The Last Lesson

- Alphonse Daudet

Alphonse Daudet (1840 – 1897)

Alphonse Daudet (born May 13, 1840, Nimes, France – died Dec. 16, 1897, Paris) French short-
story writer and novelist. Now he is remembered chiefly as the author of sentimental tales of
provincial life in the south of France. He wrote his first poems and his first novel at the age of 14.
Unable to finish his schooling after his parents lost all their money, he took a position in a duke‟s
household.

The Last Lesson is set in the days of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) in which France was
defeated by Prussia led by Bismarck. Prussia then consisted of what now are the nations of
Germany, Poland and parts of Austria. The synopsis of the lesson follows to have a quick review.

TEXT BOOK LESSON LINK

https://ncert.nic.in/textbook.php?lefl1=1-14

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 AUDIO LESSON LINK

Districts of Alsace and Lorraine

France 1870 – 1871

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 Mind Map

Villagers occupying M.Hamel dressed in

Silent Classroom
the last benches
his Sunday best

Bulletin Board
Discontinuation of
French Districts of Alsace
Teaching French in
and Lorraine have the provinces
passed into Prussian
hands
Franz and Villagers Forced to learn German
regret for not
learning the mother tongue

The loss of language; the

loss of freedom for
France

Highlights the human

Linguistic tendency to postponing the
Chauvinism learning of things - oblivious
Pain inflicted on the
to the fact that life is subject
people of a territory by the
to change.
conquerors

LINGUISTIC CHAUVINISM - AUDIO LINK

PLAY AUDIO

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 Synopsis of the lesson

The Story is narrated by Franz, a French boy. French districts of Alsace and Lorraine have passed
into the hands of Prussian. So Berlin has ordered that only German language should be taught
instead of French in the schools of these districts.

That day was the last day of their French lesson by M.Hamel, French teacher who has been there
for forty years. He was filled with grief, nostalgia and Patriotism. As a mark of respect to his hard
work, the village elders also attended his “last lesson”. All felt sad as they did not learn their
mother tongue properly when they were young.

Franz was shocked to know that that was his last lesson in French and regrets for not showing
interest in learning it. Suddenly he gets interest in learning it and understands everything was
taught on that day. He develops an instant liking for the teacher, M.Hamel and respects him for
his sincerity and hard work. He feels sad that M.Hamel will teach French no more.

Franz feels bad and ashamed for not being able to recite the lesson of participles. M.Hamel also
tells them that they all are at fault for not being eager enough to learn, and putting it off to the next
day. He blames himself for not teaching them sincerely.

M.Hamel, praised the French language as being the most beautiful and most logical language in
the world. He tells the class to guard their language “because when a people are enslaved, as long
as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to their prison”. He made them realise
the importance of learning their mother tongue.

Franz feels that it is impossible to take away one’s language from a person as it is natural to each
being, may it be the “coo” to the pigeons or “French” to the Frenchmen.

The lesson focuses on the pain that is inflicted on the people of a territory by its conquerors by
taking away the right to study or speak their own language and student-teacher attitudes to learning
and teaching.
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