Misanthrope Essay - Wylie P5

Janelle Li

"The Misanthrope" demonstrates Moliere's twisting of the traditional satire through a style that allows the audience to sympathize with his characters and to seek more subtle meanings in his work. In satirizing French aristocracy, Moliere provokes thoughtful laughter by using irony to display man's own hypocrisy and foibles through the main character Alceste. Alceste experiences ironic situations that reveal the comedy in hypocrisy, pride, and mankind's moral shortcomings.

In Act I, Alceste philosophizes about the nature of mankind while pushing his opinions on the importance of brutal honesty. He opens by saying he expects people to be "sincere and never utter a single word [they] don't mean." This sets him up as a comically extreme character. He seems to hate the world and holds high expectations to the people who live in it; Moliere highlights the irony and hypocrisy in the fact that Alceste criticizes the class he is a member of. Alceste's extreme resentment is seen as rather comical; however the audience can see him struggling to relate to others and to himself- a conflict which many people often face.

Alceste represents mankind. Just as he struggles to find a place for himself in the world, so he struggles with love. Alceste carries himself in a haughty manner, considering his code of ethics superior and allowing no exception. However, he is hopelessly in love with Celimine, a girl who represents the spoiled society which he despises. Celimine uses flattery and deciet to lure men in, yet she secretly criticizes her suitors. Alceste loves her, but she represents everything he hates about society. The play uses a lot of comical criticism which strikes a light tone. A lot of the comedy is subtle and found more in the characters' words, not action. Alceste's love for Celimene seems impossible, which provokes laughter from the audience. The ironic relationship between the two represents the impossible nature of love.

Although Moliere's characters are placed in comical situations, it is true that these chracters are much more complex than meets the eye. Moliere weaves irony throughout the play to portray a fun tone with deep underlying messages about man's moral shortcomings. By illiciting thoughtful laughter, he reminds the audience that reality and theater are linked and that theater is adapted from real life situations.