In Jean Baptiste Poquelin Moliere’s “Tartuffe,” we are given a list of character names and their association. This provides some insight on 17th century social structure. Dorine and Flipotte are written as servants to their own respective masters thus implying wealthy family set within a hierarchical society that also maintains an elaborate hierarchy within the household. In addition, act one shows many of the characters protesting Tartuffe’s influence and choices within the household. This exchange of words reveal various changes taken within the house despite most of its members protesting the changes. This further supports the idea of a hierarchy established within the house in which all lower members must obey the rules fixed by the head members. Finally, the last scene of the shows a king’s messenger rendering judgement on the conflict within the household. This denotes that 17th century France was under a monarchical government.

Religion seems to be a central topic throughout the poem. However, it should be noted that religion is not the subject of mockery but rather hypocrisy within those who claim religious devotion yet use religion as a means of manipulation. Moliere uses several characters to represent the central theme within his play:the difference between true and false religious devotion. Cleante, and the women plays the role of the voice of reason and true understanding of religion while Tartuffe is a manipulative character only using religion for his own gains. The third character, which I believe is the most important for this theme, is Orgon. Despite Cleante and Tartuffe playing the roles of truth and false, Orgon represents the common man or rather one who doesn’t fully understand the religion yet is extremely eager and inclined to believe anyone that offers guidance. In other words, the relationship between Orgon, Cleante, and Tartuffe represent the religious conflict that was happening during early 17th century. Many Catholics in power misused their authority to accumulate wealth thus causing a conflict within practitioners from distinguishing true religious leaders.

Lastly, the theme of logical vs irrational is prevalent throughout the plot. Orgon and Pernelle shown to behave irrationally by holding a unjustified yet grandiose view towards Tartuffe. Additionally, Orgon commands his household with harmful and foolish reason that not only brings about the trouble but further exacerbates it. This is most notable when he demands his daughter to marry Tartuffe simply because it is the right thing to do and hands the deed to the family house to Tartuffe. On the other hand, Pernelle holds an undying devotion towards Tartuffe only for it to be distinguished after considerable effort on from other members and undeniable evidence of Tartuffe’s treachery. Hence, it should be noted that the prevalent theme of logic and reason is due to the Enlightenment movement that was taking place in 1660 in which “Tartuffe” was published 1664.

Therefore, we can view early 17th century society that was dominantly ruled with a patriarchal hierarchy in which males are consistently the head figure. Authority was held by members highest within the system and lower members had to obey. Furthermore, “Tartuffe” reveals a religious struggle during the time in which priests misused their authority in order to accumulate wealth which ultimately led to a great disdain towards the Catholic religion. However, despite the existence of a submissive system, a movement was taking place that moved fought against unreasonable oppression and celebrated logic and reason. This movement ultimately led to a period in Europe called the Enlightenment Era.

Women play a submissive yet powerful role in Japanese society as intermediaries of class, wealth, and fortune. In the story “Bewitched”, Manago plays the polite lady in order to win men’s hearts and in her attempt to own Toyo-o, she says kind words such as: “I shall dry my clothes with the warmth of your kindness”. Toyo-o dreams of Manago greeting him at the door saying, “I cannot forget your kindness, and I love you”. I could imagine men failing to resist and abiding to temptations if a woman were to say those things. This goes to show that words are powerful and women during those times could use this method in obtaining and intermediating men of the upper-class that were wealthy and fortunate. Toyo-o’s father was a prosperous fisherman who hired workers to work for him. His daughter married a merchant. It was not told she was good with words, but she is an example of a woman who increased her social standing because she married a merchant. During those times merchants were the money makers because mercantilism was on the rise and prospering.

I reside in a lower-middle class, Chinese- oriented household and I can relate to the women who wanted to increase their social standing by marrying wealthy men. My mother would tell my sister on rare occasions “marry a doctor because he can support you”. It would seem as though she is trying to engrave it in her mind, but I believe marrying a doctor isn’t necessarily the only option out there when it comes to seeking support economically, financially, etc.

-Rickie Chiu

In reading Ueda Akinari’s “Bewitched”, I can’t help but notice women are placed second to men within an economical working Japanese society. Akinari mentions a samurai in the introduction, Toyo-o’s sister is married to a merchant, and towards the midway point of his story there were an aged woodcutter, rice thrasher, and an old blacksmith. This is relevant towards the four- tiered social system made up of samurais, farmers, craftsmen, and merchants of Japanese society during the Edo period. Manago, the antagonist is placed in a higher station in society because the home in which she lived in all seemed to be made of valuable classical vintage. The cultured woman resided in Kyoto and Manago was a part of that society. In response to Manago’s devious proposal, Toyo-o responded by saying “I have no property of my own. . . I have no power to earn my own living. How could I support you?” This relates back to the idea that women didn’t have power in the working force and relied on men to support them. It is made a social standard that women go out into the general public and try to marry a wealthy merchant. It is also a social standard to hire a private palanquin to carry a woman when traveling from place to place. Manago later on possesses the official’s daughter who was then serving as a lady-in-waiting at the imperial palace in Kyoto. It feels as though all the beautiful and upper-class women are placed in Kyoto during those times- “As she was accustomed to the refined manners of court life, there was a glamorous quality in her appearance and behavior; she looked quite beautiful among provincial girls”.

