Quotes from book
Tartuffe

Name: Tartuffe
Author: Molière

Molière Original title Le Tartuffe ou l'Imposteur (French, 1664)

Tartuffe, or The Impostor, or The Hypocrite , first performed in 1664, is one of the most famous theatrical comedies by Molière. The characters of Tartuffe, Elmire, and Orgon are considered among the greatest classical theatre roles.

“Beauty without intelligence is like a hook without bait.”

Molière book Tartuffe

Source: Tartuffe

“You are my peace, my solace, my salvation.”

Molière book Tartuffe

Source: Tartuffe

“Malicious men may die, but malice never.”

Molière book Tartuffe

Source: Tartuffe

“There is no rampart that will hold out against malice.”

Molière book Tartuffe

Act I, sc. i
Tartuffe (1664)

“To create a public scandal is what's wicked;
To sin in private is not a sin.”

Molière book Tartuffe

Le scandale du monde est ce qui fait l'offense,
Et ce n'est pas pécher que pécher en silence.
Act IV, sc. v
Tartuffe (1664)

“You are a fool in three letters, my son.”

Molière book Tartuffe

Vous êtes un sot en trois lettres, mon fils.
Act I, sc. i
Tartuffe (1664)

“She is laughing up her sleeve at you, my brother.”

Molière book Tartuffe

Variant: She is laughing in your face, my brother.
Source: Tartuffe (1664), Act I, sc. v

“I saw him, I say, saw him with my own eyes.”

Molière book Tartuffe

Je l'ai vu, dis-je, de mes propres yeux vu.
Act V, sc. iii
Tartuffe (1664)

“Cover that bosom that I must not see:
Souls are wounded by such things.”

Molière book Tartuffe

Couvrez ce sein que je ne saurais voir.
Par de pareils objets les âmes sont blessées.
Act III, sc. ii
Tartuffe (1664)

“Those whose conduct gives room for talk
Are always the first to attack their neighbors.”

Molière book Tartuffe

Ceux de qui la conduite offre le plus à rire
Sont toujours sur autrui les premiers à médire.
Act I, sc. i
Tartuffe (1664)

“If the purpose of comedy be to chastise human weaknesses I see no reason why any class of people should be exempt. This particular failing is one of the most damaging of all in its public consequences and we have seen that the theatre is a great medium of correction. The finest passages of a serious moral treatise are all too often less effective than those of a satire and for the majority of people there is no better form of reproof than depicting their faults to them: the most effective way of attacking vice is to expose it to public ridicule. People can put up with rebukes but they cannot bear being laughed at: they are prepared to be wicked but they dislike appearing ridiculous.”

Molière book Tartuffe

Si l’emploi de la comédie est de corriger les vices des hommes, je ne vois pas par quelle raison il y en aura de privilégiés. Celui-ci est, dans l’État, d’une conséquence bien plus dangereuse que tous les autres ; et nous avons vu que le théâtre a une grande vertu pour la correction. Les plus beaux traits d’une sérieuse morale sont moins puissants, le plus souvent, que ceux de la satire ; et rien ne reprend mieux la plupart des hommes que la peinture de leurs défauts. C’est une grande atteinte aux vices que de les exposer à la risée de tout le monde. On souffre aisément des répréhensions ; mais on ne souffre point la raillerie. On veut bien être méchant, mais on ne veut point être ridicule.
Preface http://books.google.com/books?id=HH4fAAAAYAAJ&q=%22On+veut+bien+%C3%AAtre+m%C3%A9chant+mais+on+ne+veut+point+%C3%AAtre+ridicule%22&pg=PT87#v=onepage, as translated by John Wood in The Misanthrope and Other Plays (Penguin, 1959), p. 101
Variant translation http://books.google.com/books?id=vdFMAQAAIAAJ&q=%22People+do+not+mind+being+wicked+but+they+object+to+being+made+ridiculous%22&pg=PA127#v=onepage: People do not mind being wicked; but they object to being made ridiculous.
Tartuffe (1664)