Partielo | The Imaginary Invalid, Mr. Diafoirus's Monologue, Act II Scene 5

Definition

General introduction

We are going to work on the monologue... in Act II Scene 5. --> Last play by Molière. --> Comedy ballet created in 1673. --> Molière: playwright, director, and actor of the 17th century. --> Wrote numerous comedies --> ridicules men's flaws by making them laugh and correcting them. --> Molière died on the 4th performance of The Imaginary Invalid.

Text introduction

--> Central scene of the play. --> Let's get to know the father/son duo Diafoirus. --> Argan wants to marry his daughter to Thomas D (a doctor). --> We have already met Thomas = a big fool (silly boy). --> Argan compliments the father and Thomas who will later describe his son.

Movement

2 movements 1/ L-1 to L-14: Childhood and adolescence of Thomas 2/ L-14 - end: Thomas as a medical student

Problematic

How does Molière seek to ridicule doctors?

Conclusion

--> Portrait of the father on the son, objective: to make us know Thomas D in a valorizing way. --> Except that the opposite happens; the more he describes him, the more we characterize him as an idiot. --> Foolishness runs in the family. --> This monologue, said seriously, provokes a comic effect because the father proves the opposite of what he wants to prove. --> This monologue fiercely criticizes doctors by ridiculing them. --> Ridicule already contained in the name of the doctors, Diafoirus refers to the lower body, diarrhea, enema.

L-1 to 3: --> M.D wants to give an objective opinion of his son to Argan (not because he is his son that he thinks he's great, which is false).

--> Uses vocabulary that emphasizes words that he thinks are praising, valorizing.

L-3 to 5: --> Presents his son with a flaw.

--> Unintentionally ridicules him by implying that since he is foolish, he will be a good doctor.

--> Discredits medicine.

L-5 to 7: --> Representation of young Thomas.

--> Continues to mention his flaws and lets us know that he couldn't speak.

--> Even thinks his son is too mature for his age.

--> We know that's false, he's trying to reverse the situation.

L-9 to 11: --> Father D, resorts to proverbs to try to make sense of what is absurd (succeeding without having the capabilities).

L-12 to 14 : --> Thomas in secondary school: difficulties always present, no improvement.

--> Doesn't understand the teachers' discourse that finds qualities in him (being on time) because he has no intellectual capabilities.

--> End of this first movement, T.D has no aptitude for studies.

--> But Father D thinks T.D's flaws are encouraging for the future.

L-13 to 15 : --> Comment with revealing word "finally": reveals relief, liberation.

--> Fierce analysis of doctors: implies that medicine is an environment where natural foolishness can thrive.

--> T.D makes people talk about him because he wants to speak even if it's meaningless and has no interest.

L-15 to 18: --> T.D wants to be right, it's not the quality of his argument that is retained but that he wants to have the last word.

--> This reveals his immaturity.

--> And it shows that doctors fight over who will have the last word instead of fighting against diseases.

L-18 to 23: --> This final passage is a climax of T.D and his father's stupidity.

--> T.D and his father refuse progress in medicine: a reflection that goes against that of a scientist.

--> The qualities highlighted are frightening because they go against the medical mindset.