THE LESSON ANALYSIS (DRAMA ASSIGNMENT)

The Lesson Drama Analysis

By: Siti Sulastri Ependi

NIM A320080354

Kelas I

A.      The Character and Characterization

There are 3 Characters in this comic drama:

1.    The Professor aged 50 to 60

The professor, between fifty and sixty years old, who tutors individual pupils for their “total doctorate” examinations. During a session with a young female student, he is meek at first. He becomes more intense and authoritarian as the lesson advances. Eventually, he becomes irrationally, even absurdly, angry, psychopath, disallowing any interruptions of his barrage on philology, the old man grows increasingly excited. First, he attacks the student using language as a tool of dominance, power, deception, and, in the end, violent cruelty. Finally, he loses all.

2.    The young pupil, aged 18

The Pupil (Amy Loughton) was taking over-acting to new heights and was duly concerned. However, as the play progressed Loughton masterfully portrayed the deterioration of The Pupil’s enthusiasm for the lesson and her increasing pain at being in the presence of The Professor. I soon realized this over-acting was actually the exaggeration inherent to absurdism.

3.    The Maid, aged 45 to 50

The Maid (Julia Munrow) is very faithful alright to accompany the professor, hyperbolic character, and psychopath.

B.      Setting place and time.

·      Setting: in the professor’s house (in dining room) and inside the house the maids, silhouetted in a green light, deliver the lesson in an endless stream of words, rendered at speed above the sound of tearing paper.

·      Time: morning.

C.      Language style

The author using connotation Example:

·      The author using diction “somnolent“ not “sleepy”. The word “somnolent” means by “sleepy”.

·      The author using diction “satchel” not “bag”. The word of “satchel” means by “bag”.

D.      Plot the story

       The play takes place in the office and dining room of a small French flat. The Professor, an elderly man of about 50 to 60, is expecting a new Pupil (aged 18). The third character is the Professor's Maid, a stout, red-faced woman of about 40 to 50, who is always worrying about the Professor's health. As the lesson progresses, the Professor grows more and more angry with (what he perceives as) the Pupil's ignorance and the Pupil becomes more and more quiet and meek. At the climax of the play, the Pupil is murdered by the Professor, after a long bout of non sequiturs (which are frequently used in Ionesco's plays). The play ends as a new Pupil is greeted by the Maid.

E.       Conclusion

The conclusion of comic drama is representing the relationship between man versus society. Because this comic drama tells relationship between people, they are the relation between the professor, the young pupil, and the maid. The professor become irrational, arrogant, and authoritative since his pupil gains nothing from her lesson. Finally, the professor murdered his pupil which helped by his maid.