Episode in the life of an author - One Act Play

Author: Jean Anouilh

One of the most popular French dramatists since World War II, Jean Anouilh {ah-noo-ee'}, born on 23 rd June, 1910
in Bordeaux, was sometimes called a mere entertainer. He is the most esteemed contemporary French dramatist.
One of the giants of the modern theatre, his plays have been translated into many languages and produced all
over the world.

Choreography and music are often integrated into his plots; yet a seriousness and a pessimistic view of life lie
beneath his farce and caricature. His protagonists usually reject compromise--and thus life. The result is either
death or a retreat into illusion that becomes untenable. Happy resolutions are patently like fairy tales. His lovers
are usually confronted by insurmountable money problems because one is poor and the other wealthy. He is a
subtle, witty and sardonic writer.

Anouilh's collected works are color titled after the dominant mood of each. His two collections of Pieces noires, or
black plays, include Eurydice (1941), which is a modernization of the Orpheus legend, and Antigone (1944), an
immensely popular and frequently performed modernization of Sophocles' play set in World War II France. It
stresses the grim choice between practical compromise and unbending idealism. The best of the pink, or lighter,
plays are Thieves' Carnival (1938; Eng. trans., 1952) and Time Remembered (1939; Eng. trans., 1955). The witty
pieces brillantes, or glittering plays, include Ring Round the Moon (1947; Eng. trans., 1950), Colombe (1951; Eng.
trans., 1952), and The Rehearsal (1950; Eng. trans., 1961). The pieces grincantes, or grating plays, return to the
caustic earlier mood and include four devastating comedies: Ardele (1949; Eng. trans., 1959), The Waltz of the
Toreadors (1952; Eng. trans., 1956), Ornifle (1955; Eng. trans., 1970), and Poor Bitos, or The Masked Dinner (1956;
Eng. trans., 1963).

Episode in the life of an author is an excellent example of his individualistic style that is eminently entertaining
and irresistibly theatrical. It is humorous in its absurdity and its challenges the traditional notions of plot,
character development and resolution of conflict. It has characters who enter, leave and enter again as they seek
order in their lives from the art of author. They seem depended on him to rescue them for the turmoil of their
lives. Some are green with envy of the earlier character which the author created because they live in a play they
have ordered. In this sense, they want him to write a story of their lives and, indeed, the play can be seen as the
struggle an author goes through as a piece is written. It is as absurd drama.

The play has thirteen characters and requires little by way sets and costumes except false noses for everybody. It
is an experimental play.

The language is simple and readily accessible to everyone. It challenges our ideas of order in the world and in our
everyday lives. The play authenticates the view that the primary function of the theatre is entertainment.

The theatre of the Absurd

The theatre of the Absurd is an experimental theatrical style which came into prominence after World War II in
the woks of writers such as Samuel Becket, jean Genet etc. Many absurdist plays contain grotesque (ugly) and
ludicrous (comical) elements. By the term ‘Absurd’ as applied to this moment carries the sense given to it by the
thinkers. All these writers feel that man is “Out of Harmony” and man always finds himself in exile in a
meaningless universe. The term ‘Absurd’ is also applied to the modern sense of human purposelessness in the
universe without meaning or value.

The “Theatre of the Absurd” is a term coined by Hungarian-born critic Martin Esslin, who made it the title of his
1962 book on the subject. The term refers to a particular type of play which first became popular during the 1950s
and 1960sand which presented on stage the philosophy articulated by French philosopher Albert Camus in his
1942 essay, The Myth of Sisyphus, in which he defines the human condition as basically meaningless

One of the most important aspects of absurd drama is its distrust of language as a means of communication.
Language, it seems to say, has become nothing but a vehicle for conventionalized, stereotyped, meaningless
exchanges. Dr. Culik explains, “Words failed to express the essence of human experience, not being able to
penetrate beyond its surface. The Theatre of the Absurd constituted first and foremost an onslaught on language,
showing it as a very unreliable and insufficient tool of communication. Absurd drama uses conventionalised
speech, clichés, slogans and technical jargon, which it distorts, parodies and breaks down. By ridiculing

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conventionalised and stereotyped speech patterns, the Theatre of the Absurd tries to make people aware of the
possibility of going beyond everyday speech conventions and communicating more authentically.”

