2. AUTHOR INFORMATION
APLHONSE DAUDET (1840-1897) was a French novelist and
short story writer. The Last Lesson is set in the days of
Franco-Prussian War(1840-1871)in which France was
defeated by Prussia led by Bismark. Prussia then considered
of what now are the nations of Germany, Poland and the
parts of Austria.
The moral of the story is to never take your education for
granted. The Last Lesson is a potent tale with a modern
perspective that is woven into a straightforward narrative.
3. DETAILS OF PUBLICATION
THE LAST LESSON was originally published by ALPHONSE DAUDET .
In 1870 when Prussian forces under Otto van Bismark attacked and captured
parts of France. The historically French districts of Alsace and Lorraine were
governed by the Prussians. The new Prussian rulers discontinued the teaching
of French in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The story describes the day
when the new rules came into effect and depicts the stoicism of one teacher as
he deals with losing part of his identity.
4. LIST OF CHARACTERS
• Franz(The Narrator)- The narrator of the story, Franz is a young school boy in the
French region of Alsace-Lorraine in the nineteenth century.
• M.Hamel- The school master of a small village school in the French region of Alsace-
Lorraine.
• Old Hauser-Forces of the occupying Prussian power, which has invaded the French
region of Alsace-Lorraine and claimed it for Prussia (then consisting of Germany,
Poland, and parts of Austria)
• Prussian Soldiers- One of the elder villagers who gathers with the children in M.
Hamel’s classroom to hear the last lesson.
• Minor Characters (Watcher)-A blacksmith in a village in the French region of Alsace-
Lorraine. As he hurries to school, the narrator, Franz, passes Wachter standing in front
of the town hall bulletin-board
5. NARRATION TECHNIQUE
The ‘Last Lesson’ by Alphonse Daudet is mainly
about the longing to learn the mother tongue and
love for it. It has a sense of patriotism. In the ‘Last
Lesson’ the Prussians rejected the freedom of the
people of Lorraine and Alsace to learn their own
mother tongue and started forcing German onto
them.
6. SUMMARY
The last lesson is by the author Alphonse Daudet. In the Last Lesson summary,
the author narrates events about the year 1870 when France was captured by
Bismarck led Prussian forces. Furthermore, the Lorraine and Alsace districts
went under Prussian rule. There was the discontinuation of teaching French in
these two districts. There was an order for the French teachers to leave.
Consequently, M. Hamel was not able to stay in his old school. In spite of this,
the last lesson from him was full of devotion and sincerity. One student of M.
Hamel was afraid of him. There was an anticipation of punishment from this
student when he came to school that day. However, he learnt that this will be
his last lesson. Soon, he realized the importance of this subject. This story
shows us how people feel when they don’t learn their language.
7. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The Last Lesson’ is an intensely poignant story about
what it means to speak a certain language and how
closely one’s language is linked to one’s identity. The
story demonstrates how the linguistic chauvinism of one
race can lead to the enslavement of another and what
we as individuals can do to overcome such a challenge.
Themes of war, identity, linguistic chauvinism, uncertainty
and displacement are replete in the story.
8. CONCLUSION
The prose ‘The Last Lesson’ describes the year 1870 when the
Prussian forces (Prussia was then a European state that consisted
of Germany, Poland and parts of Austria) under Bismarck attacked
and captured two provinces of France, i.e., Alsace and Lorraine.
The new Prussian rulers discontinued the teaching of French in
the schools of these two districts of France. The French teachers
were asked to leave. The story describes the last day of one such
French class under Mr. M. Hamel. Mr. Hamel could no longer
remain in his old school. He gave his last lesson with utmost
devotion.
