Female Characters In Tartuffe

Moliere’s play Tartuffe is well known as a critique of religion during the 17th century, but what some people fail to recognize is that it was also written to challenge the roles of women in society. In the 17th century women were viewed much differently in society than they are now. Women could not hold important jobs throughout the community and were typically found taking care of the household duties. They were expected to be submissive to their spouses and to all men in society. They could not really do anything without the company or permission of a man. Moliere uses the women characters in his play to express the enlightenment idea that women are capable of reason and cleverness. The female characters in the play are the one who