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The Last Lesson Author

Alphonse Daudet

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 the age of 14. He died on Dec. 16, 1897, in Paris, France.

The Last Lesson 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.

The Last Lesson Characters

1. Franz: A school student.

2. M Hamel: A teacher of the French language

3. Class: Consists of some students and some elderly people in the village.

4. Watcher: a blacksmith

5. Old Hauser: An elderly villager

6. Sister of M Hamel

7. School: An Elementary School in District Alsace in France

The Last Lesson 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 learned 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 backbenches. 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.

The Last Lesson Word Meanings

Dread = fear

Drilling = parading

Apprentice = trainee, a learner

Bub = boy

Primer = a small book for learners

Nuisance = something annoying or causing trouble

At one stroke = all at once

Trumpets = horn-like wind instruments

Vive La France = Long live France

Gesture = sign/ movement

Dismissed = closed

The Last Lesson Summary

The author narrates about 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 the 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 learned his lesson on participles in grammar. But on reaching school, he found Hamel dressed in his fine Sunday clothes and the old people of the village sitting quietly on the backbenches. Everyone was sad. One of the persons sitting there was old Hauser, who had even brought an old primer which he thumbed at the edges. He held it open on his knees.  Franz wondered when suddenly M. Hamel mounted his chair and announced that it was their last French lesson as the order had come from Berlin that only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. Franz was shocked to hear this, and suddenly those books which had seemed a burden became very dear to him. He regretted not having learned his lessons. Now he understood why Mr. Hamel had put on his Sunday clothes and why the villagers were attending the class that day. It was their way of thanking the master for his commendable service of forty years and showing respect for their country.

When the class started, Franz heard his name being called out to recite the rules of the participles, which he could not do as he got stuck on the first word. He felt very disgusted with himself at his failure to do so. Mr. Hamel said he wouldn’t scold him for he was feeling so bad about it. Everyday learning had been postponed to the next day, and now there was no time left to learn. He further said that people would mock them for calling themselves French, although they couldn’t speak or write their own language. Further, Mr. Hamel says many parents preferred sending their children to work rather than school. Then he confesses that he was to blame because he had often given a holiday when he wanted to go fishing. Mr. Hamel said that French was the most beautiful language in the world. It was the clearest and most logical. He then opened the book and explained a grammar lesson to them. Franz was surprised at himself, for he understood the lesson very well. Also, Mr. Hamel explained the lesson more patiently than ever. It almost seemed as if, in one go, he wanted to give them all that he knew.

All the children worked seriously and quietly. Mr. Hamel makes people realize the importance of the mother tongue. While the class was doing their writing assignment, M. Hamel sat motionless in his chair, staring at everything as if he wanted to remember how everything looked in that little schoolroom. Since M. Hamel had started school forty years ago, nothing had changed except the desk and chairs had worn off, and the trees had grown taller. At twelve, they could hear the Prussians returning from the drill. Overcome with emotion, M Hamel went to the blackboard and wrote Vive La France (Long Live France). He then leaned against the wall and dismissed the class with a gesture.

The story is a wake-up call for those who keep postponing things endlessly. Something like this happened with the natives of Alsace. They had to forego learning their mother tongue. In the same vein, the story extrapolates the fact that war makes man inhuman and insensitive to the feelings of others.

The Last Lesson Summary in Hindi

लेखक वर्ष 1870 के बारे में बताता है जब बिस्मार्क के तहत प्रशियाई सेना ने फ्रांस पर हमला किया और कब्जा कर लिया था। अल्सास और लोरेन के फ्रांसीसी जिले प्रशिया के हाथों में चले गए। नए प्रशिया शासकों ने इन दोनों जिलों के स्कूलों में फ्रेंच पढ़ाना बंद कर दिया। फ्रांसीसी शिक्षकों को छोड़ने के लिए कहा गया था। अब एम हमेल अपने पुराने स्कूल में नहीं रह सकते थे। फिर भी, उन्होंने अपने छात्रों को हमेशा की तरह पूरी निष्ठा और ईमानदारी के साथ अंतिम पाठ दिया।

