2. About the Author
Alphonse Daudet(1840-1897) was
a French short story writer and novelist.
He is now remembered chiefly as the author
of sentimental tales of provincial life in the
south of France. He portrays human
emotions in a very realistic manner.
His chief works are ‘Sapho’, ‘Le Petit
Choose’, ‘In the Land of Pain’ and ‘The Last
Lesson’.
3. An Introduction
The story covers the times when French
districts of Alsak and Lorraine were taken over
by Prussia
The language German was imposed on French
people.
People were deeply shattered.
They realized what they lost.
4. The Town Hall Scene
Large Bulletin Board.
Crowd gathered around the bulletin board.
Bulletin board supplied all bad news from the Last two years:-
Franz thought What could be the Matter now????
Blacksmith-watcher working with his Apprentice calls on “Don’t go
so fast bub; you’ll get to your school in plenty of time!”
-Lost Battles
-the Drafts
-the orders of Commanding Officer
5. The little boy Franz
Little Franz is Late for School.
He was Supposed to prepare with Participles.
He wasafraid of his strict teacher M. Hamel.
M. Hamel would question him on Participles so he
was Tempted to skip the school.
Prussian Soldiers were drilling.
Day was warm and bright with Open Field and
Sawmill.
Resisted Temptations and hurried of to School.
6. The School Scene
No usual commotion
Everything as quiet as Sunday morning
No noisy class room
No rapping of teacher’s ruler on the
table
No regular bustle
No opening and closing of desks…
7. M.Hamel’s Changed behavior
Franz expected he would get inside the class amidst commotion.
The children were already at their places. M.Hamel roaming
with his terrible ruler.
When Franz asked permission contradictory to hius expectation
he wasn’t being scold instead M.Hamel said Kindly-”Go to your
place little Franz, we were beginning without you”
Franz noticed that M.Hamel dressed differently with a
beautiful green coat and a little black silk cap all embroidered.
8. The back benches which generally remain empty, were occupied by the village
people which include the former mayor the former post master and many
others.
They all looked sad and brought their old Primary books to pay tribute to
M.Hamel for his 40 years of sincere service.
M.Hamel in his grave and gentle tone announced that “Mychildren, this is
thelast lesson I shall give you. The order has come from Berlin to teach only
German in the school’s ofAlsace and Lorrain. This isyour last French Class. I
wantyou to be very attentive”
Franz realized what was put on the bulletin-board.
Regretted the he did not know his mother-tongue. Repented of not taking
his lessons seriously.
M.Hamel’s Announcement
9. M. Hamel brought new copies for all
To give it all a new start.
On copies one had to practice handwriting.
It was written in beautiful round hand—
‘It looked like little Flags floating every where in the
school room, hung from the rod at the top of our desks’
Everyone set to work, every thing was quiet, only sound
heard was the scratching of pen over the paper.
France, Alsace, France, Alsace….
10. M.Hamel ready to leave
M.Hamel’ s Sis ter moving in the room above the
classroom, packing trunks for they must leave the
country the next day.
M.Hamel could not face the people and his students ,
something choked him from speaking, so he turns to the
board and writes as large as could…
VIVA LA FRANCE
LIVE LONG FRANCE
11. M.Hamel’s Announcement
The back benches which generally remain empty, were occupied by the village
people which include the former mayor the former post master and many
others
They all looked sad and brought their old Primary books to pay tribute to
M.Hamel for his 40 years of sincere service.
M.Hamel in his grave and gentle tone announced that “Mychildren, this is
thelast lesson I shall give you. The order has come from Berlin to teach only
German in the school’s ofAlsace and Lorrain. This isyour last French Class. I
wantyou to be very attentive”
Franz realized what was put on the bulletin-board.
Regretted the he did not know his mother-tongue. Repented of not taking his
lessons seriously.
12. Conclusion
M.Hamel, a true learner and instructor of the French
language takes his final class as the Germans have
decreed that from the next day onwards, the
schools would only teach German and not French as
their curricula. Hamel regarded French as the
world’s most beautiful, clearest and most rational
language. On his last day of class, he does not rebuke
his students for not being able to answer correctly
but instead mentions that it is a collective effort to
keep the glory of the mother tongue alive.
