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The struggle between passion and reason during the enlightenment period Moliere’s “Tartuffe”
The struggle between passion and reason during the enlightenment period: Moliere’s “Tartuffe”
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The struggle between passion and reason during the enlightenment period: Moliere’s “Tartuffe”
One of the themes that outstandingly displayed in the show is the conflict battle between reason and passion. In Tartuffe play, there are fewer characteristics that are associated with enlightenment displayed and promoted. The ideals of enlightenment challenging many of the former ideologies can be found in the writings from the enlightenment era. Whereby the writings had begun to question the established beliefs in favor of reason thus the name age of reason, which emphasized the ideas of reasoning (Weber, D. J.2005). During the enlightenment period writers and thinkers differed from beliefs and other ideologies brought about by religion with focus on promoting the idea of reason and analysis. In this play, Tartuffe was born to the culture that embraced rationalism and practical thinking. In this time period where gender roles, good manners, moderation and orders were enforced.
Moliere’s Tartuffe applied the beliefs of the enlightenment era on reason and passion to prove his point although his use of it as the centerpiece of enlightenment and advantages of individuals’ reason over emotion was ironic. The moderation of passion and reasoning was quite a struggle as the enlightenment writers aspired to moderate the passions through reason and correctness, Tartuffe was seeking to satisfy his bodily desires by couching arguments in reason. Greed and pride are passions Tartuffe has in excess that instead of using reason to build himself morally, he instead uses it to justify his passions for lust (Chill, E. S. 1963). He incorporates actions to make the world to look at how he thinks. This is presented after act three where Tartuffe gains power to act with impunity. In that he thinks keeping up with an act causes scandal and discomfort. This happens where he asks Elmire to prove her love for him physically stating “If you’re still troubled, think of things this way: No one shall know our joys, save us alone, And there’s no evil till the act is known; It’s scandal, Madam, which makes it an offense,And it’s no sin to sin in confidence.” (Tartuffe, 4.5.116-120) Moderation of passion and reason in the play was quite a struggle as shown by the attempts of Cleante, Orgon’s brother in law to explain and show Tartuffe for what he is emotionally clouded. In Act four, Cleante states “Ought not a Christian to forgive, and ought he not to stifle every vengeful thought?… Again I tell you frankly, be advised: the whole town, high and low, is scandalized; this quarrel must be mended, and my advice is not to push matter to a further crisis (4. 1. 9-16)”. This was after Orgon had kicked out his son making Tartuffe the sole heir. Cleante tries to talk reason to Orgon, but Orgon does not listen to him making his voice of reasoning useless as he’s unheard. Cleante is trying to point out Tartuffe hypocrisy as well as his wrong doings.
From the play, those with power like Orgon and his mother are the ones struggling to balance between passion and reason as they turn a blind eye to hypocrisy and manipulation by Tartuffe. This is projected through the author in which he asks the audience: what happens in an incident that reason is used to further passion (body goals). This is often projected in contemporary society through which the better-off people and people in power tend to urge other individuals to control themselves whereas they cannot control themselves. Orgon’s struggle to balance between reason and passion is a struggle in the extent that his passion his perception of the truth is blinded by his desire to maintain superiority and favor of the King in his political aspirations (Molière, J. B. 2011). This struggle affected him and his relations ship with other society members being damned socially when he decided to banish Damis and make Tartuffe his rightful heir. Orgon’s desire for power made him blind to reason and would he have listened to when Tartuffe said “I shall defy you all, and make it clear / That I’m the one who gives the orders here” (3.6.57-58) then Orgon would not have been vulnerable.
Tartuffe in Moliere’s play was considered as a hypocrite who used emotions to deceive those around him as other characters like Dorine, Elmire and Cleante applied the logic of reason to combat him. Tartuffe hypocrisy is evident as Tartuffe shows passion and yearning towards Orgon’s wife, “I may be pious, but I’m human too… My keen concern for my good name insures the absolute security of yours;” (3.3.22-46) He is defending his action by arguing that his passions are because he is human and continues to imply even though a man may be wise he has no control over his passion. The differences in emotion use of Tartuffe and reason of the other characters distinguish their levels of enlightenment. As this society displays how it considers reason to be a high ranking value and passion as weak and irrationally applied. As the play continues the primary target Orgon is easily swayed by emotion in making a judgement in the context of his bodily satisfaction and urge to remain in power (Molière, J. B. 2011). The emotions impacted by Tartuffe, makes Orgon feel like his family is betraying making his supportive friends leave. Orgon’s threats to his daughter, disowning of his son Damis and attempt to strike the maid Dorine within the play were emotional decisions focused at his passion and not logic decisions informed by reason.
