You Get What You Give

The following is an excerpt from the play “Tartuffe” by Moliere. The context of the dialog is this: Mariane loves Valére; but, the hypocrite, Tartuffe, has deceived Mariane’s father, Orgon, and Orgon is trying to force her to marry Tartuffe after he had already set the date for her and Valere’s wedding. So, Dorine, Mariane’s hand-maiden, is upset with Mariane because, after coming to her defense against her father’s ludicrous demand, Mariane said nothing and sat idly by basically having a pity party in the corner. In essence, Dorine is about to light into Mariane.

M: “I’ll kill myself, if I’m forced to wed that man.”

D: “I hadn’t thought of that recourse. How splendid!

Just die, and all your troubles will be ended!

A fine solution. Oh, it maddens me

to hear you talk in that self-pitying key.”

M: “Dorine, how harsh you are! It’s most unfair.

You have no sympathy for my despair.”

D: “I’ve none at all for people who talk drivel

and, faced with difficulties, whine and snivel.”

M: “No doubt I’m timid, but it would be wrong…”

D: “True love requires a heart that’s firm and strong.”

M: “I’m strong in my affection for Valére,

but coping with my father is his affair.”

D: “But if your father’s brain has grown so cracked

over his dear Tartuffe that he can retract

his blessing, though your wedding day was named,

it’s surely not Valére who’s to be blamed.”

M: “If I defied my father, as you suggest,

would it not seem unmaidenly, at best?

Shall I defend my love at the expense

of brazenness and disobedience?

Shall I parade my heart’s desires, and flaunt…”

D: “No, I ask nothing of you. 

Clearly you want to be Madame Tartuffe…”

(Later:)

M: "Dorine, I beg of you..."

D: “No you deserve it; this marriage must go through.”

M: "Not Tartuffe! You know I think him..."

D: “Tartuffe’s your cup of tea, and you shall drink him.”

Now, obviously, Dorine was being melodramatic, because she wanted to show Mariane that if she wasn't even going to try to do anything about it then she couldn't complain about the outcome. Don't worry; Mariane ends up with Valére and Tartuffe goes to prison and they all live happily ever after because it's a comedy. 

I decided to write about this because something has persistently been on my mind, and after I read this I thought it was the most perfect illustration that I could use where everyone that it reminded me of would remain anonymous. 

I have become thoroughly convinced that people who are their "own worst enemy" and are always at war with themselves and don't like who they are or the situation they're in, are actually just scared... to death... or at least scared to inactivity (like Mariane) and lifelessness, which one could say is equally detrimental. Mariane was scared of opposing her father (who epitomizes "bark worse than bite;" he's harmless; a paper-tiger), and if it weren't for Tartuffe being exposed at the end, she would have been stuck with that nasty scum bag for the rest of her miserable life. And how easy would it have been to fix that situation if she'd only "rubbed some dirt on it," "manned up" or what have you and told her father "No! I will not marry Tartuffe, because he is a nasty piece of scum that I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole, and you won't be doing yourself any favors if you don't get your head out of his rear end, and open your eyes before he really robs you blind!" Luckily for her, it worked out; but no thanks to her whiney butt. Folks, that was a comedy, but real life is rarely as merciful on people who are too scared to try and change things. You may be scared of you father (or whatever appropriate authority figure), or scared of failure, or scared of yourself and what you might become if you fail at changing. Whatever you're afraid of or avoiding (whether you realize it or not), just stop it. No offense, but stop being so pathetic... It's really hard to feel bad for you when you just sit there and whine about how much you suck at life and how much your life sucks, while never actually putting forth real effort to change yourself/your life. Don't be your own worst enemy, or you'll get what you deserve. 

I could rampage in much more detail, but I'll shut up.

So here is an update on the window/art/picture-holder/welcome-sign that I made for my and Clayton's apartment. :D

This was before the welcome sign.

This is the welcome sign... inspired
by "southernness" 

Again. Might change things later
but this is it for now.