एम हामेल के ऐसे ही एक छात्र, फ्रांज जिन्होंने फ्रेंच क्लास और एम हेमल की लोहे की छड़ ने डराया था, उस दिन स्कूल में यह सोचकर आया था कि उसे दंडित किया जाएगा क्योंकि उसने Participles  के बारे में अपना सबक नहीं सीखा था। लेकिन स्कूल पहुँचने पर उसने पाया कि हेमल ने अपने शानदार कपड़े पहने और गाँव के पुराने लोग चुपचाप बैचेनी से बैठे थे। हर कोई दुखी था। वहाँ बैठे व्यक्तियों में से एक बूढ़ा होसर था जिसने एक पुराना प्राइमर भी लाया था जिसे  वह गंभीरता से पढ़ रहा था। उन्होंने इसे अपने घुटनों पर खुला रखा। फ्रांज आश्चर्यचकित था जब अचानक एम हेमल ने अपनी कुर्सी पर चढ़कर घोषणा की कि यह उनका आखिरी फ्रांसीसी सबक था क्योंकि बर्लिन से आदेश आया था कि केवल एल्स और लोरेन के स्कूलों में जर्मन पढ़ाया जाएगा। फ्रांज यह सुनकर हैरान रह गया और अचानक उन किताबों पर जो बोझ सा लगने लगा था, वह उसे बहुत प्रिय हो गई। उसे अपने सबक न सीख पाने का पछतावा था। अब उन्हें समझ में आया कि मिस्टर हैमेल ने अपने रविवार के कपड़े क्यों पहन रखे थे और गाँव वाले उस दिन क्लास में क्यों जा रहे थे। यह चालीस साल की उनकी सराहनीय सेवा के लिए गुरु को धन्यवाद देने और अपने देश के प्रति सम्मान दिखाने का उनका तरीका था।

जब कक्षा शुरू हुई, तो फ्रांज़ ने अपना नाम सुना, जिसमें वह भाग लेने के नियमों को सुनाने के लिए बुलाया गया था, जिसे वह करने में असमर्थ था क्योंकि वह पहले शब्द पर अटक गया था। ऐसा करने में अपनी विफलता पर वह खुद से बहुत निराश महसूस करता था। मिस्टर हामेल ने कहा कि वह इसके बारे में इतना बुरा महसूस करने के लिए उसे नहीं डांटेगा। हर दिन सीखने को अगले दिन के लिए स्थगित कर दिया गया था और अब सीखने के लिए समय नहीं बचा था। उन्होंने आगे कहा कि लोगों द्वारा खुद को फ्रेंच कहने के लिए उनका मजाक उड़ाया जाएगा, हालांकि वे अपनी भाषा न बोल सकते हैं  न लिख सकते हैं। इसके अलावा, मिस्टर हामेल का कहना है कि कई अभिभावकों ने भी अपने बच्चों को स्कूल की तुलना में काम करने के लिए भेजना पसंद किया था। फिर वह कबूल करता है कि वह भी दोषी था, क्योंकि जब वह मछली पकड़ने जाना चाहता था, तो कई बार उसने छुट्टी दी थी। श्री हैमेल ने कहा कि फ्रांसीसी भाषा दुनिया की सबसे सुंदर भाषा है। यह सबसे स्पष्ट और तार्किक था। फिर उन्होंने किताब खोली और उन्हें व्याकरण का पाठ समझाया। फ्रांज़ ने खुद को आश्चर्यचकित कर दिया क्योंकि उसने सबक को बहुत अच्छी तरह से समझा। इसके अलावा, मिस्टर हैमेल ने सबक को पहले से कहीं अधिक धैर्यपूर्वक समझाया था। यह लगभग ऐसा लगता था जैसे एक बार में वह उन सभी को देना चाहता था जो वह जानता था।

सभी बच्चों ने गंभीरता और संयम से काम लिया। मिस्टर हैमेल लोगों को मातृभाषा के महत्व का एहसास कराता है, जबकि क्लास उनका लेखन कार्य कर रहा था, एम हैमल अपनी कुर्सी पर बैठकर सभी चीजों को घूर रहे थे जैसे कि वह यह याद रखना चाहते थे कि उस छोटे से स्कूल में सब कुछ कैसा दिखता था। चूंकि एम हमेल ने चालीस साल पहले स्कूल शुरू किया था, इसलिए मेज और कुर्सियों के अलावा कुछ नहीं बदला था और पेड़ लंबे हो गए थे। बारह बजे वे सभी प्रशिया को ड्रिल से लौटते हुए सुन सकते थे। इस भावना से उबरने पर, एम हेमेल ने ब्लैकबोर्ड पर जाकर लिखा, विवे ला फ्रांस (लॉन्ग लाइव फ्रांस)। वह फिर दीवार के खिलाफ झुक गया और इशारे से कक्षा को खारिज कर दिया।

कहानी उन सभी लोगों के लिए एक वेक-अप कॉल है, जो लगातार चीजों को स्थगित करते रहते हैं। कुछ ऐसा ही हुआ अल्लेस के मूल निवासियों के साथ। उन्हें अपनी मातृभाषा सीखने से गुजरना पड़ा। उसी तरह से, कहानी इस तथ्य को उजागर करती है कि युद्ध मनुष्य को दूसरों की भावनाओं के प्रति अमानवीय और असंवेदनशील बनाता है।

Translated by Google

The Last Lesson Summary in points

1. Franz fears attending school as he has not learned participles.

2. He wants to enjoy the beauty of nature – the bright sunshine – the birds chirruping in the woods – Prussian soldiers’ drilling but resists.

