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I'll confront her in no uncertain terms with her villainy, confound her utterly, and then bring to you a heart entirely freed from her perfidious charms.

In speaking to Éliante about Célimène's "villainy," Alceste suggests his belief that he can reason his way out of love. He thinks that by voicing his rightness to Célimène he might somehow be "entirely freed." Alceste also seeks revenge. In this light, we might find disturbing his idea that revenge might repair the situation.

Of course, Alceste's diatribe denouncing Célimène's deception might also represent his method of quieting his own inner voice that tells him the truth of his love for her—that no matter how anguishing his attraction, he will not be able to extinguish it. Alceste's words to Élainte are, in part, a form of denial: Alceste hopes that by making his anger public he might somehow be held to his own moral standard, enabling him to escape the consequences of his emotions. Despite his efforts, Alceste is unable to free himself from Célimène after he chides her for her wrongdoing. He holds true to the first part of his claim, that he will—"confront her in no uncertain terms"—but he is unable to adhere to his vow to attain his heart's freedom.

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