Resumo de Rhinoceros - Eugène Ionesco

Eugène Ionesco was a master of the stage genre, Theatre of the Absurd. In this piece of drama, he explores the themes of conformism, social norms, trends, and individualism through a series of bizarre and seemingly nonsensical events.Bérenger is the central character, seemingly lazy, careless, and completely unaware of social norms. He is criticised often throughout the play for his lack of attential to detail, his tardiness, and his alcoholism. However, as all the characters in the town start to turn into rhinoceroses, he is the only one left human and standing in the end.What is interesting is that he seems to be the only one with character. When the first rhinoceros appears, all figures in the play are sitting around in a café. Bérenger is in a discussion with his friend, Jean, a cultured gentleman, who lectures him about his habits and his lack of refinement and willpower to cultivate himself, which Jean assures Bérenger will help him win the affections of Daisy, a co-worker at his office. Though Jean appears to make a sensible and personal point, several discussions around the café, such as that of a logician with an old man, mirror the structure and progression of their dialogue, showing the like-mindedness of society.When the rhinoceros runs through town first, several townspeople echo in succession, "Oh, a rhinoceros!" and "Imagine, a rhinoceros!" Jean asks Bérenger to think about the origins of the rhinoceros and criticises him for not considering it an important question. Upon the second appearence of a rhinoceros, rather than addressing the issue and potential danger of one of two rhinoceroses running through town, Jean starts to argue with Bérenger about the origins and species of the rhinoceros, and whether there were one or two, and the entire town gets into a debate.Slowly, the characters begin to change, until only Daisy and Bérenger remain. Bérenger rejoices and tries to convince her to be strong, that they will remain together, holding out against the movement. However, Daisy begins to doubt, makes statements about her "ugly skin," and eventually joins the crowd. Bérenger is left alone.The irony is that Jean opened the play by criticising Bérenger's lack of will to stop drinking and to refine himself. In the end, it is his lack of attention to society and his will that keep him human. To characters like Jean and Daisy, cultivation and willpower are only tools to help them become "shiny objects" in society. Their refinement make them attractive, and their lack of bad habits keep them guilt-free and free of responsibilities. Bérenger, on the other hand, had the desire to stay true to humanity and hold out for Daisy. But he spends the last scene regretting being alone; he grunts and stomps around his apartment, trying to change and to join, but he fails. He stood up, but what does he win? Can man truly survive alone?

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