Tartuffe, or the Imposter, was first presented at the Versailles fetes in 1664 and was almost instantly banned by the government of King Louis XIV for several years, probably because its theme of religious hypocrisy offended the archbishop of Paris, the king’s confessor and former tutor.  Our man Tartuffe, charming, pious, and knowledgeable, has ingratiated himself with Orgon, a wealthy man, and his mother Madame Pernelle. They consult with him about every little thing. Before long Orgon promises his daughter’s hand in marriage. The rest of the family smell a rat, however, and set a trap whereby Orgon hides under a table to observe Tartuffe attempting to seduce his wife Elmire. Sure enough, he discovers the fraud, but it is too late by then.  Orgon has signed over his property to Tartuffe, who has also purloined a hidden box of compromising letters.  He attempts to have the family evicted and Orgon arrested, but when the police arrive they arrest Tartuffe instead. It turns out the king has gotten wind of the goings on and Tartuffe has a rap sheet as long as his arm. The play is composed of 1,962 alexandrines, or twelve-syllable lines, in rhyming couplets. It is considered one of the most perfect comedies ever written and the characters of Tartuffe, Orgon, and Elmire are among the greatest roles in classical theatre. The term “Tartuffe” has come to mean a hypocrite who feigns virtue, especially of the religious type; a “pretender to piety”. 

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