How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Act.Scene.Line). Every time a character talks counts as one line, even if what they say turns into a long monologue. We used Richard Wilbur's translation.
Quote #7
Dorine:
"I tell you, lovers are completely mad!" (2.4.85)
Dorine's observation is right in line with the French expression l'amour fou, or crazy love. The lovers' little spat can be thought of as a brief moment of madness.
Quote #8
Dorine (To Mariane):
"Your father's addled; he's acting like a dunce.
Therefore you'd better humor the old fossil.
Pretend to yield to him, be sweet and docile,
And then postpone, as often as necessary,
The day on which you have agreed to marry." (2.4.90)
Rather than try to reason with a fool (Orgon), Dorine decides it would be best to simply string him along until some more drastic measure can be taken.
Quote #9
Orgon:
"Enough, by God! I'm through with pious men:
Henceforth I'll hate the whole false brotherhood,
And persecute them worse than Satan could."
Cléante:
"Ah, there you go – extravagant as ever!
Why can you not be rational? You never
Manage to take the middle course, it seems,
But jump, instead, between absurd extremes." (5.1.10-11)
Orgon's actions prove that, just because you can cure a fool of one illusion, without curing him of being a fool.