The Last Lesson

By Alphonse Daudet
Setting
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.
Characters
1. Franz: A school student.
2. M Hamel: A teacher of French language
3. Class: Consists of some students and some elderly people of the village.
4. Old Hauser: An elderly villager
5. Sister of M Hamel
Brief 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 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.

Main points

● Franz is afraid of going to school as he has not learnt participles.

● He wants to enjoy the beauty of nature. The bright sunshine, the birds chirruping
in the woods, Prussian soldiers drilling but resisted.
● Bulletin board:all bad news, lost battles, the drafts and orders of the commanding
officers: wondered what it could be now
● The changes he noticed in the school.
– Instead of noisy classrooms everything was as quiet as Sunday morning
– The teacher does not scold him and told him very kindly to go to his seat
– The teacher dressed in his Sunday best.
– Villagers occupying the last benches- To pay tribute to M. Hamel for his 40 yrs
of sincere service and also to express their solidarity with France.
 ● M. Hamel made the announcement that that would be the last French lesson; Franz
realized that that was what was put up on the bulletin board.
● Franz realizes that he does not know his own mother tongue
● Regretted why he had not taken his lessons seriously.
● Also realizes the reason why the teacher was dressed in his Sunday best and
villagers sitting at the back.
● M. Hamel realizes that all three, the children , the parents and he himself are to be
blamed for losing respect and regard for the mother tongue.
● Always keep the mother tongue close to your heart as it is the key to the prison of
slavery.
● Atmosphere in class: teacher teaching sincerely and patiently, students and others
studying with utmost sincerity.
● Franz wonders sarcastically if Prussians could force pigeons to coo in German.
● M. Hamel, overcome with emotions, could not speak and wrote on the black board
“Long Live France”.
●
About the Characters
Franz He is a sensitive and honest schoolboy who accepts his fault of ignoring his lessons.
M Hamel He is a sincere and strict teacher of the French language, who is passionately patriotic.
He breaks down at the end of his last lesson.
Franz is Reluctant to go to School
Franz started for school very late that morning. His French teacher, M Hamel, had announced
that he would question the class on participles. Poor Franz did not know even a single word
about them and was afraid of a scolding from his teacher. It was a bright sunny day and for a
moment Franz thought of running away and spending the day outside. The chirping of birds
and the marching of the Prussian soldiers was much more tempting than the rules of
participles. However, Franz was able to fight the temptation and hurried off to school.

M Hamel’s Strange Behaviour

When Franz reached the school, he was very surprised to find that everything was quiet. Usually,
when the school began, there would be a great commotion and activity. Franz had often counted
on the commotion to get to his desk unnoticed. But, that day everything was as quiet as it was on
a Sunday morning. Franz noticed that all of his classmates were already in their seats and M
Hamel was walking up and down with his iron ruler under his arm.
What surprised and confused him more was that, instead of scolding him, M Hamel spoke very
kindly to him and told him to take his seat.

Franz Notices Many Unusual Things at School

After Franz had calmed down, he noticed that M Hamel was wearing a special attire, which he
wore only on special occasions. The whole school was so strange and a seriousness prevailed in
the atmosphere. But what surprised and confused him most was to see the village people sitting
quietly on the back benches. They all looked very sad.

The Order from Berlin

Franz was still wondering as he observed the changes around him, when M Hamel mounted on
his chair and made the dreadful announcement. He told the class that it was their last French
lesson.
The order had come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine and
he would be leaving the school the next day. These words were a shock to little Franz.. He
regretted not having learnt his lessons when there was still time.
Now, he will never be able to learn them. He had wasted his precious time away from the class,
engaging himself in useless activities like seeking bird’s eggs, going sliding on the Sarr river and
so on. His books, which were a nuisance to him, suddenly felt like old friends. His feelings for
his teacher too started changing.
The thought that M Hamel was going away and Franz would never see him again, made him
forget all about how cranky M Hamel was. Franz was feeling very sorry for him. It was in
honour of his ‘last lesson’ that he had put on his fine clothes, and the village people had gathered
there to express their gratitude towards him, and to show their respect for their country and their
language.
M Hamel Criticizes Himself and the People of Alsace
M Hamel criticized the people of Alsace for their habit of putting off learning for some time in
the future. He blamed their parents for not taking interest in their studies. He also blamed himself
for this. Often, he sent the students to water his plants or gave them a holiday when he had
wanted to go fishing.

Importance of Mother Tongue

M Hamel then talked about the French language. He called it the most beautiful, the clearest and
the most logical language in the world. He wanted the people of France to treasure their
language. According to him, whenever the people of a particular nation are enslaved, as long as
they are attached to their language, it is as if they have the key to their prison.

The Last Lesson

M Hamel opened a grammar book and taught them their last lesson. Franz was amazed to see
how well he understood everything. Franz thought that probably he never paid much attention in
the class and that M Hamel had never explained everything with so much patience. After that
they had a lesson in writing.
M Hamel had brought new copies for them that day. Everyone was immersed in their work. Even
the little children sitting in the class were tracing their fish hooks, as if that was French too.

