Rhinoceros

E494281

"Rhinoceros" is a landmark absurdist play by Eugène Ionesco that explores themes of conformity and totalitarianism through a surreal story in which people in a small town transform into rhinoceroses.

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All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Rhinoceros canonical 5

Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf play
theatrical work
adaptation English-language stage adaptations
film adaptation "Rhinoceros" (1974)
author Eugène Ionesco NERFINISHED
centralCharacter Bérenger NERFINISHED
character Botard NERFINISHED
Bérenger NERFINISHED
Daisy NERFINISHED
Dudard NERFINISHED
Jean NERFINISHED
The Logician NERFINISHED
countryOfOrigin France
criticalReception considered a landmark of absurdist theatre
dramaticConflict individual versus collective
reason versus irrationality
dramaticDevice metamorphosis of humans into animals
dramaticStyle allegorical
satirical
surreal
firstPerformanceDate 1959
firstPerformancePlace Düsseldorf NERFINISHED
genre Theatre of the Absurd NERFINISHED
absurdist drama
hasSubject dehumanization under ideology
social pressure to conform
inspiredBy Ionesco’s experience of totalitarian ideologies
rise of fascism in Europe
languageOfFirstPublication French
literaryPeriod 20th-century drama
mainTheme conformity
loss of individuality
mass hysteria
resistance to oppression
totalitarianism
movement Theatre of the Absurd NERFINISHED
notableProduction Royal Court Theatre production in London
originalLanguage French
plotElement inhabitants of a town transform into rhinoceroses
setting small provincial town
structure three-act play
studiedIn modern drama curricula
symbolism rhinoceros as symbol of fascism
rhinoceros as symbol of herd mentality
themeExploredThroughCharacter Bérenger as figure of individual resistance
timePeriodOfSetting contemporary to time of writing

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Eugene Ionesco notableWork Rhinoceros
Javan rhinoceros genus Rhinoceros
Ceratotherium relatedTo Rhinoceros
Indian rhinoceros genus Rhinoceros