Farce: A sub- genre of the “Theatre of the Absurd”; Farce is a type of comedy designed to provoke laughter. It
commonly employs highly exaggerated or caricatured types of characters, put tem into improbable and ludicrous
situation and makes use of broad verbal humour, physical bustle etc.

Summary
The author and his wife Ardele are having a furious argument at the beginning of the play. They appear in
dressing gowns early in the morning in the author’s study. The entire play takes in the author’s study. There are
thirteen characters in total. Everybody comes to the author, expecting him to do something about it. From the
beginning till the end we see the author in his dressing gown and he spends the entire time in his study.

The author and his wife Ardele have been married for twelve years. They seem to be arguing about a letter that
the author came across in the wife’s closet. The letter was addressed as “My own love” and the author accuses his
wife of having an affair. The author presumes that the letter must be written by a man because the letter seems to
address from a masculine perspective. She accuses the husband of rummaging through her drawers and her
cupboards, and humiliating her. Ardele tells her husband that she wants to go back to her mother; the author
reminds her that her mother died in 1922. Ardele accuses him of making her miserable by reminding of her
mother’s death. She even tells him that she will go and live with her illiterate sister. She tells him that he must be
happy to get rid if her, so that he can go and be unfaithful to her. Slowly, Ardele twists the situation to her
advantage and accuses him of waiting for an opportunity to have an affair.

The first visitor to the house is Madame Bessarabo, who has come from Rumania. She is a journalist and is
accompanied by a photographer. She has come to interview the author about his play La Marguerite and his
opinion of love. She assures him that she will be true to his words and will not betray him. La Marguerite was
staged in Rumania and had three successful shows. The press and the people were in unanimous agreement that
it was a great play. However, the press and the people also felt that the play was bit hard and that is why she
wants to know what the author thought of love. The author tells her that the title of the play is ambiguous.

The second visitors are the two plumbers. They have come to check the leak and repair the leak in the house.
They inform the author that they will check in the attic first and move down. After sometime, the maid comes in
to inform the author that the plumbers would like to cut off the water supply.

The caller is a woman, who calls over the phone. She has dialed the number Jasmine one two one two, and seems
to be looking for her ex-husband, Leon. She asks the author if he is Leon. The author replies that he is not. The
woman wants to talk to her husband regarding a flat. She wants him to look for a flat for her because she will
have to vacate her old place. The woman again calls the author the second time and enquires why her husband is
not on the line.

There is another caller and he is the author’s friend Gustave. He is a writer as well. It seems Gustave is having
difficulty coming up with an appropriate ending for his play. His play is about a woman with the boas, a
beautiful woman who falls in love with a man in a train. It seems Paul Zed, a producer has bought his play and
wants to make it into a movie. Liliane Tresor had agreed to play the part of a beautiful woman. On second
thought, the actress had refused because she does not want to die in the end. Moreover, the producer had asked
him to change the ending and make it into a happy ending. The friend is frustrated and says that since he is the
writer he can do what he likes with it. He says, “Is life supposed to be a picnic?” The author is busy with the
interview but the friend expects him to solve his problem.

There is another visitor and she is the author’s mother. The mother also appears bearing her problem and expects
her son to solve her problem. There is a bit of confrontation between the mother and the son. The mother wants
the author to look for a flat for her, since she may have to give up her old flat in case she loses the lawsuit. The
author makes his mother sit down and places a paper in her hands, and tells her that he has got lot of things to
do.

