Rhinocéros

Rhinocéros is a play by the Romanian-French playwright Eugène Ionesco, first performed in 1959. It is considered one of the most significant works of the Theatre of the Absurd. The play is set in a small town where people are inexplicably transforming into rhinoceroses. Initially, only a few individuals are affected, but the phenomenon quickly spreads throughout the population. The protagonist, Bérenger, struggles to resist this mass metamorphosis, finding himself increasingly isolated as his friends and colleagues succumb to the change.

The play explores themes of conformity, mass hysteria, and the loss of individuality. Ionesco uses the rhinoceroses as a metaphor for various destructive forces, such as totalitarianism, fascism, or simply the unthinking adherence to popular opinion. Bérenger's resistance, though seemingly futile, represents a fight for human reason and integrity in the face of overwhelming societal pressure. The dialogue is often nonsensical and fragmented, reflecting the breakdown of communication and logic. The ending leaves Bérenger alone, seemingly the last human, defiant against the growing herd of rhinoceroses. Rhinocéros has been interpreted in many ways, reflecting anxieties about political and social movements of the 20th century and continuing to resonate with audiences today.