The Miser Madness Quotes

When it comes to his money, Harpagon is real paranoid. In his first appearance in the play, he tells a young man named La Flèche to get out of his house because he doesn't want people spying on him and trying to find out where his money is. What Harpagon doesn't realize is that La Flèche never cared about his money at first, but now wants to steal it out of pure spite because of the way Harpagon is acting.

When he tells La Flèche to get out of his house, La Flèche agrees and starts to go. But as he leaves, Harpagon is worried that the young man has already stolen something. He won't let La Flèche leave without a proper strip search, so you can see how Harpagon's paranoia backs him into a corner. He's unhappy no matter how people act.

Even Harpagon has to question his own decision to bury a bunch of cash in his garden so that no one will find it. It's a little excessive, and probably not even as safe as keeping his money in a vault of some kind.