused the writer of the play, unconsciously, made

the plot similar with the conditions at that time. This was happened because the

hegemony of Louis XIV has been succeeded internalized in the author’s mind.

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66

Another reason is the writer of the play has a close relationship with Louis XIV.

This close relationship made the success possibility of hegemony bigger.

Another influence in the intrinsic element was found in the characters.

From a character named Orgon, the writer could see the characteristics of a man

which is involved in absolute power. The characteristics of Orgon also can be

found in Louis XIV. The characteristics are cares for family, strict and arrogant.

The writer believes that the similarity was also caused by the hegemony of Louis

XIV had succeeded. The writer believes that these three characteristics are related

with hegemony. Two characteristics support hegemony but a characteristic can

disturb the process of hegemony.

From the analyses on the influences in the history by the intrinsic

elements, the writer found that both of plot and characters influenced history.

A character from the plot which is Tartuffe forced the church to take an

action. Tartuffe’s hypocrisy was regarded as an insult to the church. The church

banned this play and planned to execute Molière because of this character.

The ending of the plot which is the words form the king saves Orgon from

his misfortune, saved the writer of the play. The writer believes that Louis XIV

saved Molière from his execution, and his play from the ban because Louis saw

the ending of the play could become a tool to spread an idea about a good

powerful king. This idea can become a way of hegemony to his people who read

the play. If the ban from the church was not lifted and Molière was not saved from

his execution, then Louis XIV would miss a great chance to run his hegemony.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. New York: Holt Rinehart and Winston Inc., 1971.

"Antonio Gramsci." Microsoft® Student 2008 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft

Corporation, 2007. Barnet, S, Berman. M, and Burto. W. Literature for Composition. London: Scott

Forsman and Co., 1988. Barnet, Sylvan., William Burto., Lesley Ferris, and Gerald Rabkin. Types of

Drama Play and Contexts 8th Edition. New York: Longman, 2001. Barry, Peter. Beginning Theory. Manchester: Manchester United Press,1995

Benton, William and Benton, Helen Hemingway. The New Encyclopedia Britanica. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica Inc, 1983.

Brooks, Cleanth, John ThiBault Pusher, and Robert Penn Warren. An Approach to

Literature 3rd Edition. New York: Appleton – Century – Crofts, Inc., 1952. Kishlansky, Mark. "Louis XIV." Microsoft® Student 2008 [DVD]. Redmond,

WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2007 "Louis XIV." Encyclopædia Britannica from Encyclopædia Britannica 2007

Ultimate Reference Suite . (2008). Madden, David. "Novel." Microsoft® Student 2008[DVD]. Redmond, WA:

Microsoft Corporation, 2007. Perrine, Laurence. Literature: Structure, Sounds and Sense. New York: Harcout

Brace Jovanovich Inc., 1969. Rohrberger, Planny and Samuel H Wood, Jr. Reading and Writing about

Literature. New York: Random House, 1971. Said, Edward. Orientalism. New York: Vintage Books,1979. Sills, L. David. International Encyclopedia of Social Science. New York: The

Placmillan Company and the Free Press, 1972. Strinati, Dominic. An Introduction to Theories of Popular Culture. London:

Routledge, 1995.

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Online References

Adair, Terrin Lynch. Elements of Theatre and Drama.

<http://drama.eserver.org/plays/> (Accessed on 16 March 2008). Baker, Lyman Allen. Molière's Tartuffe as a satire on religious fanaticism.

<http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~lyman/english233/Tartuffe-religion.htm> (Accessed on 22 January 2008).

Burke, B. (1999, 2005) 'Antonio Gramsci, schooling and education', the

encyclopedia of informal education, http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-gram.htm. (Accessed on 16 March 2008).

Evans, C. T. Louis XIV.

<http://www.nvcc.edu/home/cevans/Versailles/site/louisxiv.html> (Accessed on 22 January 2008).

Modern Language Association(MLA). WordNet® 3.0. Princeton University.

Hegemony < http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hegemony>. (Accessed on 21 Jan. 2008).

