Moliére's dramatic work “Tartuffe” is considerably one of his best works of all time. The play Tartuffe, written in 1664, was set during the Restoration period. During this Restoration period, women were expected to be under the authority of a man. Women were expected to take care of their husbands and children and never speak for themselves. It is clear that Moliére wrote the work with the components of male patriarchy to convey the difference between men and women in this time period. However, once the reader begins to delve further into the work, one may notice that Elmire's character is drastically ahead of her time period. In the play Tartuffe, the character of Elmire can be defined as a strong and independent feminist who challenged the role of women during the Restoration period. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Restoration period took place throughout Europe, including France, where Tartuffe was written, in 1600. Moliére used the Restoration period to spark the controversial theme of feminism in his play using Elmire. Already in the first act of the play the reader can recognize that Elmire is different from other women in the way she dresses and how she spends her money. In the first act it is Madame Pernelle who actually gives the reader an idea of ​​how different Elmire is from the women of their society: "Behavior like yours leads straight to hell. You spend money like it grows on trees and then you wear it on your back with dresses like theseAre you a princess? NO? You're dressed like one! It makes you wonder who you're dressing for, not for my son.” Madame Pernelle is an uptight, traditional woman and thinks of Elmire as a rebel. When she mentions Elmire's clothes, it is clear that during this time women are supposed to keep their bodies hidden from others. From this it can be conveyed to the reader that Elmire's character does what she does feel comfortable and not others in society. Another important move for Elmire in the play has occurred in the fourth act. Elmire organized an elaborate plan to prove to her husband that it was really Tartuffe who was lying and being deceitful. Elmire is not someone to make fun of or make fun of because she believes in truth and equality. Elmire is determined to make her voice heard after Tartuffe tries to drag her into scandal over his own lust. However, Orgon doesn't believe his side of the story at first. He believes Tartuffe is loyal to Orgon. "Obviously, I have to give up on you, because, apparently, you are a person who refuses to believe anything I say. Only live testimony can convey the truth of the passion here, no more, no less." At this point in the work one can believe that Elmire was trying to show that during their time men did not listen to women and that they should do so because women had something to say. In this part of the play I believe it was a not so subtle hint to Orgon to listen to his wife rather than someone he didn't fully know. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get Custom Essay Subsequently, Elmire played an important role in exposing the role of women and men in patriarchal society. Elmire revealed the way men don't believe the.