The Lesson (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Eugene Ionesco
- First Published: 1954
- Type of Work: Play
- Type of Plot: Absurdist
- Time of Work: The 1930’s
- Setting: Europe
- Genres: Satire, Drama, Absurdist literature, Parody
- Subjects: Power, personal or social, Sex or sexuality, Europe or Europeans, Education or educators, 1930’s, Violence, Totalitarianism, Satire
- Locales: Europe
Characters Discussed
The professor, between fifty and sixty years old, who tutors individual pupils for their “total doctorate” examinations. During a session with a young female student, he is meek at first. He becomes more intense and authoritarian as the lesson advances. Eventually, he becomes irrationally, even absurdly, angry; disallowing any interruptions of his barrage on philology, the old man grows increasingly excited. First, he attacks the student using language as a tool of dominance, power, deception, and, in the end, violent cruelty. Finally, he loses all...
[The entire page is 575 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
See Also