Ed. Linda Pavlovski, Editor. Vol. 13. Gale Group, Inc., 2001. eNotes.com. 2006.

Molière: Introduction. Drama Criticism. <http://www.enotes.com/drama-criticism/moliere> (Accessed on 30 Jan, 2008)

APPENDIX

Summary of Tartuffe

Tartuffe is a play which takes place in France in 15th century. There are 9

characters, Orgon, Tartuffe, Dorine, Elmire, Mariane, Damis, Cleante, Madame

Pernelle and Valere. Tartuffe was a hypocrite. Orgon met him and invited him to

live in his house. Orgon regarded Tartuffe as a very saintly man, his mother,

Madame Pernelle also deceived by Tartuffe. Orgon was really tricked by Tartuffe,

and it made him pay more attention to Tartuffe than his own wife, Elmire.

The play begins with Madame Pernelle who wants to leave the house

because she feels no one in the house has any respect on her. Then there is a

conversation between Madame Pernelle, Dorine, Elmire, Mariane, Damis and

Cleante about how Madame Pernelle defends Tartuffe and and Orgon against the

rest. And it is ended with Madame Pernelle leaves the house since no one believe

her. Before the rest come to inside, Damis, Orgon’s bad-tempered son, asks

Cleante to remind his father that he has given his word to give Mariane to Valere.

And then Orgon arrives at home from his trip. When he asks about what

happened in his house while he has been gone, he is more interested on the news

about Tartuffe more than his wife who is in a recovery after her fever. Hearing

that, Cleante, Orgon’s wise brother in law, asks him that why he can be so

hoodwinked by Tartuffe. But Orgon answers that Cleante does not know how

good Tartuffe is, like he does. Orgon leaves him when Cleante still explaining on

his opinion. Quickly, Cleante hold him and ask him about his words to Valere and

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70

whether he want to keep it or not but Orgon’s did not answer that and leave

Cleante.

In the living room, Orgon calls Mariane to have some words with her.

Orgon asks Mariane to wed Tartuffe and he expects Mariane would obey him in

any words. Mariane feels confused but she does not dare to oppose her father.

When he is talking, Orgon notices that Dorine is eavesdropping their

conversation. Then Dorine tries to persuade Orgon to cancel the marriage since

Tartuffe is not as good as he thinks but Orgon still believes in his own opinion.

Feeling annoyed by Dorine’s words, Orgon tries to slap her but he misses it.

Orgon feels much annoyed and nettled. The scene is ended with Orgon leave the

house to calm himself.

After Orgon is gone, Dorine comes back to Mariane and tells her not to

worry because she will help her. Then Valere, Mariane’s lover, comes to the

house asking her about her wedding with Tartuffe. Mariane’s answer makes him

angry since she answers that she does not know and Valere expects different

answer from her. After some quarrels, Dorine tells them to quiet and to admit that

they love each other. Dorine tells them to follow her plan to refuse her father’s

demand.

In the next act, there is an interesting event between Tartuffe and Dorine.

Tartuffe sees Dorine’s breast and show his pious act which asks Dorine to cover

her bosom. Dorine answers that his flesh is too weak and even she sees him

naked, she will not excited.

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Then, there is a conversation between Tartuffe and Elmire. Elmire wants

to ask him not to marry her daughter but Tartuffe show his true feeling that he

actually loves Elmire and offers her a scandal. Elmire cleverly refuses it and

offers him an agreement that she will not tell her husband about Tartuffe’s true

feeling, if Tartuffe refuses to marry Mariane. Damis, who accidentally hides

behind the wardrobe, suddenly appears when he hear Tartuffe’s offer to his

mother and says that he does not agree with that agreement and gladly sounds his

father about this affair.

When Orgon comes, Damis immediately tells his father that Tartuffe tried

to induce his wife. Deceived by Tartuffe’s act, Orgon does not believe his son

even he asks him to leave his house and he disinherits his own son, then he gives

the inheritance and his daughter to Tartuffe.

