I have had this book for a year or two. However, while watching a video by the YouTuber ContraPoints that references Rhinoceros, I decided to move it further up to the front of my reading list.

Rhinoceros itself is an absurdist exploration of civil inattention. It shows how destructive cultural movements can spread throughout a community, while the general public pretends to be ignorant of what is happening. The play vividly portrays the power of conformity and the ease with which people can be influenced by the crowd.

The other two plays in this collection are also quite hilarious. They offer critiques of mindless leader worship and the oppressive ideologies that persist in heteronormative households. However, they don't quite reach the same level of satisfaction as Rhinoceros in their analysis and commentary.

Overall, this collection of plays provides an interesting and thought-provoking look at various social and cultural issues. It challenges the reader to question their own beliefs and behaviors and to be more aware of the world around them.

The play "Rhinoceros" is truly an engaging and surreal horror tale. It presents an epidemic of rhinoceros transformation that evolves into a strange nightmare filled with isolation, claustrophobia, and conformity. Ionesco's absurdist story, with its numerous satirical jabs, remains essential reading in 2024. In a world where pandemic denialism persists and fascism is resurgent, it holds great significance. It's difficult not to draw comparisons with Camus' "The Plague," both written after WWII and strongly influenced by French collaborators with the occupying Nazi forces. However, it's about more than that. The transformation that engulfs society and becomes irresistible is a powerful and unpleasant experience to immerse oneself in. I can envision this play being extremely powerful and humorous on stage. I would love to see it performed someday.

As for the other two works included in this collection, namely "The Leader" and "The Future is in Eggs, or, It Takes All Sorts to Make a World," they are short, absurd, and bitter satires of hero-worship and the Family. While both are entertaining, they lack the same depth as "Rhinoceros."

I like to pretend that absurdist theater is rather uncommon, but in reality, it probably isn't. Martin Esslin came up with the concept in his The Theatre of the Absurd. This book has, for some reason, entered our lives and our home in the past few months.

I've flipped through it several times and have been intrigued, yet I'm not ready to read what Esslin has to say until I've read some of the plays he references in his text. I've had a copy of Ionesco's Rhinoceros on my shelf for years, so it seemed appropriate to begin my exploration of absurdist theater and fiction with it.

At first, I thought the rhinoceros in the title would be a metaphor, similar to when people say, "There's an elephant in the room" to refer to a big issue that no one wants to face. But no. The play actually features a rhinoceros. There's only one at the beginning, but more do show up. Hence the absurdity of this play. The rhinoceroses do serve as a metaphor, so I was right about that. But I was startled by the actual existence of the pachyderm, and I found myself giggling, shaking my head, and thinking about how Lynchian the whole thing was. And then I started over.

My edition also had two other plays, short one-act pieces: The Leader and The Future is in Eggs or It Takes All Sorts to Make a World. I didn't enjoy either of them nearly as much as the title play, but I could also see their place in absurdist theater.

It is now a life goal of mine to find a stage production of Rhinoceros.

Rhinoceros is an extremely entertaining play. Its premise, in my opinion, holds just as much relevance today as it did in the 1960s. The concept presented in the play is thought-provoking and still manages to capture the attention of the audience. It makes us reflect on various aspects of society and human nature.

The other two plays in this collection, namely The Leader and The Future Is in Eggs or It Takes Two to Make a World, were considerably shorter. While they may have had their own merits, I didn't find them nearly as engaging as Rhinoceros. The brevity of these plays perhaps didn't allow for a deep exploration of the themes or for the characters to be fully developed.

Overall, Rhinoceros stands out as a remarkable piece of work that continues to resonate with audiences decades after its initial release. It is a play that not only entertains but also makes us think and question the world around us.

Classic surrealism

This play is truly and utterly strange, and it has a deeply disturbing quality. It's one of those works that defies easy description and classification. I don't think I really need to say much more about it, given its well-known status. It's a piece that has left an indelible mark on the world of theater and art.

I, for one, absolutely loved it. The way it plays with the boundaries of reality and imagination, the vivid and often disorienting imagery, all of it combines to create an experience that is both captivating and thought-provoking. It's a testament to the power of surrealism to transport us to a world that is at once familiar and yet completely alien.

Even now, long after I first saw it, it still lingers in my mind, a constant reminder of the limitless possibilities of the human creative spirit.

Thought this was a truly fantastic concept and story.

It had a certain charm and mystery that was very reminiscent of the classic "Twilight Zone" episodes.

The way the plot unfolded was both engaging and unexpected, keeping me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

The characters were well-developed and added depth to the overall narrative.

Each one had their own unique qualities and motives, which made them relatable and interesting.

The setting was also described in great detail, creating a vivid and immersive world that I could easily picture in my mind.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery or science fiction tale.

It had all the elements of a great story and left me wanting more.

I can't wait to see what else the author has in store for us.