The author again talks to Madame B. He states that he believes in Love. Madame B is happy and immediately
wants to send a cable to Rumania. The two plumbers enter the room and check for any leak in the house. They

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move about the room in silence and leave through another door without speaking a word. The author states that
man is alone in the world.

The author’s friend Gustave calls again. Gustave tells the author about the new development with his play. It
seems Liliane Tresor; the actress has agreed to die of consumption and not of any other disease. But the objection
has come from the producer now. The producer does not want the actress to die; instead he wants the actress to
join a convent and become a nun in the end. The producer thinks that death would be a depressing ending. The
author again tells his friend that he is busy and occupied and to call him later.

The next visitor is La Surette. He is a tramp and an ex-soldier. Just a week ago, the author had given him seven
thousand francs. Now he has come with another demand. He wants a pair of boots, and money to pay for the gas
company. We are also made known that during the war; La Surette had helped the author. He had lent his
bayonet to the author in time for the parade as the author had misplaced his. Therefore, the author was saved
from being court martialled. On this small favour that La Surette had done to the author, he wants many more
favours from the author. The author refuses to give any more money to him, but on second thought helps him.

The woman calls again for the third time.

Ardele appears again to ask the author who will look after the cats when she’s gone. She has changed her clothes
into and outdoor one and is wearing an outrageous hat. She accuses the author of being heartless because he says
that the cats will be looked after by the maid. She tells him that she is leaving and that the cats are miaowing
because she is leaving.

There is another visitor to the author’s house. It is the housing inspector. He has come to check on the author. The
interview is still continuing when they are disturbed by the housing inspector. The housing inspector is wearing
black dress and informs the author that he has a requisition order for surplus accommodation. The housing
inspector keeps taking notes. He asks Madame B, if she is a family. She says no. The housing inspector writes
“Premises occupied by foreign émigrés”. He notices the photographer also and enquires if the photographer is
also one of the families. He furiously takes notes. After that he declares that the author will get tenant in his
house, brigadier with eight children. Ardele goes near the housing inspector and informs him that she is leaving
and he can send in some other families as well.

At that moment the mother interrupts. She has come across an advertisement about a flat and asks the author’s
opinion regarding the flat. When the housing inspector hears this, he again takes notes. The author tells his
mother to keep quiet. At that moment, La Surette interjects by saying that gas can wait but he needs the boots
immediately.

The housing inspector interrogates the author about the first floor, second floor and the third floor. The author
finishes telling the inspector that there is no third floor. At that moment, the plumbers come bounding in and tells
that the leak is in the two empty rooms on the third floor, and that it runs rights across some more rooms and
ends in a big room with toy solders. The inspector is excited and he goes up the stairs to check. The author is
dismayed when the inspector goes up the staircase.

La Surette again intervenes and tells the author how he had helped the author during the war. The author hurls
his boots to La Surette. La Surette immediately puts on the boots and talks about dignity.

The mother again bugs him about the flat.

Ardele accuses the author of having an affair and demands to know the name of the woman. The author is
confounded. He has no idea what his wife is talking about. She accuses her husband of looking for an excuse to
have an affair. She tells him “why should you choose today to discover I’m deceiving you unless you’re deceiving
me?” The author holds her arms and tells her to keep calm. She again shouts at him saying he is physically
molesting her.
La Surette again pokes his head through the door and asks the author what the author has decided about the gas.

The author tells everybody to keep calm. At that moment, the woman calls again. The author tells her that he is
Leon and why shouldn’t he be Leon. The woman tells him that she needs to look for a flat. Immediately he tells
his mother to talk to the woman about the flat. The mother talks to this woman on the phone. It is quite comical to

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see the two women talking. Both of them have no idea and there is so much of confusion. Each one thinks that the
other one has a flat. The mother is excited with the prospect of finding a flat and flies out of the door. When one
visitor leaves the
house, another comes in by the name of Gontran. Gontran is a giant of a man. He has come with some problems.
It seems he left his wife Lucienne three months ago for another woman. But now he is agitated because when he
calls up his wife, there is no response from his wife. He doubts that his wife must be having an affair. It is quite
comical see this giant man, crying for his wife. He says “She’s deceiving me, old man; she’s been deceiving me
ever since I left her!” .He begins to sob like a child and faints in the author’s arm.

