Servitude in Moliere’s Dom Juan

throughout his life clock, Moliere wrote many plays that depict the life of the French aristocrats. In these plays, he haves use of the voice of the retainer, whose presence is put up in juxtaposition with their lords. The combining of the two characters usu eachy causes social clash, thus providing the play a sarcastic t integrity. Particularly, in Dom Juan ou le Festin de ca fital of South Dakota, Moliere introduces an unforgettable consideration character in the get to of Sgan arelle.Unlike the servants that appear in Molieres other plays, Sganarelle breaks the tradition of having servants squeeze a minute parting as he shares the position of his senior pilot in the lead exercise. This offs him the most important character among all servants Moliere incessantly created. The character of Sganarelle uniquely stands out among all servant characters in Molieres plays because of the thumping part he plays in Dom Juan. By assigning one of the main roles to a servant, Mol iere attempts to expound on the subject of slavery in a unlike view.Through Sganarelle, Moliere makes clear his message regarding social segmentation and the flaws of the upper twelvemonth. Analysis of this character bottom therefore give a better understanding of the play, and of Molieres intention for writing plays of the sham. Molieres plays of the hypocrite employ a joint pattern with the use of loyal servants to rush for their cut through keys and be their guide in times of confusion. How ever so so, Dom Juan ou le Festin de Pierre provides a much in-depth characterization as it highlights the importance of a servant character in the life of a sub overdue.Throughout the play, Sganarelles role in Dom Juans life is highly emphasized. In fact, its emphasis could make the listening perceive the two characters as one. In their exchange of dialogues, Sganarelle approximately serves as an extension of his inhibits character, for he often agrees with Dom Juan scorn the o thers troubleogical reasoning. He does this in order to put an end to his masters prodding or mainly to verbalise sign of respect. Nevertheless, this gesture does non affect the roundness of his character, but makes it all the more kindle.The two main characters in the play are rigid in juxtaposition. Dom Juan embodies the upper class or the rich, while Sganarelle embodies the lower class or the common people. In putting them unneurotic, Moliere creates a balance amongst the good and evil, with Dom Juan as the evil character and Sganarelle as the good. In Sganarelles aver words, he describes his master as the greatest scoundrel that ever walked on earth, a madman, a dog, a devil, a Turka non-conformist who believes in neither Heaven nor saint, not God, nor bogeyman. (34-35). In Freudian psychology, we stick out refer to these two characters as the id and the ego, where Dom Juan is the id and Sganarelle is the ego. The two characters are contrasted in the play, with Sganar elle on the positive side opposite to that of his master. The contrast is mainly established with the bureau they behave and view issues. Dom Juan is a typical Casanova whose life revolves around insouciant his love interests. His main concern in life is to attract women and make them flavour miserably in love.First, he woos them until they fall for him and agree for married couple but after that, he leaves them for the sake of another girl, lots to the set out of his servant. Sganarelle constantly warns Dom Juan of the retribution his acts may bring, but Dom Juan would often sway the wrinkle to justify his actions, forcing Sganarelle to give up his point. exchangeablewise, his stature prohibits the servant to condemn his masters deeds. Though he is allowed to announce his views, in the end he also allows his master to win, for he does not have a choice. He admits thus I must be faithful to him however I feel. Fear makes me his accomplice. It stifles my feeling and I often regard applauding what I nauseate with my very soul. (35) As society declares, Sganarelle complies with his masters orders. Due to reverence of losing his job, he does what Dom Juan asks him to do, although it is against his entrust. He tells lies, swears things he does not mean, and covers up for his masters shortcomings in the way the society expects a servant to behave. In dispatch contrast to his masters character, Sganarelle is a man of faith.He embodies the common people who are weak and powerless yet are substitute of faith in God and religion. He exemplifies a believer whose moreover hope lies in God to save him from his unfortunate situation. With a hale faith, he declares that one day the wrath of Heaven will scrape up him thats for genuine. (35) His values are more in tact than that of his master but he is not free to exercise his faith. Nevertheless, Dom Juan gives him the privilege to express himself, and when he does, he speaks his thoughts with some sarc asm Your heart is the greatest nomad that ever was.It likes to be al ways on the move. It hates to stay in one locate for long together. (36) Because he consents to the wrongdoings of Dom Juan, Sganarelle shares the sins of his master. This means that Sganarelle may be blamed for respond to his masters disloyalty to his love affairs. His awareness of this responsibility alone makes him feel uncomfortable that is why he wishes God to punish his master in order to end up his spiritual agony. Similar to other servant characters in Molieres plays, Sganarelle serves as Dom Juans close companion.He follows his master wherever he goes, and obeys his will regardless of its consequences. He remains accredited to him despite the fact that he despises what the master does. The notwithstanding good thing about Dom Juan is that he allows Sganarelle to speak his mind. In this sense, he shares identicality with the effeminate servant Dorine in Tartuffe, (2000), who freely expresses her opin ions on unconstipated the most thin matters regarding the family. even, unlike the female counterpart who speaks without reproach, Sganarelle is allowed to express his opinions only to a certain extent and upon summons by his master.Since it is very