“THE LESSON” By Eugène Ionesco

Nama : Vidya Mulat Safitri
NIM : A 320 080 121

“THE LESSON” By Eugène Ionesco
1. What is the Meaning Of the Title on The Lesson?
The story gives title “the lesson”, because the story The Lesson is concerned with the meaningless of meaning, the way we embalm ourselves in knowledge. How much of what you know do you really understand and how much you have merely absorbed.





2. Who is the Character on The Lesson?
a. The Professor, an elderly man of about 50 to 60,
b. Pupil (aged 18).
c. The Professor's Maid, a stout, red-faced woman of about 40 to 50

3. What is the Message from The Lesson?
The Lesson, if we see this play in the context of contemporary times, hints at the rigid system of education in collaboration with the corperate world. The play presents the idea that in this fast changing world, the weak, powerless and somewhat ignorant are knocked down and slashed by the mighty though non-sensical controllers of the society. The crime of the privileged class is not a crime, rather its just an attitude or method of dealing with other people.The professor is assisted by his professional maid to hide the crime committed inside the four closed walls.
The professor may be a misogynist also who is unable to understand his female pupils. there is little possibility of communication without presence of any kind of affinity between two people.

4. What is the Theme in The Lesson?
The theme on this play is totalitarianism in education, politics, language, psychology, and sexuality.

5. Synopsis in The Lesson
The Lesson, by Ionesco is a play about status and control. We see a confident young girl come for lessons from a renowned professor. She dominates the Professor at the beginning with her youth and confidence, but soon the Professor begins to take over control of the girl until at the end she is killed by him, with the assistance of his housekeeper.