Question

What is the dramatic function of disguise in Tartuffe?

A) To create suspense and mystery
B) To reveal characters' true identities
C) To enhance the comedy of errors
D) To introduce supernatural elements

Answer 1

In Molière's Tartuffe, disguise is used to enhance the comedy of errors and highlight themes of hypocrisy and deception.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Molière's Tartuffe, the dramatic function of disguise serves primarily to enhance the comedy of the play. Disguise is a common device in comedic theatre, used to create situations that lead to misunderstanding and confusion, provoking laughter from the audience. When characters in Tartuffe don masks or conceal their true identities, the ensuing action contributes to the comedy of errors as characters unwittingly reveal truths to those in disguise or are themselves deceived by appearances. This comedic tool helps underline the themes of hypocrisy and deception that run through the play while also entertaining the audience with mistaken identities and farcical situations.

While costumes and disguises have also been used throughout history to indicate status, and character, and even to add spectacle to a performance, in Tartuffe they serve the specific purpose of exposing characters' hypocrisy and foolishness. Molière cleverly employs disguise not only as a source of humour but as a mechanism for unfolding the plot and exposing the true nature of the characters, particularly the titular character Tartuffe, whose pious exterior is a front for his true, deceitful intentions.