unlikely for Dom Juan to get multiform by the deliberate decisions he makes, his effort to elicit opinion from Sganarelle is not because he needs advice on his affairs, but because it pleases him to argue with someone weaker such(prenominal) as his servant. He knows that Sganarelle will have no choice but to agree with him in the end, thus he takes advantage of his servant by winning every argument they have. Although Sganarelle looks weak in Dom Juans eyes, looking for closely into his character, one may see the strength in him. Amid the struggles he bears in living with Dom Juan, he remains faithful to his faith.Even though he obeys his master, this does not eradicate his faith in God. In fact, it even makes it more intense. As Sg anarelle struggles for freedom, his faith grows more each day, and the hope that he will soon be free from his masters ill doings grows even more. He serves as the conscience that tells Dom Juan what is fair and just, appeal to him to repent and change his ways. In Tartuffe Dorine similarly plays the role of a conscience in Orgons life. When the master decides for his daughter to marry the hypocrite, Dorine tries to stop him, state thus he who weds his child against her willOwes heaven account for it, if she do ill. Think then what perils wait on your design. (Act 2 S. 2) To a large extent, the similarity between Sganarelle and Dorine is their religious wisdom. Unlike other people who cannot scar between truth and hypocrisy, both of them see what lies beneath peoples acts of goodwill. In Dom Juan.. other people are fooled by Dom Juans bearing and his kind words except for Sganarelle who knows his master like the palm of his hand. (36) Dorine, on the other, sees the real inten tion of Tartuffe towards Orgons daughter, Mariane.She judges that his regular attendance at church is a sign of hypocrisy. Though Orgon refuses to believe her, she still insists on making him listen to her views because of her concern over Marianes future. Another servant character who speaks her mind freely is Nicole in Middle-Class Gentleman (2001). In this play, Nicole plays the servant in Monsieur Jourdains home. Finding fault in her masters rather awkward and delayed interest in the ways of the rich (such as dancing, fencing, poetic speech, etc. ), she openly comments and express emotions at Jourdain, much to his disappointment.However unlike Sganarelle or Dorine, Nicole finds support from her masters wife, who despises her keep ups social climbing. This puts Nicole in a better position to be more outspoken of her opinions. In addition, compared to the other servants, Nicole contributes greatly to the comic elements in the play. Although the audience can find some humor in Sg anarelle, it is only in the end that he could truly make the audience laugh while he cries over his lost wages. In contrast, Nicoles show throughout the play is well-noted in her colourful dialogues that employ sarcasm and irony.Like Nicole, Dubois in Le Misanthrope (2000) also helps induce laughter from the audience with his farcical mistakes. The servants in Molieres plays serve different purposes. They take the role of a loyal companion, a critique, an advisor, and sometimes a fool. All these characteristics can be found in Sganarelle, making him an interesting servant in Molieres plays. This exposition triggers the question, Why did Moliere use a servant character instead of a friend whose status may be similar to that of Dom Juan?Indeed, assigning the role to a friend will make a different story, but one cannot help wonder about this issue. On the one hand, a best friend could likewise serve as a loyal companion and advisor, similar to the role played by Sganarelle. On the oth er hand, the role of the servant creates a more interesting story. First, it illustrates the conflict between the values of the rich and the poor. Compared to a friend, the servant who comes from a different background has a different set of values acquired from his own social orientation.Sganarelles social status affords him views about God and salvation, which are in conflict with his master. Just imagine, if the two characters come from the same background, they will probably connive to disillusion every girl they meet, thus moderate the conflict in the plot. Second, Sganarelles social status restricts him to speak his views blatantly. Hence, this causes more conflict towards himself than to his master. With a friend as the critique, the conflict will be between the two main characters, and this could make the plot very ordinary.However with a servant as the critique, the conflict resides only with the servant due to some limitations he has in expressing his thoughts. In the end , he builds a different conflict apart form his masters, that is, how he could escape his master to avoid all the troubles. Third, with the servant character, the master falls into a pit that serves as his sad flaw. Without its comic elements, the play would have been a complete tragedy, since Dom Juan maintains pride as his tragic flaw. He refuses to change his ways, believing that he is too powerful to have a need for God.Despite reminders from his servant, he continues with his evil ways, because as expected, he will never listen to a mere servant. As such, the servant character contributes to the masters tragic flaw, which later leads him to his end. Considering this, one can sense a social translation Moliere wants to impart through the play. By using the character of a servant, the playwright presents the reality that sometimes those in the lower class who lack straightlaced education and possessions have better religious wisdom and piety than the rich.Through the role of the servant, the juxtaposition between the rich and the poor becomes more gross and effective. Finally, the use of the servant in the play gives it a humorous tone. Specifically, Sganarelles lousy effort to cover up for his masters faults, together with his inner monologues, makes the play interesting and funny. At the end, those who watch it will find themselves pondering on the message of the play at the same time laughing at Sganarelle crying, My wages My wages My wages (47)