After Orgon departs, Dorine, the maid, reprimands Mariane for not having refused to marry Tartuffe. Mariane's beloved, Valère, arrives and accuses her of consenting to the marriage. Dorine listens to them argue and then, after they are reconciled, she promises to help them expose Tartuffe's hypocrisy.
Damis, incensed about Tartuffe, is also determined to reveal Tartuffe's hypocrisy, and, as he hears Tartuffe's approach, he hides in the closet. Elmire, Orgon's wife, arrives and Tartuffe, thinking that they are alone, makes some professions of love to Elmire and suggests that they become lovers. Having heard Tartuffe make such a proposition, Damis reveals himself and threatens to expose Tartuffe. When Orgon arrives, Damis tries to inform his father about Tartuffe's proposition, but Orgon is so blind that he thinks his own son is evil in trying to defame Tartuffe's good name and he immediately disinherits his son. Alone with Tartuffe, Orgon reveals that he plans to make Tartuffe his sole heir and also his son-in-law. They leave to execute this plan.
Cléante later confronts Tartuffe and tries to reason with him, but Tartuffe will only respond in religious clichés, and as soon as the opportunity presents itself, he hastily excuses himself from the room. Orgon and Elmire arrive, and when she hears Orgon's plans, she extracts a promise from him to hide in some concealed place and observe Tartuffe's actions. Orgon consents and Elmire sends for Tartuffe. When he arrives, he is accosted by Elmire, and soon he begins to make not only his declarations of love to Elmire but also derogatory comments about Orgon.
