A Comparative Analysis Of Tartuffe And The Octoroon

I am a white gay man. Before I begin my analysis, I want to recognize the parts of my privilege. I am not going to be using any other lense other than my own, therefore I thought it was important to preface that before I started my research. This essay will be about gender and race, and the intersectionality of it through Tartuffe (1664) and The Octoroon (1859). French classicism was the age in which Tartuffe by Moliere was written in. Technically, Tartuffe, a satire, was created during French Neoclassicism; However, for this research, I will be focusing on French Classicism. Moliere (a.k.a Jean- Baptiste Poquelin) is known for his comedies that follow the style of Commedia Dell'arte. Moliere also became a friend to King Louis XIV, who

This especially applies to Tartuffe, which is a commentary on the Roman Catholic Church. During this time in history, the Catholic Church was not a loving force (Is it “loving” today though?). In fact, the church acted like a dictator. And arguably during this time, the church gained much of its power that it still owns today. Tartuffe was attacked by the church so much that King Louis XIV had to shut the show down. Tartuffe went through many revisions until it was allowed to be shown. Tartuffe address gender roles and stereotypes with its characters. For example, Dorine states: “But now that they’re no longer what they were she quits a world that is fast quitting her. And wears a veil to conceal her bankrupt beauty and her lost appeal.” This line by Dorine speaks to how women are forgotten about in a sexual way once they reach a certain age in the 17th century. It’s sad to say, but even in 2018 this still warrants a lot of truth. Some actresses are not given the same type of roles when they were younger. A TIME Magazine article interviewed Tina Fey on the subject, and this is

In the 18th century, France controlled more of the United States than any other European power. Frances control spread from New Orleans to the Great Lakes. Spain, which was not as a powerful force, decided to rescind its help to the Louisiana purchase, and eventually led Spain to sign a treaty with France. Spain gave France control of the Louisiana Purchase. That is why there is so much French and Spanish influence in New Orleans. The Octoroon was inspired from the term “Octoroon” given to a person who is one- eighth black. Other terms like this are Quadroon (one- quarter black) and the term Mulatto (one white parent, one black parent). The Octoroon is a classic play that was even adapted a couple years ago into An Octoroon by Branden Jacob- Jenkins who is a recipient of the MacArthur Genius Grant. The Octoroon is a melodrama, which goes on to create dramatic effect by creating emotion through the characters. Zoe is the object in this play by being an octoroon. Zoe and George fall in love, but Zoe is not a free woman. Therefore, Jacob buys Zoe at the auction, leaving Zoe and George to not be with each other. Zoe is seen as an object in this play because she’s not only a woman but also because she’s a woman of color. The law at the time forbid any white man from marrying a woman with any black heritage. After the auction, they take the slaves away by ship. This play talks about