Rhinoceros: 5 stars

I have just finished reading this play from the collection and I must say it was an absolute delight. The story of Rhinoceros is filled with depth and complexity, exploring themes such as conformity, individuality, and the power of the herd mentality. The characters are well-developed and their interactions are both engaging and thought-provoking. The dialogue is sharp and witty, adding to the overall charm of the play. As I continue to read more plays from this collection, I am excited to see what other gems I will discover. I will definitely be updating this review as I progress through the collection. I highly recommend Rhinoceros to anyone who enjoys thought-provoking and entertaining theatre.

Rhinoceros, Ionesco's most renowned play (at least in America), remains highly entertaining. It's almost akin to a zombie story, yet it contains numerous little cues (often contradictory) regarding the kinds of meta-textual targets that the audience (or perhaps the author?) has in mind. These include governments, totalitarians, colonialists, liberals, conservatives, capitalists, and so on. When the entire world has undergone a transformation, does it make sense to take pride in remaining steadfast and ugly?

The other two plays in this collection are relatively minor works. The Leader is entertaining enough, lambasting the kind of political apparatus that has only deteriorated since the play was written. And The Future Is in Eggs is a blunt satire on racism, conventional love, and systems of (re)production. It offers a thought-provoking exploration of these themes, challenging the audience to question their own beliefs and attitudes.

This is an absurdist play about the gradual transformation of the entire population of a small French town into rhinoceroses.

From the perspective of form, it is a class act, not adhering to the norm, very ironic, witty, and of course, absurd. From the perspective of content, it is so cool that one doesn't even want to write anything, for fear of spoiling the potential satisfaction of decoding for anyone with spoilers and one's own thoughts. There were two other plays in the book: The Leader and The Future Is In Eggs or It Takes All Sorts To Make A World, but their presentation styles are very similar to Ionesco's, so it's better not to mention them.

Ionesco 1 : 1 Kafka.

I am both confused and completely blown away by this.

I had absolutely NO expectations about this play going into it. In fact, the only reason I read it was because it was sitting on my shelf and I randomly picked it as I was in the mood for a play tonight. Well, to my great surprise, this play was truly amazing and has officially become one of my new personal favorites.

So, what exactly is so good about this play? Let's find out.

The story is incredibly bizarre, wacky, and wonderful. It is literally like Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" on steroids, and I was completely absorbed in every single second of it. I could not be more addicted to this story even if I tried. The characters were perhaps a little weaker, but I will still remember Berenger and Jean for a while. I really enjoyed their characters. However, the thing that blew me away the most was the writing. I ADORED IT. It was literally in Beckett's insane writing style, but unlike him, I actually had a somewhat clear idea of what was going on. The way Ionesco's characters speak is just incredible. Is it at Shakespeare levels of great dramatic lines? No. However, it was exactly what it needed to be and so much more. I also found this book to be HILARIOUS. I was laughing so hard that I had to pause the performance I was watching just to catch my breath. I loved the writing style.

Now, if I were to point out one flaw in this book, it would be the fourth and final scene.

Not saying this scene is bad; in fact, I kind of liked it. But it was not as strong in terms of the story as the first three scenes were. I just thought Berenger's character went a little sour here from a writing standpoint. However, this scene is still pretty good, just not as amazing as the beginning and middle.

So overall, I loved "Rhinoceros." It was a hilarious, bizarre, and terrific play that exceeded my expectations by a whole lightyear. I thought I was not going to really enjoy this play, but alas, I ended up loving it. However, much like "The Crucible" and "Waiting for Godot," this is a VERY acquired taste. You need to have this absurd sense of humor to truly see its brilliance. You have to switch your mode to Monty Python funny instead of Internet funny to love this play. So, if you are able to obtain and love this type of bizarre humor and story, then I can HIGHLY recommend it. I loved it!

I am giving this one a 4 out of 5 stars.

This is not only hilarious but also absurd and terrifying, which makes it truly awesome.

It is a play that everyone should read. It has earned its place in my "must read" trilogy of existentialist philosophy/absurdist drama.

The trilogy consists of "Waiting for Godot" by Beckett, Albee's "The Zoo Story," and this remarkable piece.

The combination of humor, absurdity, and terror in this play creates a unique and captivating experience for the reader.

It challenges our perception of reality and forces us to question the meaning and purpose of life.

Each of the plays in this trilogy offers a different perspective on the human condition and the search for meaning in an absurd world.

By reading this play, along with the other two, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complex and often confusing nature of existence.

So, don't miss out on this amazing work of art. Add it to your reading list and prepare to be entertained, enlightened, and perhaps even a little bit scared.

Is the rhinoceros some sort of metaphor or no?

The rhinoceros is a magnificent and powerful creature. It has long been a subject of fascination and wonder.

Some people may see the rhinoceros as a metaphor for strength, power, and resilience. Its massive size and tough exterior can symbolize the ability to withstand challenges and overcome obstacles.

On the other hand, the rhinoceros is also facing numerous threats in the wild, such as habitat loss and poaching. This could lead some to view it as a metaphor for vulnerability and the need for conservation.

In literature and art, the rhinoceros has been used in various ways to convey different meanings. It can represent a wild and untamed force, or it can be a symbol of beauty and grace in the animal kingdom.

