This scene, one of the most masterful in the play, is concerned with the social shams that masquerade as true human relationships. Each of the women claims to be telling the other one the prevailing gossip for her benefit. Arsinoé says that she has heard that Célimène is being talked about in many circles as being a gossip. What she says may be true enough, though we even doubt that, but the motive behind her telling is far from noble. In the same way, Célimène says that she has heard that Arsinoé is being talked about as being a meddler and ostentatious person. Actually the two women are speaking the truth as Alceste would have true friends do. But the truth is here disguised behind the facade of pretense; the purpose is not really to improve their relationship, but to antagonize and spite the other person.
The general purpose of social comedy is to point out the foibles of individuals so that they can reform. In this short scene Molière ironically presents two characters who are apparently trying to point out each other's failings — an admirable thing in comedy. But by using this traditional device in reverse — the two women are not reforming one another — he sharpens his criticism of the two women themselves.
