Tartuffe is a comedy by Molière, and is one of the most famous French plays of all time.

As the play begins, the well-off Orgon is convinced that Tartuffe is a man of great religious zeal and fervor. In fact, Tartuffe is a scheming hypocrite. By the time Tartuffe is exposed and Orgon renounces him, Tartuffe has legal control of Orgon's finances and family, and is about to steal all of Orgon's wealth and marry his daughter. Instead the king intervenes, and Tartuffe is condemned to prison.

As a consequence, the word tartuffe is used in contemporary French, and also in English, to designate a hypocrite who ostensibly and exaggeratedly feigns virtue, especially religious virtue.

Foreign versions

A version of this play was done at the National Theatre in London, England in 1990 by Tara Arts Theatre Company . The Tara Arts version was in English but the play was restyled to the format of Indian theatre , set in the court of Aurangazeb and began with a salam in Urdu.

Wikisource

• Tartuffe ou l'Imposteur