— Discuss the theme of appearances or masks in Tartuffe? How does the issue of appearances vs. reality connect with the central concerns of the play?
The idea of hiding behind another identity or putting on a false persona is one of the main focuses in Tartuffe. We have Tartuffe, the religious hypocrite, abusing religion for person gain in front of those are gullible. He hides behind a “mask” in front of Orgon, to win over his favor with the intent of taking over his household and stealing his wife. The issue of appearances and reality comes into play when eventually, Orgon is so obsessed with the idea of going to heaven, he neglects present reality because of so. This also ties back into the central concerns of the play being how religion can be used to deceive people and control their lives.
