Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme

Act V, Scene 1 opens as Mme. Jourdain catches M. Jourdain mocking him for his new costume. Offended, M. Jourdain demands, “You must show me respect now, as I’ve just been made a Mamamouchi” (102). Mme. Jourdain is unconvinced, and they banter, with M. Jourdain mixing in faux-Turkish gibberish. Angry, he leaves, and a confounded Mme. Jourdain follows him. At the start of Scene 2, Doranté informs Dorimène that they are going to watch the events unfold but that they must make an effort to aid Clèonte in his plan, calling him a “very gallant man” (105). Dorimène agrees. When Doranté promises yet another ballet performance, Dorimène insists, “I can no longer permit this Doranté” (105), explaining that he must stop spending money to impress her because she has decided to marry him immediately. She adds that it is only to stop him from bankrupting himself, and Doranté praises her for her desire to save him from spending everything, promising that both his money and his heart is hers.

In Scene 3, Doranté tells M. Jourdain that they are there to pay their respects and to celebrate Lucile’s wedding. M. Jourdain apologizes for Mme. Jourdain’s behavior. Dorimène says, “I excuse her for jumping to conclusions: your heart must be precious to her, and it isn’t strange that the possession of such a man as you should inspire some jealousy” (106). M. Jourdain misunderstands her, offering his heart to her, and Doranté covers by calling M. Jourdain a good friend. In Scene 4 Doranté bows before Cléonte, promising that they are in his service. M. Jourdain searches frantically for Covielle, the “interpreter,” who “translates” Cléonte’s fake Turkish. Scene 5 opens with M. Jourdain telling Lucile that she will marry the “gentlemen who does you the honor of asking for you in marriage” (108). Confused by her father’s outfit and the scene before her, she staunchly refuses. Then, she sees Cléonte and recognizes him, agreeing at once to M. Jourdain’s delight.

Scene 6 brings Mme. Jourdain, who responds indignantly to M. Jourdain’s costume and proclamation that their daughter will marry the son of the Grand Turk. She resolves to stop the wedding, and Doranté intercedes, informing Mme. Jourdain that Lucile has consented to the marriage. Still determined to stop the nuptials, Mme. Jourdain calls her daughter a “hussy” (112). Covielle asks Mme. Jourdain for a word, promising that he will convince her to agree:

For an hour, Madame, we’ve been signaling to you. Don’t you see that all this is done only to accommodate ourselves to the fantasies of your husband, that we are fooling him under this disguise and that it is Cléonte himself who is the son of the Grand Turk? (113)

Mme. Jourdain immediately agrees to play along, telling her husband that she will accept the marriage and calling for a notary. Doranté adds that in order to soothe her jealousy of Dorimène, Doranté would have the same notary marry the two of them as well. Aside to M. Jourdain, Doranté claims, “It is necessary to amuse her with this pretense” (113). Additionally, M. Jourdain offers Nicole to the “interpreter” and his wife “to whoever wants her” (114). Covielle thanks him, stating, in an aside, “If one can find a greater fool, I’ll go to Rome to tell it” (114). The play ends with another ballet.