# Orgon — Tartuffe character guide

> Orgon in Tartuffe by Molière.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Orgon Brother, Scene VII Orgon, Scene V Orgon, Scene IV Orgon, Orgon Argas, Orgon Damis, Orgon Mother

**First appearance:** 0002-tartuffe

## Snapshot

The master of the house who has handed his conscience, his daughter, and nearly his estate to a man he cannot see through.

## Who they are

Orgon is a wealthy bourgeois whose devotion to Tartuffe has become the organizing principle of his household, overriding his wife's judgment, his son's protests, and his daughter's wishes. His flaw is not stupidity so much as a craving for pious certainty: he wants a spiritual authority he can obey without question, and Tartuffe supplies it. When the play finally forces him to witness the truth, his rage at being duped is as excessive as his former credulity, and the box he entrusted to Tartuffe becomes the measure of how much he has risked.

## Relationships

### [Dorine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tartuffe_se/characters/dorine)

_professional_

Dorine is Orgon's outspoken maid who constantly challenges his authority and blind devotion to Tartuffe.

### [Madame Pernelle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tartuffe_se/characters/madame_pernelle)

_family_

Madame Pernelle is Orgon's mother, and she strongly supports his infatuation with Tartuffe, sharing his blind faith.

### [Elmire](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tartuffe_se/characters/elmire)

_family_

Elmire is Orgon's wife, who tries to reason with him and expose Tartuffe's hypocrisy to save her marriage.

### [Damis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tartuffe_se/characters/damis)

_family_

Damis is Orgon's hot-headed son, who openly opposes Tartuffe and feels betrayed by his father's favoritism.

### [Mr. Loyal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tartuffe_se/characters/mr_loyal)

_professional_

Mr. Loyal is a bailiff who serves Orgon with an eviction notice, acting on Tartuffe's behalf.

### [Cléante](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tartuffe_se/characters/cleante)

_family_

Cléante is Orgon's brother-in-law, who repeatedly tries to reason with him about Tartuffe's manipulation.

### [Tartuffe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tartuffe_se/characters/tartuffe)

_psychological_

Orgon is completely infatuated and manipulated by Tartuffe, treating him as a spiritual guide while ignoring his family.

### [Valère](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tartuffe_se/characters/valere)

_family_

Orgon is Valère's prospective father-in-law, but he breaks off the engagement to marry Mariane to Tartuffe.

### [Dorine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tartuffe_se/characters/dorine)

_professional_

Dorine is Orgon's outspoken maid who constantly challenges his authority and blind devotion to Tartuffe.

### [Damis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tartuffe_se/characters/damis)

_family_

Damis is Orgon's hot-headed son, who openly opposes Tartuffe and feels betrayed by his father's favoritism.

### [Dorine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tartuffe_se/characters/dorine)

_professional_

Dorine is Orgon's outspoken maid who constantly challenges his authority and blind devotion to Tartuffe.

### [Madame Pernelle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tartuffe_se/characters/madame_pernelle)

_family_

Madame Pernelle is Orgon's mother, and she strongly supports his infatuation with Tartuffe, sharing his blind faith.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tartuffe_se/characters/orgon
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tartuffe_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tartuffe_se/characters