Gyan Deep Sr. Sec.

School
Class-XII (English)
Ch.1 The Last Lesson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Alphonse Daudet was a French short-story writer and novelist, now remembered
chiefly as the author of sentimental tales of provincial life in the south of France. He
was born on May 13, 1840 at Nimes in France. He was the son of a silk manufacturer.
In 1849 his father had to sell his factory and move to Lyon. Alphonse wrote his first
poems and his first novel at age of 14. He died on Dec. 16, 1897 in Paris, France.

INTRODUCTION:
The last lesson written by Alphonse Daudet narrates about the year 1870 when the
Prussian forces under Bismarck attacked and captured France. The French districts of
Alsace and Lorraine went into Prussian hands. The new Prussian rulers discontinued
the teaching of French in the schools of these two districts. The French teachers were
asked to leave. Now M. Hamel could no longer stay in his old school. Still he gave the
last lesson to his students with utmost devotion and sincerity as ever... One such
student of M. Hamel, Franz who dreaded French class and M. Hamel’s iron rod, came
to the school that day thinking he would be punished as he had not learnt his lesson on
participles. But on reaching school he found Hamel dressed in his fine Sunday clothes
and the old people of the village sitting quietly on the back benches. It was due to an
order from Berlin. That was the first day when he realized for the first time that how
important French was for him, but it was his last lesson in French. The story depicts
the pathos of the whole situation about how people feel when they don’t learn their
own language. It tells us about the significance of one’s language in one’s life for the
very existence of a race and how important it is to safeguard it.

THE SETTING OF THE STORY (BACKGROUND)

The present story is set during the days of Franco – Prussian War (1870 – 18710) in
which France was defeated by Prussia led by Bismarck. At that time Prussia consisted
of Germany, Poland and some parts of Austria.
The French district of Alsace and Lorraine were captured by Germans. The new
master was to come the next day in a school in Alsace to teach German in place of
French. The story tells the effect of this news on the life at a school in Alsace.

THMES OF THE STORY

.“LINGUISTIC CHAUVINISM” “Chauvinism” is a devotion for or against
something, just based on what you feel (not necessarily what you may know). So,
Linguistic chauvinism is the idea that one’s language is superior to that of others.
‘The Last Lesson’ very prominently raises the question of linguistic and cultural
hegemony of the colonial and imperial powers and their lust for controlling the world
and influencing their cultures and identities. Linguistic chauvinism is the overt
preference for one language over others. Language is considered to be the cultural
identity of a particular group of people who use it. Hence, imposing some other
language on the people hammers their emotions and is a step to annex their
relationship with their culture. The language of any country is the pride of that
country. It not only defines the culture but also tells us about the people, literature and
history of other country. Language for some people is just the medium of
communication but for others it is the question of life and death. People of Lorraine
and Alsace are the victims of linguistic chauvinism. They are forced to learn German.
SUB THEME “The Last Lesson”, beautifully brings out the human tendency to
postpone the learning of things, feeling there is plenty of time to do so. It highlights
the point that people realise the importance of their mother tongue/national language
only when they are refrained from using it. We tend to take our language for granted.
It is only once we are refrained from using it, we realise how important it is for our
identity as a citizen of a particular country.
MAIN CHARACTERS:
The Last Lesson has two major characters: 1.Franz: Franz is the young French
student at a school in Alsace-Lorraine 2.Monsieur Hamel: school-master, who has
been teaching French in a school for 40 years The story has a few other very minor
characters: • Wachter: the blacksmith • M. Hamel’s Sister: who lives with Hamel •
Hauser: is an older gentleman
SUMMARY OF THE LESSON AT A GLANCE:
The Last Lesson is a first-person narrative whose speaker is a little boy named Franz.
The boy is a resident of Alsace-Lorraine district of France that has lately been
occupied by the Prussians. The setting is an unnamed town in Alsace, and the story
takes place near the beginning of the Prussian occupation of Alsace and Lorraine,
about 1873. Little Franz is the narrator of the story. Having gotten a late start on this
beautiful warm morning, Franz rushes to school. He is fearful that Monsieur Hamel
will scold him because he is late and has not prepared his French lesson on participles.
On his way to school, Franz passes through the town square, and in front of the town
hall he sees a small group of people reading notices posted on a Bulletin Board. These
are notices posted by the Prussians concerning orders issued from headquarters. While
Franz is running across the square, Wachter, the blacksmith, calls to him that there is
no need to hurry. Franz thinks that Wachter is teasing him. Out of breath, he arrives at
school. To his dismay, there is no noise or confusion to cover his entrance. Instead,
this day, there is the silence and stillness of the Sunday. Frightened and red-faced, he
enters the classroom; instead of giving Franz a harsh scolding, however, Monsieur
Hamel gently directs Franz to his seat. Once settled in his seat, Franz begins to notice
the differences that this day has brought. Monsieur Hamel is all dressed up in his
Sunday best, the clothes that he wears when prizes are given or on inspection days.
Franz’s classmates are especially solemn this day. Then his attention is drawn to the
back of the room, where villagers are seated, and to Hauser, there with his old primer
spread across his knees. He couldn’t understand until M Hamel announced the notice
which was served from Berlin that now onwards no French would be taught in
schools of Alsace and Lorraine, only German would be taught in the schools of these
two French cities and he emotionally requested students to be more attentive for their
last French lesson. Franz now realized that what was there on notice board in Town
Hall. These words of notice fell on Franz like a thunder clap. He couldn’t believe it
would be his last lesson that day. He was badly repenting that why he didn’t learn,
never paid attention to his lessons. He hardly knew how to read and write French. He
was repenting that instead of studying he would go for other pleasant activities. His
book that seemed always burden to him now to same appeared to him like old friends.
Even his thoughts for his teacher M. Hamel changed as he realized that he would
never see him again as it was his last day in the school. He forgot about his cranky
nature and his cruel ruler. Now he could realize that the teacher had worn this dress in
honour of his last lesson. He also understood why older people were present in class
as they were repenting why they never bothered to go to school and they were there to
show their respect to their teacher, who served them for forty years. When Franz’s
name was called to recite the lesson, he made mistake and could even speak few
words but M. Hamel did not scold him rather he preached him that one should not
waste his precious time just by living under the impression that there is plenty of time
and postponing the important things for next day. How would they feel when the
Germans will make fun of them that they were not able to speak or write the French
despite of being Frenchmen? Teacher did not put all blame on Franz, but he also
blamed the parents who never bothered to send their children to school to study,
instead they put their children to work on farms and in mill to earn extra money. Even
he blamed himself that he often would send his pupils to water his plants instead of
study at school and he would declare a holiday whenever he wanted to go for fishing.
Teacher further said about the French language that it was the most beautiful, clearest
and most logical language of the world. People should stick with their language it will
prove to be a key to their prison in case they are enslaved. A magic had happened that
day in class the students understood everything very well, because they were more
attentive and teacher was more patient and polite on that day. Finally, with a very
heavy heart, M Hamel stood up, he was very sad as he walked to the black board, took
a chalk and wrote on it “Vive La France” which means “Long Live France” and
declared the class was dismissed.

