Rhinoceros, and Other Plays Themes

This Study Guide consists of approximately 29 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Rhinoceros, and Other Plays.

Rhinoceros, and Other Plays Themes

This Study Guide consists of approximately 29 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Rhinoceros, and Other Plays.
This section contains 1,092 words
(approx. 3 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy the Rhinoceros, and Other Plays Study Guide

Rhinoceros as Allegory for the Rise of Totalitarianism

The symbolic and allegorical nature of Rhinoceros is immediately suggested by Ionesco's style of writing. The fact that the characters—and plot—are bizarre, exaggerated, and even surreal immediately detracts from their reality and forces the reader to instead reflect upon them in an abstract and general sort of way. The characters are seen less as concrete human beings and more as ideas or types and, therefore, the events which happen to them and the interactions that take place among them become commentaries on the ideas they embody.

The basic idea underlying the play is the nature and origin of totalitarian government. The basic totalitarian philosophy is presented in Act II, Scene II when Berenger watches Jean slowly morph into a rhinoceros before his eyes. Jean's philosophy is one which idolizes violence. According to it, when one wants something...

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This section contains 1,092 words
(approx. 3 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy the Rhinoceros, and Other Plays Study Guide
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