Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme

At the start of Act IV, Doranté, Dorimène, and M. Jourdain are dining, and Dorimène compliments the food. M. Jourdain demurs, claiming that it isn’t worthy of her, and Doranté agrees, delivering a long, romantic monologue about the food and her worthiness. Dorimène responds, “I reply to this compliment only by eating” (89). M. Jourdain compliments her hands, and she draws attention to the diamond, but M. Jourdain, following Doranté’s advice, declines to talk about it. Doranté orders some wine, requesting the singers to perform a drinking song. M. Jourdain tells Dorimène that she is beautiful, and she dismisses his compliment as gallantry. Doranté attempts to cover the fact that Dorimène does not know that M. Jourdain is trying to woo her. Scene 2 opens with Mme. Jourdain, who enters and catches the three at dinner, noting that she was not invited since her husband sent her to dine at her sister’s. Doranté claims that M. Jourdain is only allowing the count to use the house to court Dorimène for himself, and M. Jourdain quickly agrees.

Mme. Jourdan is not fooled, however, and reprimands her husband as well as the marchioness for causing trouble in her