Yale University Religious Hypocrisy in Tartuffe Essay

Enlightenment Essay Prompts choose

1. Explore the themes of Reason, Order, Civilization in Tartuffe, Gulliver’s Travels, or

1. There are five women characters in Tartuffe: Explore each as a distinct personality.

1. Religious hypocrisy is a major theme in Tartuffe. The introduction in our text (p. 142) observes, “Moliere suggests how readily religious faith lends itself to misuse, how high-sounding pieties allow men and woman to evade self-examination and immediate responsibilities” (142). Examine at least three areas in which Tartuffe uses religion hypocritically.

1. In Tartuffe, Moliere dramatizes many kinds of “power trips”: psychic, emotional, sexual, economic, patriarchal, matriarchal. Choose at least three of these “trips” and explore with specific reference to the character’s attitude and actions.

1. Explore how Pedro de Mendez is the “synthesis” figure in the Hegelian Dialectic of Yahoo (thesis) and Houyhnhnm (antithesis).

1. Obviously, what we see of Yahoo behavior is objectionable (although much of the behavior we can see in ourselves), but Houyhnhnm attitudes can be chilling at times. Discuss at least three Houyhnhnm perspectives.

1. Gulliver’s Travels is a satire. Explain how satire works and then apply your ideas to areas of both Yahoo and Houyhnhnm behavior.

1. Creative writing approach. Writing from a Yahoo’s perspective (if a Yahoo could write), develop a narrative on objectionable Houyhnhnm behavior. Caveat: you must sound like a Yahoo.

1. Creative writing approach. Writing from a Houyhnhnm’s perspective (if a Houyhnhnm could write), develop a narrative on objectionable Yahoo behavior. Caveat: you must sound like a Houyhnhnm.

1. Discuss the effects that the characters Jacques, Martin, and the Old Woman have had on Candide. Each character will have affected Candide’s perspective on the world in unique ways.

1. Ironically, a simple kiss in Chp. 1 is the cause of all Candide’s adventures and misadventures. Write about the various ways that Voltaire looks at sexuality in Candide. Often, it is not a pretty sight.

1. Contrast the world views of the philosophers Pangloss and Martin. Use at least three specifics examples from the text to illustrate your points.

1. Examine the Old Turk’s philosophy of life (Chp. 30). Essay requirements below
   Length: approximately 1,000 words (could be more, could be less)
2. Value: 100 pointsOrganization:
   • MLA format (your name, my name, course, date due in top left corner)
   • 12-point, Times New Roman or Calibri font
   • Double-spaced lines
   • At least five paragraphs
     1. Brief introduction
     2. At least 3 body paragraphs (or more when applicable)
     3. Brief conclusion
   • Quotations (use lots of these to support your assertions). Examples (use a mixture of more than one):

   1. Direct (poetry or drama): “A little black thing among the snow / Crying ‘weep, weep,’ in notes of woe!” (319). Separate lines with a backslash, capitalize each new line, page in parenthesis.2. Direct (prose): “Don Pedro, to whom I had given some account of my domestic affairs, put it upon me as a point of honor and conscience [my italics] that I ought to return to my native country, and live at home with my wife and children” (327). Must be exactly word-for-word, page in parenthesis.3. Paraphrase: In his Narrative, Douglass writes that his father was a white man, and the rumor persisted that his father was his master (218). A longer passage condensed into your own wording, page(s) in parenthesis.4. Block Quotation (poetry—4 or more lines): I met a little cottage Girl: She was eight years old, she said, Her hair was thick with many a curl That clustered round her head. She had a rustic, woodland air, And she was wildly clad: Her eyes were fair, and very fair; –Her beauty made me glad. (323)Indent one tab from left margin, page in parenthesis, note that period goes beforeparenthesis5. Block quotation (prose—4 or more of YOUR typed lines):I was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and about twelve miles from Easton, in Talbot county, Maryland. I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it. By far the larger part of the slaves know as little of their ages as horses know of theirs, and it is the wish of most master within my knowledge to keep their slave thus ignorant. (218) Indent one tab from left margin, page in parenthesis, period goes beforeparenthetical citation.Organization (continued):

   • Introduction will contain:
     1. Restatement of the chosen prompt
     2. Thesis statement (what you are trying to prove)
     3. Roadmap of your main points
   • Body paragraphs:
     1. Topic sentence—what the paragraph is about
     2. Development—a mixture of YOUR thoughts and quotations for support
     3. Transition sentence—concludes one paragraph, links to the next
   • Conclusion:
     1. Restate thesis
     2. Refresh main points
     3. Wish Mr. O a nice day

   Correctness:

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