In Ionesco's Rhinoceros, fascism is presented as a family affair. It诱人ly dangles career advancement, the perception of strength, intellectual might, and respectability in front of the most rational individuals. The goal is to make them desire to become a beast. Bad satire is often like a big, dull hammer. It simply applauds the good people and smears the bad. However, Ionesco manages to avoid this pitfall. He shows contempt for the pitiable while still maintaining pity for the contemptible. What they are doing is a choice, and it is bad, degrading, and bizarre. But they are still people, people who have chosen to become something less than a person. This is not the kind of wit that soothes or emptily mocks. Instead, it awakens and stirs, hopefully fast enough to make people realize the true nature of fascism and the choices that lead to it.

It forces us to confront the uncomfortable reality that even rational people can be lured into the clutches of something evil. Ionesco's work serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of remaining vigilant and not succumbing to the temptations that can lead us astray.

I actually found that I enjoyed the play "The Future is in Eggs" or "It Takes all Sorts to Make a World" more.

Although "Rhinoceros" adeptly discussed the issue of social conformity in the face of the rising tide of Nazism, I thought "The Future is in Eggs" was brasher and ridiculously wonderful.

The play's commentary on the issue of a pure race that is so focused on production that it becomes almost absurd was right on target.

It presented a unique and thought-provoking perspective on this topic, using humor and exaggeration to drive home its point.

The characters and their interactions added to the overall charm and entertainment value of the play.

Overall, I found "The Future is in Eggs" to be a more engaging and memorable theatrical experience.

Eugene Ionesco, born on November 26, was a remarkable playwright. His works were filled with dreams, visions, and the upending of conventions. He used the art of examination by shifting contexts, creating paradoxes and koan-like performances that served as riddle-tests of initiation.

Ionesco pursued a theatre of radical freedom, challenging us to live meaningfully. One of his major themes was Sartrean authenticity. He explored how identity can be falsified through multiplication, mass uniformity, and assimilative transformation, which he compared to a spiritual plague that robs us of our uniqueness and substance.

His works also dealt with the nihilistic horror of emptiness, similar to that of Samuel Beckett. However, this was balanced by a delight in wordplay and the humor of nonsequitors and reversed expectations. Ionesco loved to surprise his audiences.

A devotee of Alfred Jarry's mysticism and a friend of Andre Breton, Ionesco's dramatic innovations helped create the Theatre of the Absurd. He was also fully involved in the Surrealist project of transcending the illusion of the world. In dreams, he believed, we can approach the Infinite.

The quest for wholeness and liberation from the limits of material being was a secret tradition that connected Romantic Idealism and Surrealism. Ionesco's concept of Imaginative Truth was nearly identical to that of John Keats and referenced Coleridge's Primary Imagination.

His plays, such as Rhinoceroses and Exit the King, had deep meanings. Rhinoceroses was a magical ritual to bind and redirect the dark energies of Fascism and tyrannical authority. Exit the King was a Freudian death transcendence, a conjuration against nothingness, and a political allegory of the fall of a Platonic Republic.

Ionesco's works continue to be relevant today, challenging us to think about the meaning of life and the power of art.

Brilliant, quirky with unforgettable imagery. This description truly captures the essence of something remarkable. It could be a work of art, a literary masterpiece, or a unique experience. The brilliance shines through in its creativity and innovation, while the quirkiness adds an element of charm and individuality. The unforgettable imagery leaves a lasting impression on the mind, making it impossible to forget. It transports us to a different world, filled with vivid colors, strange shapes, and unexpected details. Whether it makes us laugh, cry, or simply think, it has the power to move us on an emotional level. This combination of brilliance, quirkiness, and unforgettable imagery is what makes something truly special and worthy of our attention.

I only read Rhinoceros, and it was truly remarkable.

It was not only extremely funny but also contained a significant amount of philosophy, strange logic, and a touch of Latin.

My favorite character in the play was the logician.

This is a part of the book that doesn't really give away much:

My favorite moment was when the logician said (not an exact quote) "Cats have four legs, your dog has four legs, therefore, your dog is a cat." I adored this because the logician was so inept at his job, which made the book hilariously entertaining.

Overall, it was an excellent read, and I definitely plan to explore the other two shorter plays as well.

I'm eager to see what other unique and thought-provoking content they have to offer.

I'm sure they will be just as engaging and enjoyable as Rhinoceros.

Ionesco cleverly and articulately makes his point.

His works are filled with characters that are comically absurd and yet, at the same time, highly telling.

These characters, through their outlandish behaviors and dialogues, manage to convey deep and profound messages about the human condition, society, and the absurdity of life itself.

Ionesco's use of the absurd as a literary device is masterful. He takes ordinary situations and twists them into something completely unexpected and hilarious, forcing the reader or viewer to question their own perceptions and beliefs.

His characters, such as the rhinoceroses in "Rhinoceros" or the bourgeois couple in "The Bald Soprano," become symbols of the various absurdities and contradictions that exist in our world.

By presenting these comically absurd characters, Ionesco challenges us to look beyond the surface and see the true nature of things. His works are not only entertaining but also thought-provoking, making us reflect on our own lives and the world around us.