Harpagon Timeline and Summary

•  Back
• More 

• Harpagon first appears onstage as he commands La Flèche to get out of his house immediately. The young man eventually agrees, but not before Harpagon has given him a thorough pat down.
• With La Flèche gone, Harpagon starts talking to himself about the box of money he has buried in his garden. He sees that his children are nearby, and fears that they might have overheard him.
• Harpagon summons Cléante and tells the boy that he plans on marrying a beautiful young woman named Mariane. He doesn't realize that Cléante is in love with this girl. After this, he also tells his daughter Élise that he plans to marry her off to a wealthy older man named Anselme.
• To welcome Mariane to his family, Harpagon plans a dinner in the cheapest way possible. He even gets into an argument with one of his servants about how cheaply the meal can be made.
• When Mariane comes, Harpagon sees Cléante kiss her hand and becomes suspicious. He soon tricks Cléante into revealing his affection for Mariane. He orders Cléante to give up his courtship of Mariane immediately, since he plans on marrying her.
• Harpagon summons a servant to settle the dispute between him and Cléante, but the servant only tricks the two of them into thinking they are in agreement when they aren't. The disagreement is soon revealed again, and Cléante and Harpagon are at one another's throats.
• Harpagon goes into the garden to discover that someone has stolen the box of money he buried. He runs through his house screaming bloody murder and summons a police officer to hang whoever took his money.
• After asking a servant, Harpagon becomes convinced that Valère has taken his money. He demands to have it back, but Valère reveals that he is actually the son of an Italian nobleman, and therefore incapable of something as dirty as theft.
• When it's revealed that Anselme is actually the father of Mariane and Valère, Harpagon still just wants his money back. Cléante promises him he'll get it back as long as he gives Mariane to Cléante. Eventually, M. Anselme steps in and effectively buys out Harpagon, promising him enough money to let his children marry whomever they want.
• As the play ends, all of the other characters are pumped about the upcoming weddings. Harpagon can only think about seeing his stolen money again.