The Miser Freedom and Confinement Quotes

It's tough for Cléante to feel free when his dad is choosing his wife for him. On top of that, it doesn't even sound like his dad is choosing a great wife. That's not to say that widows can't be awesome. But when it comes down to 'widows' vs. 'true love,' 'true love' wins every time.

As he has done for Cléante, Harpagon has chosen a spouse for his daughter Élise. He wants her to marry a wealthy older man named Anselme because he assumes that Anselme will bring some wealth into their family. As far as Élise is concerned, though, this is total imprisonment. At least with her dad, she can look forward to one day being old enough to get away from him. But marrying someone she doesn't love will just keep her imprisonment going for the rest of her days.

Élise would usually never talk back to her father. But what else can she do? She loves Valère, the man who saved her life, and can't imagine being with anyone else. Worse yet, she's not all that pumped about marrying an old dude who sounds like he's close to Harpagon's age.