It could be implied that Akinari uses Manago as a symbol of manipulation and a deceiver. Looks can be deceiving and the beautiful women and refined women in his story goes to show that. Manago is caught red-handed by another man she once bewitched and deceived and thus she is a prime example/representation for deceitful actions; her way of speech manipulates the men to join her side and love her. She would say things like “I enjoyed the blessings of your hospitality and friendship. I felt certain that you were a sincere man, and that I should devote the rest of my life to you.” In her defense for stealing the precious offerings from the shrine she says to Toyo-o, “Please think all this over carefully, trusting the sincerity of my love for you.” She would use “love” as an excuse and way to manipulate Toyo-o into thinking she really loves him.

It was considered a socially accepted standard for women in Japanese society during those times to be dependent upon being supported by men of the upper-class.

-Rickie Chiu

In “The Rape of the Lock”, Pope reveals within his dedicatory letter that Belinda is a literal representation of Arabella Femor, a member within his Catholic circle. He expresses within his letter that the poem primarily functions to point out the follies of women and society, and hopes that a few may admit and enjoy the humor within their follies. Therefore, Pope uses Belinda to represent early 18^th century women and satirically poke fun at their silly ways.

At first glance, we are introduced to Belinda as a stunningly beautiful woman whose beauty is a “rival to [the suns] beams.” The praise, however, is ironic for in the previous canto we see that Belinda has deliberately and ritually created this image with “puffs, powders, patches, bibles, billet-doux.” Therefore, Pope uses Belinda’s effort in creating such an image to ridicule society for placing external beauty as a significant value for women to pursue rather than internal beauty. Furthermore, Belinda adorns a cross on her “white breast” for which “ Jews might kiss, and infidels adore.” Despite the cross being a strictly Catholic symbol, Belinda uses the religious symbol for ornamental purposes to sexually enhance her beauty for “Jews” and “infidels” to admire. Hence, the use of a religious symbol for purely aesthetic purposes amounts to sacrilege and moral depravity for Belinda and all her admirers.

During the climax of Belinda’s tussle with the Baron, Belinda is described to dodge the Baron’s attempts at snipping a piece of her hair several times. The Baron only succeeds when the sylph, who are guarding her hair, witness in “the close recesses of her virgin thought…an earthly lover lurking in her heart” thus causing the sylph to resign their efforts. Despite Belinda’s dramatic scream, it is implied she secretly desired to sacrifice her moral chastity. Furthermore, the two maids “ill-nature” and “affectation” show that Belinda had an ulterior motive to use this occasion to wear a new gown or act. Later in the poem, Thalestris states “ Gods! Shall the ravisher display your hair…and all your honor in a whisper lost” shows that Belinda does not regret nor languish in the thought of her moral breach but the embarrassment of social humiliation and her image. Therefore, Belinda is shown to lose her “virgin” or pure thought when she secretly desires the Baron to violate her hair. The lack of moral integrity is further exacerbated through Belinda’s anguish of not her moral purity but rather her fear of social humiliation. Given these points, one can exam Belinda’s entire situation as being corrupt since her anguish was intentional and her motivation to right what is wrong lacks any moral consideration.

In conclusion, we can see through Belinda that early 18^th century women of high society were primarily admired for their beauty. It can be inferred from the extravagant parties and flirtatious engagements that women of this time prioritized social activities and were, perhaps, discouraged pursuing academic education. Therefore, women of the early 18^th century played a role of social status symbols based on external beauty. Despite Popes satire on women, one can look at Pope’s ironic criticism as a means of advocating women’s rights. By satirizing how contemporary women behaved, Pope encourages readers, especially women, to humorously take his criticism but earnestly consider on pursuing more serious pursuits. Therefore, the discrepancies between Pope’s heroic couplets serve another layer of illumination and stimulation.

-Richard Chang

            In Alexander Pope’s “The Rape of the Lock,” Pope eloquently uses heroic couplets to mock the trivial pursuits society indulges itself in. The first few lines “what dire offense from amorous causes springs, what mighty contests rise from trivial things” mocks how society no longer honors and celebrates pursuits that are righteous and significant but rather pursuits of diminishing quality. The “contest” Pope alludes to are card games and sexual conquests rather than “mighty” struggles such as the epic battles of ancient stories. Hence, Pope begins his first canto in an ironic sense by juxtaposing the significant with the insignificant. He illuminates and ridicules the trivial games society indulges itself  in rather than addressing issues of serious manners such as economics and politics. Furthermore, the line “her joy of gilded chariots, when alive, and love of ombre, when death survive” states woman are primarily concerned with social image and, within the mind, lack any sense of seriousness towards things outside of their world due to social conventions. In addition, the line “with varying vanities, from ev’ry part, they shift the moving toyshop of their heart; where wigs with wigs, with sword-knots sword-knots strive” suggests that vanity has replaced intelligence and society has deemed values of little importance to be outstanding qualities of character and person. However, Pope does not blame the participants for the immoral state of principles but rather the supernatural creatures “sylph that contrived it all.” Therefore, we see that the mystical beings serve an allegorical purpose. By stating that these creatures have woven the current state of society, Pope is placing the blame not on the participants but rather society for creating such deplorable individuals.

In conclusion, Pope describes a society lacking in morality and overwhelming in vanity. He satires the pompous nature of the aristocracy and presents the upper class as foolish and ridiculous. However, he sympathizes with these participants by blaming social conventions for creating such individuals. Furthermore, we can infer from Pope’s mockery of social conventions that early 18th century was, perhaps, a time when religious influence was declining. Hence, in the eyes of a Catholic, it may be concluded that Pope’s mockery of society is a product of religious downturn.

-Richard Chang