In the next act, begin with Cleante wisely accuses that Tartuffe is guilty

making Orgon disinherited Damis. Feeling cornered, Tartuffe run away with an

excuse that he has some pious duties to do.

When all the people are in the living room, Orgon comes with the contract

marriage between Tartuffe and Mariane. Orgon asks his daughter to sign it. When

there is no one who can make Orgon believes that it is wrong to give Mariane to

Tartuffe, Elmire asks Orgon to hide and see whether Tartuffe is really pious or not

if he is seduced by Elmire, and Orgon agrees with that.

Then, Tartuffe has a chance to get lonely with Elmire, but there is Orgon

hiding under the table. And at this time, Orgon sees it with his own eyes, what

Tartuffe does to his wife. Orgon realizes that Tartuffe is really a hypocrite, feeling

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annoyed Orgon orders Tartuffe to leave his house with no explanation. However

Tartuffe knows that Orgon has signed the deeds that the house and all his

belongings now belong to Tartuffe. He treats Orgon that it is him who has to leave

the house not him.

When Madame Pernelle comes, she asks whether it is true or not that

Tartuffe forces Orgon to leave his own house. Any explanation from Orgon does

not make Madame Pernelle believe it, until monsieur Loyal comes to the house

and says that he has the document that the house now belongs to Tartuffe,

therefore he asks Orgon to leave his tomorrow in early morning.

When Orgon is ready to leave, suddenly Valere comes bringing bad news

which is Tartuffe already brought an officer to arest Orgon.

Tartuffe shows up with an officer. Tartuffe feels very confidences even all

the people in the house against him. Then when Tartuffe orders the officer to

arrest Orgon, the officer turn and arrest Tartuffe. The officer explains that the king

has known the real thing and the king knows it is Tartuffe who is guilty. Then

after this event, Orgon knows who is really good to become his daughter’s

husband, in the end of the play Orgon gives Mariane to become Valere’s wife.

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Historical Data from Microsoft Encarta 2008[DVD]

Louis XIV

I INTRODUCTION

Louis XIV (1638-1715), king of France (1643-1715), known as the Sun

King. Louis, third monarch of the Bourbon family, ruled for 72 years, the longest

reign in European history. His rule typified the period of absolute monarchy in the

second half of the 17th century, during which time kings ruled without the

restraint of representative institutions. This epoch is widely known as the age of

Louis XIV because other European monarchs imitated and competed with

developments in France. Louis inherited a kingdom that was internally divided,

militarily exhausted, and nearly bankrupt. He left to his heirs the greatest power in

the Western world.

Louis’s main achievements were expanding the effectiveness of the central

government, increasing the boundaries of France to the north and east, and placing

one of his grandsons on the throne of Spain. But these successes cost the nation

dearly. The economy suffered during the long years of war, taxes increased, and

the countryside was left vulnerable to punishing famines.

II EARLY LIFE

Louis XIV was born at Saint-Germain-en-Laye. He was the unexpected

child of King Louis XIII and Anne of Austria, who had not had children in their

22-year marriage. He was christened Louis Dieudonné (literally, “gift of God”). In

74

1643, before his fifth birthday, his father died, and Louis inherited the crown of

France. While Louis was a child, his mother served as regent, ruling France in his

place. She was assisted by Jules Cardinal Mazarin, the Italian financier who had

been the principal minister of Louis XIII. Mazarin had guided the nation through

the later stages of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). In this war France struggled

against the Habsburg dynasty that ruled Spain for military supremacy in Europe.

The roots of the war stretched back to the 16th century, and the two countries

fought for decades, each seeking to enlarge its territories and influence.

Mazarin understood the intricacies of foreign policy and diplomatic

relations as well as anyone in Europe. He attempted to pass his knowledge and

skill on to the new king. Coming to power at a young age, Louis did not have the

conventional humanist education of most princes, who learned Latin, ancient

history, rhetoric, and the arts. Instead his instruction focused on the practical

necessities of kingship, such as the history of France and its monarchy and

military affairs. As a teenager Louis was allowed to take part in sieges and to

watch battles from a safe distance. He also studied what Mazarin regarded as the

political arts: dealing with foreign ambassadors, judging the character of men

from their behavior, and concealing one’s true opinions and ideas from others.

