Cléante Character Analysis in Tartuffe

The brother of Elmire (and brother-in-law of Orgon), Cléante represents the height of reason and good sense. Throughout the play he attempts to counsel his brother-in-law against Tartuffe, but is inevitably ignored or even scolded. He eventually aids the rest of the family in coming together against the deceitful hypocrite.

Cléante Quotes in Tartuffe

The Tartuffe quotes below are all either spoken by Cléante or refer to Cléante. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Harvest Books edition of Tartuffe published in 1992.

How do you fail to see it, may I ask?
Is not a face quite different than a mask?
Cannot sincerity and cunning art,
Reality and semblance, be told apart?

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Page Number and Citation: 27

Explanation and Analysis:

There’s just one insight I would dare to claim:
I know that true and false are not the same;
And just as there is nothing I more revere
Than a soul whose faith is steadfast and sincere,
Nothing that I more cherish and admire
Than honest zeal and true religious fire,
So there is nothing that I find more base
Than specious piety’s dishonest face—

Related Characters: (speaker),

Related Symbols:

Page Number and Citation: 28

Explanation and Analysis:

Orgon: Enough, by God! I’m through with pious men:
Henceforth I’ll hate the whole false brotherhood,
And persecute them worse than Satan could.

Cléante: Ah, there you go—extravagant as ever!
Why can you not be rational? You never
Manage to take the middle course, it seems,
But jump, instead, between absurd extremes.

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 139

Explanation and Analysis:

Cléante Character Timeline in Tartuffe

The timeline below shows where the character Cléante appears in Tartuffe. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...and daughter, Damis and Mariane; their stepmother and Orgon’s second wife, Elmire; and Elmire’s brother, Cléante. (full context)

...for entertaining too many callers and caring too much about her appearance. She even tells Cléante that he is too worldly, and should not be allowed in the house. Each character... (full context)

...gossips about Elmire; Madame Pernelle believes such ostentatiously moral people to be truly virtuous, while Cléante and Dorine assert that they are hypocrites like Tartuffe, using excessive shows of faith to... (full context)

Frustrated by her relatives (particularly Cléante, who is laughing at her), Madame Pernelle takes her leave—though not before slapping the long-suffering... (full context)

Dorine and Cléante stay behind in order to avoid Madame Pernelle. They discuss their frustrations with her, as... (full context)

Hearing Orgon, all exit except for Cléante and Dorine. (full context)

Orgon enters, and Cléante attempts to greet him. Orgon, however, interrupts his brother-in-law in order to ask Dorine how... (full context)

Cléante, appalled by what he’s just witnessed, attempts to reason with Orgon, and to warn him... (full context)

Accused of impiety by Orgon, Cléante explains the difference between hypocrisy and honesty, asserting that men often fail to listen to... (full context)

Cléante cautiously asks Orgon if he is indeed postponing his daughter Mariane’s marriage to her beloved,... (full context)

Time jumps forward, and the next act opens with Cléante telling Tartuffe that the whole town is talking about Orgon’s fight with Damis. (full context)

Cléante asserts that, no matter who is in the wrong, it would be Christian of Tartuffe... (full context)

Cléante turns the conversation towards Orgon’s decision to give Tartuffe his entire estate, telling the hypocrite... (full context)

Not at all deceived by Tartuffe’s claim, Cléante reprimands him, saying that Damis should have been given the chance to use his wealth... (full context)

Tartuffe makes an excuse, saying that he must go pray, and swiftly exits. A frustrated Cléante is left alone onstage. (full context)

As soon as Tartuffe exits, Elmire, Mariane, and Dorine enter, and Dorine begs Cléante’s assistance, telling him that Mariane’s heart will break if she must marry Tartuffe. Hearing Orgon... (full context)

Dorine and Cléante each try to intervene, but Orgon will not even let them speak. (full context)

Elmire asks Dorine to bring in Tartuffe, while sending away Cléante and Mariane. Although Dorine warns her mistress that Tartuffe is devious, Elmire is not worried.... (full context)

Act 5 opens a short time later, with Cléante trying to calm down Orgon, who is extremely upset about the previously mentioned strong-box. He... (full context)

...He resolves to hate all holy men and “to persecute them worse than Satan could.” Cléante responds by begging Orgon for moderation, telling him that he should attempt to take a... (full context)

...returns to his father’s side, begging to be allowed to kill Tartuffe for Orgon’s sake. Cléante scolds him as well, telling his young nephew that he, like his father, must learn... (full context)

Cléante reminds Orgon that they are wasting time, and that they must figure out how to... (full context)

...morning to leave. Orgon, Damis, and even Dorine are furious, threatening Loyal with bodily harm. Cléante attempts to maintain order as Loyal exits. (full context)

...treachery and, as Orgon was before, is “thunderstruck.” Dorine reacts sarcastically. Orgon scolds her, but Cléante and Elmire intervene and urge the patriarch to decide on a course of action. (full context)

...way to arrest Orgon…led, of course, by Tartuffe. He urges Orgon to flee, as does Cléante. (full context)

...Tartuffe can pervert such a sacred symbol and use it for his own purposes, while Cléante attempts to argue with the hypocrite, but to no avail. (full context)

The family is relieved; as the women praise God, Cléante stops Orgon from insulting Tartuffe, telling him that it is undignified to do so, and... (full context)