38 pages • 1 hour read
Eugène IonescoThe Lesson
Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1951A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In The Lesson by Eugène Ionesco, an 18-year-old student visits a senior professor's home for a lesson to prepare for her oral exams. As the lesson progresses, the student becomes increasingly weak, while the professor grows more aggressive, ultimately leading to a violent and disturbing climax. The play explores themes of language, power, and control. The play depicts physical violence, sexual assault, Nazi imagery, and mentions of suicide.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Eugène Ionesco’s The Lesson is praised for its absurdist humor and incisive critique of authoritarianism. Reviewers commend its clever dialogue and surreal atmosphere, yet criticize its obscure symbolism and occasional difficulty in accessibility. Despite its challenges, the play's unique style and thought-provoking themes are distinctly impactful.
Who Should Read The Lesson?
A reader who enjoys the absurdist and satirical elements in Eugène Ionesco’s The Lesson would likely appreciate Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot and Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming. This reader relishes dark humor, critiques of authority, and a keen examination of language and power dynamics.