From his mother, a Roman Catholic, Louis received a spiritual education.

Throughout his life Louis remained devoutly religious and attempted to eliminate

Protestantism in France.

During Louis’s early years, France was dominated by a series of rebellions

known as the Fronde (1648-1653). These rebellions took place mainly in major

75

cities and consisted largely of aristocrats attacking the government of Mazarin and

Louis’s mother. At one point Louis, in danger of being captured, was

unceremoniously hustled out of Paris and hidden in the countryside. The Fronde

made a lasting impression on Louis, creating a lifelong fear of rebellion. It also

left him with a distaste for Paris, the largest city in his kingdom and the center of

royal government. When he came to rule France in 1661, Louis decided to build a

royal palace away from Paris. In 1682 he moved his government to Versailles,

southwest of Paris (See also Palace of Versailles).

Louis married out of diplomatic necessity. Most of the nations of Europe

had agreed to peace in 1648, ending the Thirty Years’ War. However, the war

between France and Spain dragged on for another decade because neither side was

willing to accept the gains made by the other. In 1659 Mazarin finally succeeded

in concluding a pact, the Peace of the Pyrenees, which recognized French

territorial gains. The pact was sealed in 1660 by the marriage of Louis to Marie-

Thérèse, the eldest daughter of King Philip IV of Spain. The marriage was

arranged via a treaty that explicitly excluded Marie’s heirs from inheriting the

Spanish crown once Philip had paid her dowry. However, the full dowry was

never paid. Consequently, Louis refused to relinquish his family’s claim to the

Spanish inheritance, a claim that was to influence French policy later in Louis’s

reign.

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III ABSOLUTE MONARCHY

After Mazarin died in 1661, Louis declared that henceforth he would rule

France without a chief minister, something no French king had done in living

memory. He intended to rule as an absolute monarch, believing that his power as

king was derived from God and that he was responsible to God alone. An absolute

monarch did not share power with representative institutions such as the Estates-

General, which was never summoned to meet during Louis’s reign, nor with the

law courts known as Parlements. Even so, he was obliged to rule for the benefit of

his people. While Louis assumed responsibility for decision making, he

understood that he must rule within the constraints of the laws and customs of his

kingdom. Louis consulted widely with his nobles and ministers, and he met

weekly with members of his high council. He created an informal cabinet, which

was eventually led by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, chief minister of finance.

Nevertheless, the system of absolute monarchy emphasized the role of the

king, and no monarch was more successful in creating the image of monarchy

than Louis XIV. He took the sun as his emblem and connected himself to its

radiant image. Portraits, woodcuts, and engravings of the king portrayed as the

Greek sun god Apollo poured from Parisian workshops. The grandeur of the king

was the theme of sermons, poems, and drama.

IV COURT LIFE AND CULTURE

The exquisite palace built at Versailles between 1661 and 1689 was filled

with images of Louis’s glory. Over 30,000 men worked on the palace, a project

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that drained the royal treasury for decades. Expenses included not only building

but also diverting rivers, piping in fresh water, and planting thousands of orange

trees to mask the smell of sewage that could not be properly drained away. No

foreign ambassador, nobleman, or ordinary citizen could enter this new center of

government without being overwhelmed by representations of the power of Louis

XIV. The king moved to the Palace of Versailles in 1682, occupying it with his

growing family, his courtiers, and his mistresses.

Though Versailles constituted a seat of power, it was also part of an

artistic renaissance that flourished under Louis. Despite his lack of formal artistic

education, Louis sponsored the work of a remarkable generation of artists,

playwrights, and architects. Though he abandoned Paris for Versailles, he

nevertheless contributed to rebuilding Paris after the Fronde had been suppressed.

