The first version of the play that we have come to know as
Tartuffe(some scholars prefer
Le Tartuffe) was premiered on 12 May 1664 before Louis XIV and his court at Versailles at the end of a
fêtecalled
Les Plaisirs de l’île enchantée(
The Pleasures of the Enchanted Island). The evidence suggests that this version of the play was in only three acts and that it comprised a relatively simple scenario, typical of French farce, involving a threat of cuckoldry and a lascivious cleric. The finer details of this version are, however, lost to us, as the text is no longer extant. While it would appear that Louis XIV personally appreciated the play, pressure was brought to bear on him by the
dévots(the devout, i.e. people seeking to bring about Catholic reform in France) who found…
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Citation: Prest, Julia. "Le Tartuffe". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 02 February 2015 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=4060, accessed 23 November 2024.]