Conclusion of the Last Lesson Summary

The Last Lesson summary reflects on the importance of one’s language for any race and
why it is crucial to safeguard it.

Think-as-you-read Questions

1. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?

Ans. Franz was expected to be prepared with the lesson on ‘participles. His teacher,
M. Hamel, had announced an oral test on participles, but Franz didn’t know anything
about the rules of participles.
2. What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?

Ans. When he reached the school, Franz was surprised to find everything still and
quiet as if it was a Sunday morning. His teacher, M. Hamel, was dressed in his green
coat, frilled shirt and black cap he used to wear this formal dress only on special days.
Moreover, the last benches of the classroom were occupied by the village elders who
looked very sad.

3. What had been put up on the bulletin board?

Ans. An order from Berlin had been put up on the bulletin board. It stated that from
the next day only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine.
4. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in the school that day?

Ans. The order from Berlin created an atmosphere of dismay at the school.

Everything became quiet and still. Everyone was shocked and upset. The teacher, M.
Hamel, was highly depressed. He had put on his finest dress which he used to wear
only on special days. Some elders of the village also came to attend the class as a
mark of respect to their mother tongue and to the teacher.

5. How did Franz feelings about M. Hamel and school change?

Ans. M. Hamel was a very strict teacher. Franz didn’t like him and always wanted to
spend his time and outside and bunk his class.  But when he came to know that it was
going to be the last lesson French would no more be taught to them, he felt a great
love for the language and the teacher. He started understanding whatever M. Hamel
taught.

Understanding the Text

6. The people in this story suddenly realise how precious their language is to
them. What shows you this, Why does this happen?

Ans. People of Alsace and Lorraine were shattered and shocked to read the order that
came from Berlin As per this order French would no more be taught in schools. Only
German was to be taught. This order made them realise what they were going to miss.
Their basic right to learn the mother tangle was taken away from them. This evoked
patriotism and love for mother tongue in them. They were full of remorse and
regretted that they had not given importance to their mother tongue earlier.

As a mark of respect to their mother tongue and the French teacher, M. Hamel, the
eminent people of the village came to attend the last lesson of M. Hamel, Hauser had
brought an old primer. Even the little children were shocked. Franz who never liked to
learn the language found himself in a state of shock and suddenly started developing a
liking for the language as well as for his teacher.

7. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” What
could this mean?

Ans. This shows the patriotic fervour and love of French people for their mother
tongue. Even a small boy like Franz was very upset at the fact that he would be
deprived of his own language. He wondered if the pigeons would also be made to sing
in German. In fact, it is a remark on the hollowness of man’s authority. Man can exert
authority only on human beings, but not on nature.