Construction projects included adding a new wing to the Louvre palace, building

Les Invalides as housing for army veterans, and constructing the Observatory as a

site for new scientific inquiry. All were designed by French architects in the

classical tradition. Among literary figures, the great playwrights Molière and Jean

Baptiste Racine received royal patronage. Perhaps most importantly, under

Colbert’s influence, Louis created three French academies, later part of the Institut

de France, to support the study of fine arts, languages, and sciences: L’Académie

des Beaux Arts (1648), the L’Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres (1663),

and L’Académie des Sciences (1666). The latter supported the experimental work

of French astronomers, chemists, and physicists and helped coordinate and

disseminate their discoveries.

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V EARLY REIGN

In the early part of his reign, Louis had three objectives: to reorganize the

administration of government, to replenish his empty treasury, and to establish

borders that he could defend against attack from his enemies.

In the first instance, Louis worked to tighten central control over the array

of departments, regions, and duchies that together made up France. To this end, he

revived the use of regional intendants, officials who were sent to the provinces

with instructions to establish order and effective royal justice. Although agents of

the central government, intendants worked closely with the local nobility and

legal institutions to establish efficient administration. The oppressive power of

local aristocrats was challenged by the intendants, who meted out justice more

equitably because they had no local interests of their own to advance. The

intendants also organized local forces to suppress riots and rebellions, which were

a constant part of 17th-century political life.

In the area of finance, Louis left matters in the hands of Colbert. The

finance minister was faced with the daunting task of raising revenue for a king

who had the expensive tastes of war making and building. Realizing that

traditional taxation was already too high, Colbert worked to find new sources of

royal revenue, especially those derived from trade. One such revenue source was a

tariff on imports. A tariff would raise revenue and also protect French goods

against foreign competition by making imports more expensive. Colbert also saw

French colonies as a market for French products.

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This set of beliefs, known as mercantilism, formed the basis for an

economic recovery in the middle years of Louis’s reign. The protective tariff

enabled new industries to develop. These, in turn, demanded skilled workers,

raising wages for these workers. Higher wages eased the burden of taxation,

especially for the poorer segments of society. Support of domestic manufacturing

led to improvements in transportation. Thus roads were constructed, rivers were

dredged to keep them navigable, and the first French canals were built.

To expand overseas trade, Colbert encouraged French citizens to establish

private merchant companies as the Dutch and English had already done. For

example, in 1664 the West Indies Company was established to exploit French

colonies in the Caribbean, and the East Indies Company was established to trade

in India. Though France was a latecomer in the quest for the products and markets

of the long-distance trade, French companies slowly carved out a piece of the

colonial pie. To facilitate overseas trade, Colbert expanded the French navy,

which grew almost tenfold in a quarter century.

The navy was also a weapon of war. Throughout the 17th century, France

struggled for military supremacy. Although the largest state on the continent, with

a population of around 19 million, France was surrounded by the dominions of the

Spanish and Austrian Habsburgs. The Habsburg family controlled Spain, Austria,

and most of the Low Countries (what is today Belgium, Luxembourg, and the

Netherlands) as well as most of Germany and Italy. Although Habsburg power

was past its peak, it still threatened French security.

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As a result, Louis lavished attention on military affairs. Louis worked with

his ministers Michael Le Tellier and Le Tellier’s son, the Marquis de Louvois, to

build up French defenses. They expanded the size of the French army from

100,000 in 1661 to 300,000 in 1688 and then to 400,000 in 1702. They also built

fortifications at river crossings and conquered strategically placed towns,

especially along the Rhine.

VI EXPANSION OF FRENCH POWER IN EUROPE

Although Louis dreamed of a Spanish inheritance for his heirs, his military

policy was not to expand French territory. He fought his early wars for defensive

purposes—to secure France’s northern border and to dislodge the Spanish from

strategic towns.

Louis fought the War of the Devolution (1667-1668) to assert his claims to

a portion of Spain’s possessions after his wife’s father, Philip IV, died. Louis

claimed the Spanish Netherlands in place of the dowry that Philip IV had never

paid. In an attempt to secure more defensible borders for France, he invaded the

Spanish Netherlands, intending to establish French control of important fortresses.