Whether or not the rhinoceros is a metaphor depends on the context and the perspective of the observer. It can be a powerful symbol that evokes a range of emotions and ideas.

It's extremely challenging for me to envision myself as a well-versed theatre enthusiast in the early 1960s when Rhinoceros and the other plays in this collection were initially staged.

The allusions to collaboration with Nazis in France and Romania, presented as extreme manifestations of conformity, must have been far more palpable back then.

Rhinoceros achieved a certain degree of popularity, luring renowned actors such as Laurence Olivier, Joan Plowright, and Maggie Smith, under the direction of Orson Welles, to its 1960 London production, and Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Jean Stapleton, and Zero Mostel to the 1961 Broadway production, for which Mostel was awarded a Tony.

If you choose to read these plays or watch a production, I highly recommend conducting a substantial amount of background research beforehand.

I failed to do so, and I couldn't rid myself of the sensation that I was witnessing extended Monty Python skits in my mind.

It wasn't entirely unpleasant, but I had the distinct impression that I was overlooking a great deal.

I have a deep affection for absurdist theatre.

Absurdist theatre is a unique and captivating form of artistic expression. It challenges our traditional notions of logic and reality, presenting a world that is often chaotic, illogical, and filled with unexpected twists and turns.

The plays in this genre typically lack a linear narrative and instead focus on the exploration of human existence, the meaninglessness of life, and the absurdity of the human condition.

The characters in absurdist theatre are often eccentric and larger-than-life, their actions and dialogues bordering on the ridiculous. This, however, is precisely what makes absurdist theatre so engaging and thought-provoking.

By presenting a world that is so different from our own, absurdist theatre forces us to question our own beliefs and values, and to look at the world from a new and different perspective.

In conclusion, I love absurdist theatre because it offers a fresh and unique take on the human experience, and because it has the power to make us laugh, cry, and think all at the same time.

Weird, wild, and wonderful stuff indeed!

'Rhinoceros' is such a fascinating and thought-provoking play. The idea of seeing it brought to life on stage in a live staging is truly exciting.

Imagine the energy and atmosphere that would fill the theater as the actors embody the characters and bring the story to fruition. The unique and often absurd situations presented in the play would surely come alive in a whole new way, captivating the audience and leaving them with a lasting impression.

A live staging of 'Rhinoceros' would offer a chance to experience the play in a more immersive and immediate manner. The visual and auditory elements, combined with the talent of the actors, would create a truly unforgettable event. It would be a wonderful opportunity to witness the power of live theater and be transported into the strange and wonderful world of 'Rhinoceros'.

Re-reading the work Rhinoceros in high school, I still find myself deeply enjoying the unique sentiment and radical ideas that emerge from the Theatre of the Absurd.

This particular piece of literature offers a thought-provoking exploration of human nature and society. The absurdity presented within its pages challenges our conventional ways of thinking and forces us to question the norms and values that we often take for granted.

The characters' transformation into rhinoceroses symbolizes the loss of individuality and the conformist tendencies that can prevail in a society. It serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of maintaining our own identities and not succumbing to the pressures of the crowd.

Moreover, the Theatre of the Absurd's style, with its lack of traditional plot and character development, adds to the overall impact of the work. It allows the reader to engage with the ideas on a deeper level and form their own interpretations, making the experience both intellectually stimulating and emotionally engaging.

In conclusion, Rhinoceros continues to be a captivating and relevant work that offers valuable insights into the human condition. Its exploration of the absurd and its ability to make us question our world make it a must-read for anyone interested in literature and the human experience.

Every single one of these 5 stars is for the phenomenal Rhinoceros.

It is an absurd and surreal piece of work that is wonderfully energetic.

The story seems to blend elements of Kafka and Ionesco in a unique and captivating way.

It's as if Kafka, Ionesco, and a rhinoceros walk into a bar and create a literary chaos that is both entertaining and thought-provoking.

The vivid descriptions and unexpected twists keep the reader engaged from start to finish.

It makes you question the nature of reality and the absurdity of our existence.

After finishing this book, I can't wait to pick up the next one.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys experimental and boundary-pushing literature.

It's a must-read for fans of Kafka and Ionesco, as well as anyone who is looking for something new and exciting in the world of literature.

So, go ahead and give it a try. You won't be disappointed!

So, to start with, I'm not a die-hard Ionesco enthusiast. In fact, I'd go as far as to say I'm not a fan at all. However, I do have an admiration and a soft corner for Rhinocerous. It's a highly creative and scathing satire that delves into the themes of conformity and how a population can be overrun or even wiped out from within.

The ending of Rhinocerous is quite interesting. Depending on how one interprets and portrays it, Berenger can be seen either as a hero or a fool. I really like this ambiguity. The play makes it evident that our perceptions of right and wrong, beautiful and ugly, true and not true, change and shift over time as popular opinion gains momentum or fails to maintain its grip on the population as a whole. Without a doubt, Rhinocerous is my favorite among Ionesco's works.

The other two plays in the collection, The Leader and The Future Is In Eggs, are a bit more ordinary. The Leader is fun and silly, and with a lively cast, it could be an entertaining watch. Fortunately, it's also quite short. On the other hand, The Future Is In Eggs is precisely what I don't like about Ionesco. It's heavy-handed and overly long, to the point where by the time you reach the end, you're already eager for it to be over.