The Final GoodBye

All this while, M Hamel sat motionless in his chair. Franz thought that M Hamel wanted to
imprint this classroom scene in his mind. For 40 years, he had given his faithful service to the
school and now his sister was packing their stuff. All this must have been really heartbreaking
for him. Finally, they had a lesson in history.
Everybody became emotional towards the end; some even started crying, but M Hamel had the
courage and patience to hear every lesson to the last. Finally, as the church-clock struck twelve,
M Hamel stood up. It was very evident that he had become emotional too. He tried to speak, but
choked.
Then he turned to the blackboard and wrote as large as he could ‘Vive La France!’ which means
‘long live France’. He then dismissed the class, signaling everyone to leave.

Questions and Answers

Q.1.What was the mood in the classroom when M. Hamel gave his last French lesson?
(Delhi 2009)
When M.Hamel was giving his last French ; lesson, the mood in the classroom was solemn and
somber. When he announced that this was their last French lesson everyone present in the
classroom suddenly developed patriotic feelings for their native language and genuinely
regretted ignoring their mother tongue.
Q.2.What had the narrator counted on to enter the school, unnoticed? (Delhi 2010)
The narrator (Franz) had counted on the hustle and bustle that was usual when the school began
in order to enter there unnoticed. He had thought he could depend on the commotion to get to his
desk without anybody noticing that he was late for the class.
Q.3.“This is your last French lesson.” How did Franz react to this declaration of M.Hamel?
(Delhi 2010)
When M.Hamel declared that it was their last French lesson a grim realization dawned on Franz
that he had so much more yet to learn. He felt sorry for wasting his time and skipping his
lessons. Now he did not want to part with his books, which he had earlier
considered a nuisance. He was also deeply pained at the thought that M.Hamel was leaving.
Q.4. “What a thunderclap these words were to me!” Which were the words that shocked
and surprised little Franz? (Delhi 2010)
When M.Hamel mounted the chair and announced that he was there to teach his last French
lesson that day, Franz was shocked and surprised. He felt very guilty for deliberately ignoring to
learn his native language and he suddenly developed a strange fascination for his language and
his school.
Q.5. Who did M.Hamel blame for the neglect of learning on the part of boys like M Franz?
(Delhi 2011)
Mr. Hamel blamed various people for different reasons for neglect of learning on the part of boys
like Franz. First he blamed the parents for not being anxious to have their children learn and
rather engage them into household work. He blamed the boys themselves for preferring to work
on mills and farms. He also blamed himself for sending boys on errands for his convenience.
Q.6.What did M. Hamel tell the people in the class about the French language? What Did
he ask them to do and why? (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
M. Hamel told the people in his class that French was the most beautiful, the clearest and the
most logical language in the world. He advised them to guard it among themselves and never to
forget it because it would prove to be the key to their prison when they were enslaved.
Q.7.What changes did the order from Berlin cause in the school? (Delhi 2012)
The shocking order from Berlin that only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and
Lorraine saddened and hurt the pride of the French people. So as a gesture to express their
solidarity for their language the village elders also attended school for the last French lesson. The
usual hustle and bustle was missing from school and it was unusually quiet. M. Hamel was also
dressed in his formal suit which he wore only on special occasions.
Q.8.Everybody during the last lesson is filled with regret. Comment. (All India 2015)
The one common feeling that fills each and every person who is present in the last French lesson
is an acute sense of regret. M. Hamel reproaches himself for putting off his students’ learning till
the next day and sending them to water his flowers instead of learning their lessons. He also gave
his students a holiday when he wanted to go fishing. Franz felt sorry for not learning his lessons
and escaping school. He wished he had attended his classes more often and even the thought of
losing his teacher saddened him. The village elders occupied the back benches of the class to
atone for their guilt and express their regret for not having attended school regularly. They were
now showing their respect for the country that was theirs no more.
Q.9.Our language is part of our culture and we are proud of it. Describe how regretful
M.Hamel and the village elders are for having neglected their native language, French.
(Delhi 2016)
The feeling of regret for having neglected their native language, French, comes quite late to M.
Hamel and the village elders. They realize rather late that their language is part of their culture
and they should be proud of it. It is only after they have been deprived of learning their language
that they understand its value. The imposition of German language made them suddenly realize
the authority of their captors and they felt a loss of freedom. So on the day of the last French
lesson the village elders are seated on the back desks and M. Hamel, who had been teaching
French at the school for the last forty years, was wearing his formal suit as a mark of respect for
the last French lesson. M. Hamel expressed how they all had a great deal to reproach themselves
for as most of the people of Alsace could neither speak nor write French. Parents preferred to put
their children to work on farms or mills. M. Hamel regretfully said how he himself sometimes
sent his students to water his flowers instead of learning their language lessons. While delivering
the last lesson M. Hamel called upon his students and the village elders to guard the French
language among themselves, declaring it to be the most beautiful language in the world. Each
one of them felt guilty for having ignored the French lessons.
UNSOLVED QUESTIONS
Q.10. What was unusual about M. Hamel’s dress and behavior on the day of his last French
lesson? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Q.11.What had been put up on the bulletin board? (Delhi 2011)
Q.12.Who did M.Hamel blame for the neglect of learning on the part of boys like Franz? (Delhi
2011)
Q.13.“But the thing that surprised me most was to see ” What surprised Franz most in the class?
(Comptt. All India 2013)
Q.14.Who were sitting on the back benches during M. Hamel’s last lesson? Why? (Comptt.
Delhi 2014)