The last act of the play was used to display the essential nature of the age of reason whereby people begin to apply rational thoughts and reason to help in figuring out and understanding nature to guide their existence. The idea of reason in the play was displayed through the King character when Tartuffe brought an officer of the king to take Orgon away. The king, however, saw through Tartuffe’s attempts to get Orgon arrested and decided that he was the one to be put on trial and be accused (Molière, J. B. 2011).
Tartuffe as a play shows the gullibility and helplessness of those who see the truth but are not heart as expressed by Cleante, Orgon’s brother in law. Cleante in an attempt to enlighten his brother in law about the nature of Tartuffe he terms his love for Tartuffe as nonsense. Cleante sees how Orgon is clouded by emotions thus in the play he plays as the voice of reason trying to talk sense to him but goes unheard. Orgon’s emotions believe so much on the perfection of Tartuffe that he was willing to give up everything for him, including inheritance and the daughter’s happiness by denying he marriage to the man she loves and cancelling the engagement.
The play of Tartuffe upholds the ideas of the age of enlightenment in with it advocates for dominance in value of moderation and reason of things as compared to passion, obsession and excess. Cleante portrayed as the voice of reason throughout the play tends to bring out and promote balance and reason. Upon realizing the real nature of Tartuffe, Orgon was portrayed to be emotional and angrily reacting to how he was “through with pious men” (Molière 244). Cleante displays emotional control when he asks Orgon why he could not be rational. In the age of reason, the voice of reason in the paper, Cleante tries to explain to his brother in law not to curse all men who appear to be godly but rather be he should avoid extreme of behavior and judgement to act less impulsively.
References
Molière, J. B. (2011). Tartuffe. Larousse.
Chill, E. S. (1963). Tartuffe, Religion, and Courtly Culture. French Historical Studies, 3(2), 151-183.
Weber, D. J. (2005). Bá rbaros: Spaniards and Their Savages in the Age of Enlightenment. Yale University Press.
A Strategy Model For Adoption Of A Policy On Gun Control
A Strategy Model For Adoption Of A Policy On Gun Control
The government should always attempts to solve the problems that affects it country by coming up with appropriate public policies that are inclined to solving these problems in the public domain. The process of making a public policy is a slow process and incremental. Making of a public policy usually takes a route of a certain model for a proper policy to be instituted.
However, it is important to note that when coming up with any public policy, the institution responsible have to be considerate on the model that will be in line with the country’s constitution. The constitution of the United States of America have outlined specific stages that a policy needs to pass through before it is accepted as a national policy of the land. It is also important to take into consideration the checks and balances that were designed to require a broad consensus among the branches of the government before a policy could be developed and implemented (Woll, 1974). It is therefore imperative that the best model should be applied in formulation of the policy. In respect to this, classical model best placed since it puts into consideration the three arms of government in policy formulation.
It is also important to remember that legislations are made in parliament which by the constitution is the primary policy making organ in United States of America. A policy can emanate from any body or organ of the government and be forwarded to the parliament for deliberation as a bill. However, in the cases where there is dire need of a policy to cover public interests such as the case of control of the fire arms, the executive is tasked with the responsibility of formulating a policy which can be forwarded to the legislative for discussion and adoption. After the passage of the policy, it can now be enforced by the administrative organs of the government for the public good.
For the best policy to be formulated, the policy needs to undergo a thorough public policy analysis stage (Birkland, 2011). The policy analysis ensures that that the suggested policy is thoroughly analyzed by the experts in the field and that necessary contributions by several stakeholders are made in order to produce a policy that is effective and which can stand the test of time. This technique should comprise quantitative methods that determines the suitability of the policy in the United States of America. However, qualitative assessment will also be necessary to be done in order to establish the applicability and the suitability of the policy.
After the analysis of the policy by the experts, there is need to have an agenda setting in the public domain. Agenda setting is necessary since it is the process by which an issue gain or loss the support of the general public and the elite in the field in the public gallery. This process can be well accomplished by engaging the media in policy formulation process where by the media is required to highlight the effects of the policy. Through the media, the policy will receive necessary critiques which are necessary for the fine tuning of the policy before it is availed to the legislature for deliberation. If the policy receives positive support from the public domain, it is likely to be adopted without much resistance from the House of Representatives. Without proper education on the policy, it is likely to be shut down by the Members of the legislature when it is introduced in the house for deliberation.
It is also important for the president to remember that in politics, public policies are made on the foundation of interactions of the parties involved (Woll, 1974). It will therefore be crucial for the president’s party to hold several educational seminars about the proposed policy with other parties. In doing so, the president will win the support of the other parties in the house of representative and also the intention of the policy will be well understood by all sides of the political divide.