3. On reaching school, Franz notices unusual silence – Villagers occupying the last benches – teacher well dressed – everybody looks sad.

4. M. Hamel announces: Today is the last lesson in French.

5. Franz regrets and realizes why he had not taken his lesson seriously.

6. Understand the reason why the teacher is well dressed, and villagers are sitting at the back.

7. M. Hamel realizes that all three, himself, the children, and the parents, are to be blamed for losing respect and regard for the mother tongue.

8. Hamel says the French language – is the most beautiful, clear, and logical language in the world. Always keep the mother tongue to your heart, as it is a key to the prison of slavery.

9. Hamel becomes emotional and writes on the blackboard, “Vive La France.”

10. Franz remembers the last lesson very well.

The Last Lesson Questions and Answers (2 Marks)

Q1. What was Franz expected to be prepared for the school that day?
 
Ans. Franz was expected to be prepared with participles that day for school, as Mr. Hamel said he would question them on participles.

Q2. Why was Franz tempted to play truant from school?

Ans. The French teacher M Hamel was going to ask questions on participles which Franz had not prepared. To avoid being scolded, he was tempted to play truant from school and spend the day outdoors in a pleasurable manner.

Q3. What had been put up on the bulletin board?

Ans. Franz had a negative view of the bulletin board as only bad news had come from it for the last two years. That day was no exception, as Germans had put up an order passed from Berlin on the bulletin board to teach only German in the school of Alsace and Lorraine.

Q4. What was unusual about the school that Franz noticed when he entered the school?

Ans. On entering the school, Franz noticed that there was an unusual silence. There was no noise of opening and closing of desks. The village elders had occupied the last benches that were always empty. M Hamel was in his very fine Sunday clothes. Everybody looked sad.

Q5. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?
 
Ans. The order from Berlin caused some changes in the school that day. The entire school seemed strange and solemn. The old villagers were sitting on the backbenches of the classroom quietly to thank M. Hamel for his forty years of faithful service and for showing their respect for the country. M Hamel also had put on his best dress on that day though it was not an inspection or prize day. The order from Berlin also brought a sense of repentance for those who, in spite of having time, didn’t learn French properly.

Q6. How did Franz’s feelings about M. Hamel and school change?
 
Ans. Earlier, Franz didn’t like M. Hamel much because of his ruler and cranky nature, and he would feel fear of him, but now all those feelings have entirely changed for M. Hamel. The message conveyed by M Hamel about the order from Berlin was a thunderclap for little Franz. He immediately felt sorry for not being sincere in the school and for not learning the French language and other lessons properly. His books were now Franz’s old friends, which seemed a nuisance and a burden earlier.

Q7. What reasons did M Hamel give for their lack of interest in learning French?

Ans. The lack of interest in learning French was:
(a) due to the parents who wanted their children to work on a farm or at the mills to earn,
(b) due to the students who were reluctant to learn and often put off the lesson for the next day
(c) and due to himself, he asked them to water the flowers and gave them off when he had to go fishing.

Q8. Why doesn’t M Hamel want the people to forget French?
 
Ans. M Hamel wanted them not to forget French as it is the most beautiful, clear, and logical language in the world, and as long as they hold fast to their language, it would be as if they had the key to the prison.

Q9. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” What could this mean?
 
Ans. The Frenchmen were highly patriotic and took pride in their language. A strong feeling of revolt was in the air against the Germans. It shows that Franz did not accept their rule and thought they couldn’t tame pigeons.

Q10. What did M Hamel say about the French language?
 
Ans. M Hamel said that the French language was the world’s most beautiful, clearest, and logical
language, and therefore it should be guarded and not be forgotten by them. He also added that love with one’s own language can be proven as the key to the prison for enslaved people.

Q11. Why did villagers come to school that day?
 
Ans. The old men of the village came to the school that day to thank M Hamel for his forty years of faithful service. They also came to show their respect for the country that was theirs no more.

Q12. How did Franz find teaching and learning that day?
 
Ans. Franz found teaching and learning very interesting that day. He was very attentive and careful. Franz also realized that M Hamel had never explained everything with so much patience. It seemed almost as if the poor man wanted to give them all he knew before leaving. As it was their last lesson, M Hamel wanted to put it all into their heads in one stroke.

Q13. Describe how M Hamel conducted the last lesson.
 
Ans. In his last French class, though, M. Hamel was emotional. He fully involved himself in the teaching-learning process. He heard every lesson to the last, sitting motionless in the chair. When the church bell struck twelve, he stood up pale and wrote ‘Vive La France’, and with a gesture, he communicated that the school was dismissed.

The Last Lesson Questions and Answers (6 Marks)

Q1. How did M. Hamel react when Franz failed to recite the rules for the participles?
 
