Moliere, who built his reputation by writing satirical plays about late 17th-century French society, develops two main characters in his plays "The Aspiring Gentleman ” and “The Misanthrope” , “the first, Monsieur Jourdain, who attempts to recreate his own image in order to be accepted into high society, and the second, Alceste, who desperately and determinedly tries to destroy such artificial constructs that bind society. The efforts of these two men soon become obsessions, which inevitably replace any authentic response to life, thus provoking delusions. It can easily be seen that illusion, in any form, prevents the truth, and therefore such efforts, be they senseless and satirical. , or deliberate and, one might even say, more noble and deserving of a purpose, are destined to end in defeat because they continually prove themselves to be unreasonable and unreal. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The story of Monsieur Jourdain is the classic tale of a man who wants to rise above his station in life. He is simply a merchant, a member of the middle class, and his family does not dress in the manner, or participate in the activities, of the higher social class. Nor are they interested in studying dance, fencing, music or philosophy. Monsieur Jourdain, however, has a higher social position in mind. He wants to surround himself with people who have already achieved that status, like Count Dorante, and goes so far as to model their behavior. It soon becomes apparent that Monsieur Jourdain's efforts in this regard are nothing short of senseless and, ultimately, produce senseless results. While working with his music teacher, he finds the songs too sad and decides to make his own suggestion: "Jenny thought of me / Sweet as she was beautiful / Jenny thought of me / Gentle as a lamb" (189). Needless to say, this is a song that the higher social classes would laugh at. While the music and dance masters continue to educate Monsieur Jourdain for the money, they would greatly appreciate it if he had "a little more understanding of what [they] impose on him" (186). His inability to understand extends to his fencing lessons, when after being taught, he still does not understand how one can "be sure of killing your man and not being killed himself" (195). Furthermore, Monsieur Jourdain's education is so incredibly lacking that his philosophy teacher, instead of teaching him philosophy, ends up teaching him the letters of the alphabet and the sounds each makes. It soon becomes apparent that not only are Monsieur Jourdain's efforts foolish, but they are also false. Not only is he unable to understand what he is being taught, he has no interest in understanding it. He is simply trying to have the appearance of a person of high social status. As long as it appears to do what "quality" does, nothing else matters. For example, his ballet master and his music teacher are preparing a ballet for him, and he reminds them that this ballet is "for when the lady for whom I am going to take all this care will do me the honor of dining here" ( 193). He is also willing to employ the music master for longer hours because, in the music master's own words, "a gentleman like [him], living in style, with a taste for beautiful things, should really keep music at -houses every Wednesday or Thursday" (193). The only reassurance he needs before agreeing is to know that this is "what qualities do" (193). Monsieur Jourdain's obsession rapidly progresses from the mundane matters of clothing and entertainment, to the moreserious about money lending. When his wife questions his relationship with Dorante, Monsieur Jourdain responds, "If I associate with the nobility, at least I show good taste. It is better than associating with your bourgeois crowd" (210). He is so busy raising his social status that he fails to see Dorante's true character, which those around him easily discover. Madame Jourdain admits to her husband that Dorante is indeed good to him and shows him "such kindness", but is quick to add that he also "borrows [her husband's] money" and that his kindness is simply the " Dorante's way of getting around her husband" (211). However, Monsieur Jourdain's obsession with his social status makes him unable to respond to life authentically; he is too disappointed to see what is quite obvious to others: that Dorante is "milking [him] like a cow" and will not be "satisfied until he has ruined [him]" (213). Dorante not only tricked Monsieur Jourdain into "borrowing" him money, but he also tricked him into believing that he is helping him win Dorimene's affection, when in reality he himself is seeking her out. The "diamond ring that [he] entrusted to [Dorante] to give to her as a gift" is indeed given to her, but as a gift from Dorante himself (215). At this point, due to his obsession, Monsieur Jourdain is so completely deluded that he will believe anything, no matter how scandalous or patently deceptive, as long as it is promised to lead to the elevation of his social status. Monsieur Jourdain hits rock bottom when he allows his obsession with social status to compromise the happiness of his daughter Lucile. When Cleonte asks for Lucile's hand, Monsieur Jourdain does not ask him to say that he loves his daughter and will take care of her now and always, but rather states: "Before I give you my answer, sir, I ask you to tell me if you are of noble birth" (225). Not only does Cleonte honestly tell him that he is "not of noble birth", but he states that "it is an act of cowardice to hide the state which he willed even heaven to call [one], to appear in the eyes of the world adorned with a title taken in borrowing and pretending to be what [one] is not,” which is exactly what Monsieur Jourdain did (225). When his wife mentions that her father was simply in business, he ignores her comment, going on to swear that his daughter will be a marquise "even if the whole world turns against [him]" (227). He is willing to sacrifice all his relationships, even the one with his daughter; he is willing to sacrifice his daughter's happiness for the sake of a noble title. It is at this point, when Monsieur Jourdain has gone beyond simply embarrassing his family, that Cleonte and his servant, Covielle, decide to take matters into their own hands. Their plan is to convince Monsieur Jourdain that the son of a Grand Turk, who is actually Cleon himself, wishes to marry his daughter. Given his current state of delirium, Monsieur Jourdain accepts the farce without requiring the slightest persuasion. It is because of this disappointment caused by his obsession with social status that Covielle observes, "if there is a greater fool than he anywhere on earth, I will shout it out loud!" (252). Unlike Alceste's efforts, which can be labeled more noble, Monsieur Jourdain is satirical to the core. What else can be done to a man whose efforts, discussed above, are nothing short of senseless? Monsieur Jourdain becomes so obsessed with achieving a higher social position that he deludes himself and is unable to see the truth about what would actually be required of him to increase his social status. As a result, he acts the wrong way, and his senseless efforts ultimately fail miserably, for he comestricked into condoning a marriage he truly condemns. His efforts reflect on the society that created such a man, as well as on the individual who recreated his life based on such artificial principles. This is why Monsieur Jourdain is just the kind of man that Alceste would be disgusted by, as we can see from the very beginning of Moliere's "The Misanthrope" when he speaks to his friend Filante: You should be mortally ashamed of yourself. What you did was absolutely unforgivable and absolutely shocking to any honorable man. I see you fill a man with every sign of affection, professing every concern for his well-being... And then when he is gone... Your enthusiasm dies with your separation and with me you talk about him as if for you it didn't matter. .. If I ever had the misfortune to do such a thing I would go and hang myself on the spot out of pure disgust... I expect you to be sincere and as a man of honor never say a single word of what I don't really mean. (95) Alceste is shocked that his own friend participated in upholding the “silly customs of the age,” which Alceste is so adamant about ridding society (96). He is obsessed with the truth, and the artificial constructs in society cannot support the truth, and therefore he cannot support society. He refuses to listen to Filante, who insists that "the world [will] not change its ways for anything" does Alceste (99). He simply puts it aside when Philantes explains these defects that Alceste finds in society as "inseparable from human nature" and compares the idea to "vultures ravenous for carrion" (99). However, Alceste will soon become an example to support this very concept. idea. Filante points out that the woman Alceste loves, Celimene, embodies the very characteristics he detests; “her coquetry and love of scandal seem to accord so well with the mores of the time” (100). Yet he loves her despite her flaws. He supposedly has no control over whether he loves her or not; he "sees her flaws, but it makes no difference" (100). However, later in his conversation with Filante, he admits that he wouldn't love her if he didn't believe she loved him too. With this statement Alceste states that human nature does not influence him and that he can love whoever he wants. If so, why does he love someone who possesses the very characteristics he vows to fight against all his life? Alceste is fighting against the hypocrites of society while he himself is one. Alceste's obsession with correcting society's "flaws" only deepens as time passes. He goes from simple hypocrisy regarding his love for Celimene, to risking his own well-being for the sake of his beliefs. After making humiliating comments regarding a sonnet of Oronte, which defended his opinion, Alceste was criminally charged and faces arrest. Even then, Alceste states that “nothing will make him go back on what [he] said” (133). He goes so far as to say that he will "have nothing to do with humanity," because "justice was on [his] side but he lost the case" (133-134). However, instead of fighting the wrong he believes has been done to him, he wishes to let the verdict be considered "a well-known example, a notable testimony, to the wickedness of [his] generation" (135). One moment he wants to change society and the next he simply wants to point out its mistakes so that he has the "right to denounce the iniquity of human nature and to harbor an everlasting hatred towards it" (135). Because of his obsession, Alceste no longer cares about doing the noble thing and attempting to right society. Rather, he wishes to withdraw from society. Alceste is disgusted with human nature and wishes "never to [be] included in [his] number until, 186-252.