Tartuffe is a comedy in verse about a respectable Parisian household taken in by a man who poses as deeply religious. Orgon, the head of the family, is so charmed by Tartuffe that he welcomes him into his home and gives him ever greater authority. His wife, children and servants see through the pretence, but cannot make Orgon listen. As Tartuffe's influence grows, it begins to threaten the family's peace and their future. The play is a sharp study of hypocrisy and gullibility. It was banned for a time after its first performances, and it remains one of the most celebrated comedies ever written.