He succeeded in capturing numerous towns before the Treaties of Aix-la-Chapelle

ended the fighting in 1668. Louis returned much of the territory he had captured,

although not the most important towns near the French border. The treaty

promised France control of the Spanish Netherlands after the death of Charles II,

who had succeeded Philip IV.

81

The French aggression in the Spanish Netherlands caused relations

between France and Holland to deteriorate. The Dutch had already fought the

Spanish for generations to protect against an invasion of their country. They had

no intention of allowing the French to pose the same threat by occupying the

territories on their border. The result was war in the Netherlands from 1672 to

1678, during which Louis again demonstrated the effectiveness of French might.

In a sweeping campaign, Louis almost succeeded in conquering Holland. To

protect themselves, the Dutch opened their dikes, flooded the countryside, and

turned Amsterdam into a virtual island.

Louis’s armies could not advance farther, and they began negotiating a

truce. War resumed, however, when Spain and Austria allied themselves with

Holland, and Louis signed a treaty with England in 1670 to keep the English navy

neutral. Now the war settled into a pattern of surge and retreat. Neither side could

win a decisive victory, and both suffered from financial exhaustion, which

ultimately led to a treaty to end the war. When peace came at Nijmegen in 1678,

Louis had achieved a defensible perimeter around the core of his inheritance. In

addition to the strategic acquisitions in the Netherlands, French forces had wrested

the Franche-Comté region in the east from Spanish control.

The end of the war marked the height of Louis’s power, but it came at the

price of uniting most of Europe against him. The attack on Holland created grave

consequences for France when Dutch leader William of Orange also became King

William III of England in 1689.

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VII THE BEGINNING OF DECLINE

In 1685 Louis took a step that shocked the Protestant nations of Europe

and profoundly affected France. Although France was a Catholic nation, it

contained a sizable Protestant minority, known as Huguenots. In 1598 French

king Henry IV had issued the Edict of Nantes, which allowed Huguenots to hold

religious services and granted them civil rights. It also gave the Huguenots certain

fortified cities as a means of protection. Although relations between Catholics and

Protestants were always uneasy, the cities protected by the Edict of Nantes

flourished. Within these cities dwelled highly skilled Huguenot craftsmen, who

were an integral part of Colbert’s economic program.

Louis’s personal Catholicism, however, opposed tolerance. From the

beginning of his reign, he attempted to enforce conversions by demolishing

Protestant churches and schools and by allowing Catholic violence against

Protestant communities. In 1685 Louis suddenly revoked the Edict of Nantes and

banned Protestant worship. Consequently, about 200,000 Huguenots fled France

rather than convert to Catholicism. They resettled all around the globe, but most

went to Holland and England, where they were greeted as martyrs. The loss of

many highly productive citizens depressed the French economy.

By the middle of the 1680s the Sun King was losing much of his shine.

Mazarin had taught him to work rigorously, and Louis maintained a punishing

schedule throughout his life, shrugging off a series of minor illnesses and ignoring

the advice of his physicians. Eventually a broken arm put an end to his vigorous

horseback riding, and gout ended his long walks around Versailles. He was

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wheeled to the throne room or carried to his carriage. In 1683 his first wife died,

and Louis secretly married his longtime mistress, Françoise d’Aubigné, Marquise

de Maintenon. In 1711 he endured the tragedy of the death of his eldest son and

the following year that of his eldest grandson.

VIII THE EUROPEAN WARS

The last three decades of Louis’s reign were a time of constant warfare.

France was recognized as the dominant continental power, and its strength

threatened other European nations. The Catholic powers, especially Austria, were

fearful of Louis’s designs upon Spain’s possessions. Meanwhile, the Protestant

states, especially England and Holland, worried about the revival of religious

warfare.

