Tartuffe Flashcards
What is catharsis?
The desired emotional effect
What is mimesis?
Imitation
What is suspension of disbelief?
Putting aside our doubt or skepticism for the sake of a good story
What are the most basic elements of theater?
An actor
An audience
A script
Why did Moliere write Tartuffe?
He wrote Tartuffe in order to criticize religious hypocrisy
What is theater?
Theater is an art form that employs the use of actors and a script to entertain or inform an audience
Servant, physically agile but slow witted, attracted to Columbina but also with anything with legs
Archellino
Lowest class, constantly overruled and unfortunate. Ignorant and unaware. The errand boy to all
Zanni
A peasant but is always the boss (like an innkeeper), Jack-of-all-trades. Loves a good time and sometimes breaks the law, master of deception. Plays the mandolin
Brighella
Top of the totem pole, he holds all the money. Incredibly greedy and has prostate problems. Extremely bossy with everyone especially his daughter
Pantalone
A wealthy bachelor or widower, all belly and no brain. Will talk about absolutely anything thinks he knows everything but knows nothing
Ill Dotore
The lovers, high-class but status is brought down because of incessant fanning. they are vain, self-obsessed, dramatic, easily distracted, and in love with themselves, in love with love, and in love with each other (in that order)
Inamorati
Plays at high status, but is actually pretty low status.
Cowardly, clumsy, and full of bravado that he doesn’t deserve. His most potent characteristic is that he’s always pretending to be something he’s not. (Someone brave, noble, handsome, and strong)
Il Capitano
employer or an employee, but either way, treats other people poorly. Either an idiot pretending to be smart, or a smart man pretending to be an idiot. Furiously self-absorbed, and obsessed with arguments of all kinds.
Pulcinella
She’s a maid, but she’s also wily, smart, and bold.
Intelligent, lucid, and rational, unlike nearly everyone else in commedia. She’s self-sufficient, beautiful, and skilled in the arts
Columbina
What is satire?
Using humor or irony in order to criticize people, primarily political turmoil
What is a farce?
A funny play that actors joke around but send a strong message
What are the four elements of neoclassical comedy?
Society
The rules
Mirror up to nature
Detachment
Which commedia Dell’arte stock character is Valerie?
Inamorato
Which commedia Dell’arte stock character is Orgon?
Pantalone
Which commedia Dell’arte stock character is Elmore?
La Signora
Which commedia Dell’arte stock character is Damis?
Il Capitano
Which commedia Dell’arte stock character is Mariane?
Inamorata
Which commedia Dell’arte stock character is Cleante?
Arlecciono
Which commedia Dell’arte stock character is Dorine?
Columbina
Which commedia Dell’arte stock character is Tartuffe?
Ill Dotore
Explain the five-year ban on Tartuffe?
King Louis did not care about Moliere’s criticism of religious hypocrisy, but the clergy pressured him to ban Tartuffe
What does unity of time mean?
A play should occur in a realistic time period
What does unity of place mean?
Setting of the play does not change
What does unity of action mean?
There is only one main plot with minimal subplots
What is Alexandrine verse?
Each line is 12 syllables
The odd numbered syllables are unaccented
The even numbered syllables are accented
Their is a brief pause between syllables 6 and 7
What is deus ex machina?
The ending of a play of divine intervention
What are the three main themes of Tartuffe?
Religious hypocrisy vs. true Christina virtue
Obsession and excess vs. reason and moderation
Loyalty and devotion vs. disloyalty and betrayal
