Guide Mentor

Character Role Analysis

Cléante

Cléante likes to use big words, drop big names, and make big claims. (For instance, "True piety isn't hard to recognize,/ And happily these present times provide us/ With bright examples to instruct and guide us./ Consider Ariston and Périandre…" (1.5.11)). He may be a bit verbose – that is, he seems to like the sound of his own voice – but he only seeks to show Orgon the truth. Unfortunately, Orgon doesn't really listen very well.