Rhinoceros


Book Description

The sublime is confused with the ridiculous in this savage commentary on the human condition, a staple of every theatre classroom and 20th century drama. A small town is besieged by one roaring citizen who becomes a rhinoceros and proceeds to trample on the social order. As more citizens are transformed into rhinoceroses, the trampling becomes overwhelming, and more and more citizens become rhinoceroses. One sane man, Berenger, remains, unable to change his form and identity.




Rhinoceros by Eugène Ionesco (Book Analysis)


Book Description

Unlock the more straightforward side of Rhinoceros with this concise and insightful summary and analysis! This engaging summary presents an analysis of Rhinoceros by Eugène Ionesco, which tells the story of a small town that is suffering from a ‘rhinoceritis’ epidemic. One by one, the inhabitants all turn into rhinoceroses until only one man remains, determined to fight for his humanity. It is often considered to be a response to the rise of communism, fascism and Nazism during the interwar period, although its definitive meaning has not been revealed. Many of Ionesco's works depict the solitude and insignificance of human existence, making for thought-provoking and controversial plays. Find out everything you need to know about Rhinoceros in a fraction of the time! This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you: • A complete plot summary • Character studies • Key themes and symbols • Questions for further reflection Why choose BrightSummaries.com? Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you in your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time. See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!




Rhinoceros, and Other Plays


Book Description

In Rhinoceros, as in his earlier plays, Ionesco startles audiences with a world that invariably erupts in explosive laughter and nightmare anxiety. A rhinoceros suddenly appears in a small town, tramping through its peaceful streets. Soon there are two, then three, until the "movement" is universal: a transformation of average citizens into beasts, as they learn to move with the times. Finally, only one man remains. "I'm the last man left, and I'm staying that way until the end. I'm not capitulating!"




BERENGER PLAYS


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The Bald Soprano


Book Description

Often called the father of the Theater of the Absurd, Eugène Ionesco wrote groundbreaking plays that are simultaneously hilarious, tragic, and profound. Now his classic one acts The Bald Soprano and The Lesson are available in an exciting new translation by Pulitzer Prize-finalist Tina Howe, noted heir of Ionesco's absurdist vision, acclaimed by Frank Rich as "one of the smartest playwrights we have." In The Bald Soprano Ionesco throws together a cast of characters including the quintessential British middle-class family the Smiths, their guests the Martins, their maid Mary, and a fire chief determined to extinguish all fires -- including their hearths. It's an archetypical absurdist tale and Ionesco displays his profound take on the problems inherent in modern communication. The Lesson illustrates Ionesco's comic genius, where insanity and farce collide as a professor becomes increasingly frustrated with his hapless student, and the student with his mad teacher.




Stories 1, 2, 3, 4


Book Description

A father improvises a story for his daughter about names, which she appears to take seriously, teaches her some idiosyncratic meanings for words, takes her on a fantastic airplane ride without ever leaving bed, and has her look where he is not.




Amédée


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Fragments of a Journal


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The Caretaker and the Dumb Waiter


Book Description

Jacket description.back: In all of Pinter's plays, seemingly ordinary events become charged with profound, if elusive, meaning, haunting pathos, and wild comedy. In The Caretaker, a tramp finds lodging in the derelict house of two brothers; in The Dumbwaiter, a pair of gunmen wait for the kill in a decayed lodging house. Harold Pinter gradually exposes the inner strains and fear of his characters, alternating hilarity and character to create and almost unbearable edge of tension.




Notes and Counter-notes


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