Ans. Franz’s name was called to recite the rules for the participles. But he got mixed up on the first word. He was standing there, holding on to his desk, his heart beating and not daring to look up. But M. Hamel instead of scolding told Franz that he must feel bad enough. He said that every day we think that we have plenty of time and we will learn it tomorrow. And now you see where we have come out by putting off learning till tomorrow. Now those fellows out there will have the right to say to you, “How is it; you pretend to be Frenchman, and yet you can neither speak nor write your own language?”

Then M Hamel told Franz that only he was not to be blamed. His parents were not anxious enough to have him learn. They preferred to put Franz to work on a farm or at the mills, so as to have a little more money. M. Hamel blamed himself for it also. He said that quite often he had been sending Franz to water his flowers instead of learning his lessons. And when he wanted to go fishing, he would just give him a holiday.

Q2. What does M Hamel tell about the significance and safeguarding of the French language? How does he conclude his last lesson?
 
Ans. M Hamel said that French was the most beautiful, clear, and logical language in the world. They must guard it among them and never forget it because when the people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to their prison.

Then M. Hamel opened a grammar book and read the students their lesson. All he said seemed so easy. He had never explained everything with so much patience: After the grammar, they had a lesson in writing. M Hamel had new copies for the students, written in a beautiful round hand: France, Alsace, France, Alsace. He had the courage to hear every lesson to the very last. It seemed almost as if he wanted to give us all he knew before going away and put it all into their heads at one stroke. He wanted to say something, but he could not go on. Then he turned on the blackboard, took a piece of chalk and wrote “Vive La France!” Lastly, he said: “School is dismissed—you may go.”

Q3. What impression do you form of M Hamel on the basis of your study of the story “The Last Lesson”?

Ans. M. Hamel is an experienced teacher who has been teaching in the school for forty years. He imparts primary education in all subjects. He is a hard taskmaster and students like Franz, who are not good learners, are in great dread of being scolded by him.

The latest order of the Prussian rulers upsets him. He has to leave the place forever and feels heartbroken. He feels sad but exercises self-control. He has the courage to hear every lesson to the last.

His performance during the last lesson is exemplary. He is kind even to a latecomer like Franz. He uses a solemn and gentle tone while addressing the students. He has a logical mind and can analyze problems and deduce the reasons responsible for it. The problem for Alsace is that it puts off learning until tomorrow.

He knows the emotional hold of a language over its users. He is a good communicator and explains everything patiently. Partings are painful and being human, M. Hamel too is no exception. He fails to say good-bye as his throat is choked. On the whole, he is a patriotic gentleman.

Q4. Franz’s attitude towards school as well as towards M. Hamel changes when he comes to know about the takeover of his village by Prussians. Do you agree? Discuss with reference to the ‘Last Lesson’.
 
Ans. The orders from Berlin to take over the village where Franz lives have been pasted on the school notice board. Only the German language would be taught in the schools and French teachers had to go. Franz felt sorry for not learning his lessons in French anymore. His books that had seemed such a nuisance a short while ago, which he found so heavy to carry, seemed to him old friends. His feelings about his French teacher M Hamel Were changed. He decided to pay attention to the lesson. The school became very important for him. The idea that the teacher was going away, genuinely upset Franz who became too serious for history and grammar. I fully agree with it as one has to take one’s deeds seriously when he feels the loss of it.

Q5. Give a brief description of M Hamel.
 
Ans. M Hamel was a very devoted, dedicated, and a strict man of discipline. Students were afraid of his cranky nature and iron ruler. He was a true patriot and a sincere teacher who dedicatedly served the school for long forty years. The heart of this true Frenchman totally broke when he received the order from Berlin to vacate his place to make the space for a new German teacher. He remained upset during his last class. This changed his behavior too and he behaved rather very politely and patiently. When Franz was not able to say his lesson correctly, he, instead of scolding him, just made him understand the importance and relevance of learning the mother tongue. He preached everyone presented in the class that important things should never be postponed as time flies very fast.

Q6. What is linguistic chauvinism? Is it possible to carry pride in one’s language too far?
 
Ans. Linguistic chauvinism means an aggressive and unreasonable belief that your own language is better than all others. This shows excessive or prejudiced support for one’s own language. Sometimes pride in one’s own language goes too far and the linguistic enthusiasts can be easily identified by their extreme zeal for the preservation and spread of their language. In their enthusiasm, love, and support for their own language, they tend to forget that other languages too have their own merits, long history of art, culture, and literature behind them. Instead of bringing unity and winning over others as friends, having excessive pride in one’s own language creates ill-will and disintegration. The stiff resistance to the acceptance of Hindi as a national language by the southern states of India is a direct outcome of the fear of being dominated by Hindi enthusiasts. The result is that “one India” remains only a slogan.

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