About Rhinoceros

Here is an excerpt of an article on THREE PLAYS OF THE ABSURD found on Theatre History.com
There will be a link below if you would like to read the rest of the article.


Rhinoceros was originally produced on January 25, 1960, at the Odéon under the direction of Jean-Louis Barrault. It is considered by many to be Ionesco’s finest play, and has been identified by Martin Esslin as one of the masterpieces of the Theatre of the Absurd. A film adaptation of Rhinoceros appeared in 1973 starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder.

Ionesco's primary purpose in writing Rhinoceros was not simply to criticize the horrors of the Nazis, but to explore the mentality of those who so easily succumbed to fascism. What was it that allowed them to rationalize away their free thought—to subvert their own free will? What traits in the individual allow him to be snowballed by general opinion? Why is it necessary to believe the same thing that everyone else believes? In the play, characters repeat ideas and theories they have heard others repeat. At first, everyone is horrified by the violent beasts, but once other people, especially authority figures, collapse in the play, those remaining find it easier and easier to justify the metamorphosis. By the play’s end, even the violence and atrocity of the rhinos is being praised for its simplicity and beauty.

Rhinoceros is usually interpreted as a response to the sudden upsurge of fascism during the events preceding World War II, and explores the themes of conformity, culture, and morality. In an interview in Le Monde (January 17, 1960), Ionesco himself says, “I have been very much struck by what one might call the current of opinion, by its rapid evolution, its power of contagion, which is that of a real epidemic. People allow themselves suddenly to be invaded by a new religion, a doctrine, a fanaticism…. At such moments we witness a veritable mental mutation. I don’t know if you have noticed it, but when people no longer share your opinions, when you can no longer make yourself understood by them, one has the impression of being confronted with monsters—rhinos, for example. They have that mixture of candour and ferocity. They would kill you with the best of consciences.”

You can see the rest of the article here:
Rhinoceros - Critical Analysis
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An excerpt form Spark Note on 'symbolism'

The rhinoceroses are a blunt symbol of man's inherent savage nature but, to Ionesco's credit, the articulation of this idea deploys slowly throughout the play: the first rhino causes no apparent damage; the second one tramples a cat; later ones destroy more property and Jean-as-rhinoceros attacks Berenger. They represent both fascist tyranny and the absurdity of a universe that could produce such metamorphoses. These ideas crystallize into one question: how could humans be this savage, allowing the barbarity of World War II Nazism? Ionesco answers this in a variety of ways. He equates the epidemic of the metamorphoses with the ways the ideals of Nazism can infect the unconscious minds of individuals. Yet the rhinos become more beautiful and humans more ugly by the end of the play. They are beautiful, however, because of their brute strength and power; true beauty, as Berenger demonstrates when he finally decides to fight the rhinos and save humanity, lies in moral strength.
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So, since the 'White Australia Policy' is my focus (or whatever) I think that the rhinoceros should be a ghostly pale white to symbolize the racist policy as also being doomed to defeat - after all, Berenger does stop it from completely taking over (for he is still left remaining). But regardless of its fate, the rhinoceros (or the policy) was still aggressive and domineering throughout the play.

10/5/11

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Last night, I typed in 'controversial white' into Google images to see what I could find. And these are the pictures:

I don't anything about the film 'Blacking Up', but I thought that this might be the attitude of Berenger at the end of the play - the reason why he doesn't give-in to the Rhinoceros. What if Berenger, at the end, is like, "Society needs to 'black up'" - yeah, I know - random.

The white gown Lady Gaga is wearing just reminded me of the whole cult-KKK thing. She is really white in this outfit. White gown, blonde-white hair, white face paint/makeup. This is the kind of thing I'm looking for for my Rhinoceros - except, less KKK looking and replace the human head for a rhinoceros head.

Much like this picture below, except that this is a grey costume.

Apollinaire Theatre, Rhinoceronte, directed by Danielle Fauteux

I would like my rhinoceros to be dressed in the fashion of the period (which I haven't chosen yet) in a ghostly pale white (maybe powdery). I would like the actors to be painted or powdered in white to look ghostly.

This picture here also caught my eye. I, again, know nothing about the film (or whatever it is), but I like the words, "Angels are black & White"
What does this mean? I took it as, white people AND black people are good people - very much the opposite of the attitude and opinion of white European settlers in Australia in the 1700s.
But this could also mean that there are good angels and bad angels. Can you guess which is which??  ->

<- I like this poster/program of Rhinoceros because of its contrast of black and white. But if I were to use this for my production, I would have the colours inversed, because my Rhinoceros is white - symbolizing how white people took over the country that did not belong to them.

I also like this poster/program here ->
because it shows exactly my idea of white people dominating the black people (Aborigines, to be specific).
14/5/11
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