After the enlightenment of the several parties responsible, the policies should be fine tuned by incorporating the issues and contributions raised by different player in order to come up with the final policy formulation (Freedson, 2008). The final policy formulated should then be introduced to the parliament as a bill where Members of the Parliament will be required to deliberate on the bill and make necessary amendments to it. It is therefore expected to pass to the law. However, putting into consideration the efforts that will have been done in the initial stages, the bill is likely to receives less resistance and amendments and therefore it will easily transform to the law of the land.
In conclusion, it is important to keep in mind that while formulating this policy, the constitution of the land needs to be uphold and interests of the majority considered while also factoring in the will of the minority. Unlawful gun circulation has been attributed to insecurity incidents and therefore it is the will of the majority of Americans to control guns circulations. It is therefore with this view that a good policy that will seek to compact this problem will be highly appreciated by any right thinking American.
References
Birkland, T. A. (2011). An Introduction to the Policy Process: Theories, Concepts and Models of Public Policy Making. M.E. Sharpe.Inc: New York.
Freedson, G.(2008). AP U.S. Government & Politics. Quebecar: New York.
Woll, P.(1974). Public Policy. Winthrop Publishers, Inc: United States of America.
A Stable Government Is The Solution For The Famine In Somalia
A Stable Government Is The Solution For The Famine In Somalia
This paper seeks to give an analysis on how the recurrent famines in Somalia can be solved through having a stable government. Somalia is experiencing the worst drought in about 60 years, as they try and struggle with the civil war. Around 3.7 million people are affected by the drought, and many lives are being lost. The children of Somalia are the ones, who are suffering greatly, as a result of the famine (Dixon, 2011). According to the United Nations, malnourishment levels among children are at 30%. UNICEF has confirmed that in every six minutes, a child dies in Somalia, due to famine. The country is extremely insecure, thus making it difficult for the United Nations to deliver food and aid.
A stable government needs to exist, so that the security issue is addressed, and a solution found. Most Somalis have to travel dangerous land in search of food, not knowing if they will be alive, before they reach the food. Most of the Somali people are finding their way into Kenya. It is estimated that around 1800 people enter Kenya on a daily basis. These numbers are extremely high and they cannot be all catered for by the Kenyan government. Since the Somalia government is supporting the activities of the United States, the group known as Al-Shabaab is causing a lot of problems. Somalia is guarded by militia, who are in support of the existing federal transition government.
The Somali government ought to become stable, so that the international community is able save the people who are starving. Aid in the form of medicine, water and food, is needed urgently (Qasim, 2011). Those working in the United Nations and transitional government should work together if the problems of the famine are to be solved. A strategy must be set up by the transitional Somalia government to eradicate famine, as this should not be taking place in the 21st century. The warring parties in Somalia, who are all fighting for power, are the cause for the famine tragedy .Instead of focusing on the needs of the citizens; they are only interested in matters concerning power.
The Somali people have for a long time suffered due to the civil war. In the year 1991, President Siad Barre was over thrown, thus becoming a failed state. There are no human rights in Somalia, as well the country being extremely poor. The worst hit regions by famine are Lower Shebelle near Mogadishu and Bakool near Ethiopia. The government is the root cause of all the problems affecting the Somalis (Allison, 2011). The existing Somali government has not done anything to control its population from exploding. The result is that the food resources in Somalia cannot fully cater for all the citizens.
Currently, famine occurs as a result of people not receiving food supplies, which they need to receive. In all the famines, which have occurred in the world, 90% have been in Africa. Politics has been the lead cause of the famine in Somalia, which is as a result of the malicious government. The other reason is that the Somalia government has not come up with effective policies to govern the country (Arab news.com, 2011). Politics in the country has brought about nothing but conflict. Famine would not be in Somalia, if there was a responsible, united and stable government. Unfortunately, the government has left it self be affected by Civil war. There are at least ten warring parties who are all competing for power. Thus ignoring what is important as the expense of its people. Somalia should not be facing famine.
References
Allison, Simon. (2011). Al-Shabab: Bruised but not beaten yet. Daily Maverick. Retrieved from http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2011-08-08-al-shabab-bruised-but-not-beaten-yet
Dixon, Robyn. (2011).Famine in Somalia: Will U.N. Aid be enough. International Business Times. Retrieved from HYPERLINK “http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/184491/20110721/somalia-famine-un-declares-al-shabaab-united-states-aid.htm” http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/184491/20110721/somalia-famine-un-declares-al-shabaab-united-states-aid.htm
Editorial. Famine in Somalia. (2011). Arab news.com Retrieved from HYPERLINK “http://arabnews.com/opinion/editorial/article475366.ece” http://arabnews.com/opinion/editorial/article475366.ece
Qasim, Maryan. (2011). Why can’t we end famine in Somalia? Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/28/somalia-famine-crisis.