Alceste has waited for the others to leave before speaking his mind. But before he can say anything, Célimène admits that she has wronged him. She does not care for the anger of the others, but her betrayal of Alceste, she feels, is deserving of his hatred. Alceste, however, finds that he cannot hate her and is willing to forget her crime if she will consent to "flee from all mankind" and follow him into retirement. Célimène, however, says that "solitude has terrors for a soul of twenty." But if her hand in marriage would soothe Alceste she will suffer herself to be married.
Suddenly Alceste is disgusted by Célimène and tells her that now in her refusal to deny society, she has destroyed all love he previously had for her. He sends her away from his presence. Then he apologizes to Eliante, telling her that he has decided that he is not fit for marriage. Eliante explains that she has a promise from Philinte. He wishes them happiness and plans now to retire from the world and live in solitude, "where one is free to be an honest man." Philinte and Eliante hope that they can change his mind.
