The Miser Isolation Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Act.Scene.Paragraph)

Quote #4

"Yes. What with talk like that and your extravagance, someone will turn up one of these days and slit my throat because they think I've got money coming out of my ears!" (1.4.31)

Harpagon is isolated by his greed, but he also wants his children to be the same way. After all, if they go around town spending money and being too sociable, he's worried that someone will come kill him because they'll know he has money.

Quote #5

"Best have the horses harnessed to the coach then. Please forgive me my dear for not having thought of offering some refreshments before you went." (3.7.18)

Harpagon is so cheap that he won't even offer his fiancé something to drink when she comes to his house. The interesting thing here, though, is that he tries to pretend that he simply forgot. But we all know this was no mistake. It's amazing to think that this guy used to be married to another woman. We're forced to wonder what kind of saint it would take to live with a guy like this.

Quote #6

"Won't somebody bring me back to life by returning my money or telling me who took it? Eh?" (4.7.1)

It's when he has lost his money that Harpagon feels most alone. He shouts out that the theft has killed him. But after a moment, he looks out at the audience and asks whether there is anyone out there who'll bring him back to life. Now we could read this as a cry of loneliness. But he follows it up with the phrase "by returning my money…" meaning that he doesn't actually want company. He just wants his money back.