A The War of the League of Augsburg

To oppose French aggression, England, Holland, Denmark, and Austria

formed the League of Augsburg, called the Grand Alliance, in 1689. The War of

the League of Augsburg (1688-1697) began over a complicated inheritance

dispute between Louis and the Austrian Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold I.

Ultimately, French forces stormed across the Rhine River and captured strategic

German towns. The European allies struck back, and soon both sides had massive

armies of over 400,000 soldiers in the field. The main areas of fighting were again

in the Spanish Netherlands, where fortified towns were besieged for years and

townspeople were literally starved into submission. Although Louis had some

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important successes—his forces invaded Spain and occupied Barcelona—the

fighting was largely a stalemate. William of Orange prevented a French

breakthrough into Holland and relieved several of the most important fortress

towns from French siege.

The war strained French resources nearly to the breaking point. Louis

shifted resources to the military and stripped laborers from the countryside for

service in the army. Famine resulted in both 1692 and 1694, and the war’s

demands on the treasury made relief operations impossible. Riots broke out in the

countryside, and the intendants reported widespread discontent. Finally, Louis

was forced to seek peace. The Treaty of Ryswick in 1697 gave France the

territory of Alsace, but France had to return all the towns it had occupied in the

Netherlands and Spain.

B The War of the Spanish Succession

Louis was willing to return the towns in part because it was becoming

clear that his family would inherit some portion of Spain’s possessions. King

Charles II of Spain had no male heirs, and his health suggested that he would not

live much longer. He controlled a vast empire that included Latin America and

numerous Caribbean islands, the Low Countries with the exception of Holland,

and parts of Italy as well as Spain itself. Louis’s interest in the Spanish inheritance

went beyond money or glory. His concern was that if the Spanish possessions

passed intact to the Austrian Habsburgs, France would face a major threat to its

security. The threat would arise because Austria would become the largest

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territorial power in Europe, with possessions on three sides of France. Thus when

Charles II bequeathed his empire to Louis’s grandson Philip, duke of Anjou,

Louis was determined that France would fight to help him keep it. Philip became

Philip V of Spain in 1700.

The War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) was the most brutal and

costly of Louis’s military endeavors. For the first time in over a century, French

armies lost battles, most notably by John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, at

the Battle of Blenheim (in what is now Germany) in 1704 and at Ramillies (in

what is now Belgium) in 1706. The fighting made it clear that France would not

gain control of the Spanish Netherlands (they were ultimately ceded to Austria).

However, it also revealed that the allies could not dislodge Philip from the

Spanish throne.

Realizing a stalemate, the warring nations worked to find an acceptable

formula for peace, which took nearly as long as did the fighting. The Peace of

Utrecht recognized Philip as king of Spain but dismembered the Spanish

inheritance to balance power among France, Spain, Austria, and Great Britain. It

was also agreed that France and Spain would never be united as one monarchy.

Louis XIV died in 1715, just after the war ended. He was succeeded by his great-

grandson, Louis XV.

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IX EVALUATION AND LEGACY

In a world that regarded territory, power, and wealth as paramount, Louis

XIV was recognized as a great king. He transformed France into the dominant

nation in Europe, expanded its boundaries, and left his heirs secure in their

possessions. Louis reached the height of his power in the 1670s, and he protected

what he had achieved for the next four decades in the face of a Europe united

against him. Moreover, he eventually realized his dream of seeing a Bourbon on

the Spanish throne. During Louis’s reign, France also consolidated the

administration of its colonial possessions and commerce, becoming a world

power.

On the domestic front, Louis strengthened the central government’s

control over the diverse regions of France, incorporating his territorial gains into a

united state. On the other hand, he provoked controversy when he restored

Catholic religious unity by revoking the Edict of Nantes and repressing

Protestantism. Unfortunately many of Louis’s policies, both domestic and foreign,

caused great hardship to ordinary people, many of whom suffered starvation, fled

their homeland, or lived in terror of persecution. Ultimately, Louis XIV wished to

bring glory to France and to his dynasty, and he died believing that he had.

Contributed By:

Mark Kishlansky

Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2008. © 1993-2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights

reserved.