Meanwhile, we see Ardele creating havoc with the vases in the house. She goes on a rampage, breaks down the
vases and pulls down pictures and laughs hysterically.

The author yells on the top of his voice saying “let’s be calm”.

His friend dials again and hangs up the phone in anger because the author tells him to call again later. He has
called again to tell the author about the brilliant ending he came up with.

As the author hangs up the phone, Ardele comes accusing him. She accuses him if he was talking to his girlfriend.
When the author goes into the kitchen, she calls up the telephone operator and enquires about the last caller. The
operator gives the woman’s number. Here is another comical scene. We hear Ardele talking to this unknown
woman and accusing her of trying to steal her husband. The woman in turn accuses Ardele of trying to steal her
husband. They go on accusing each other.

While the two women are fighting over the phone, we see the author dragging La Surette by the collar. The
author finds La Surette’s behavior with the maid disgusting. He shouts at the maid to stop crying. In the play, the
maid is seen crying from the beginning till the end. Now we know the reason for her crying. La Surette has not
only comforted, but has made the maid pregnant, and that is why the maid has been crying the whole time. The
author tries to calm down and tells everybody to keep calm.

At that moment Madame B reappears with her photographer. They were in another room the whole time. When
she sees the author in a state she thinks that the author has gone mad. Thus instructs her photographer to take his
picture. The author shouts at her to leave. But she refuses to do so, instead takes some more of the author’s
picture.

This inspector reappears and tells that the author has 12 rooms to spare. He tells the author that he will install one
brigadier and two new recruits in the author’s house. On top of that some old age pensioners will also be put in
the author’s house. The author keeps chanting “I am quite calm. Quite calm! I am becoming more and more calm”
Madame B takes some more of the author’s picture.

The plumbers reappear and shout that everybody has to take cover and take care of oneself. They say that they
have found the leak, but something has gone wrong and there is nothing they can do about it.

Water starts falling from the ceiling in a deluge. Everybody runs around in a panic. There is again another caller,
and it is the friend. He starts telling the author about the ending of his play. Meanwhile Ardele enters the room
carrying a pistol in her hand and starts shooting blindly. The author has to take cover not only from the water
cascading from the ceiling, but also from his wife’s bullet and at the same time trying to protect Gontran’s body.
The author interrupts by saying that he prefers a happy ending. The friend gets angry and shouts at the author
saying that a lot of water will flow under the bridge before her calls the author again. Ardele fires her last bullet
and screams. She is worried that she might have hit her husband. She falls into her husband’s arms and asks him
if he is hurt and faints in her husband’s arms. The woman calls again. The play ends when the ceiling crashes
onto the floor.

Comprehending the text: (Questions and Answers)

Q1. Explain the argument of the letter at the beginning of the play between the Author and Ardele?
Ans. The argument of the letter at the beginning of the play between the Author and Ardele was that the Author
was suspicious about a letter Ardele had received and he was saying that it was not from her sister but a man had
written it because at the end of the latter it was written ‘my own love’.

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Q2. What does Ardele say about her mother and sister?
Ans. Ardele said that the Author is trying to make her more miserable by reminding her that her mother is dead
and that she had nothing left in the world. But she said that her mother had left a house for her and her sister
(illiterate sister).

Q3. Where does she own a house in France? Who is the person living there now?
Ans. In France, she owns a house in One-Twenty-Two rues des Retailons in Saint-Male and that her sister is living
there now.

Q4. Who is Madame Bessarabo? Why does she visit the Author with the photographer?
Ans. Madam Bessarabo was a Rumanian Journalist. She visited the Author with the photographer to interview
the Author about his last play-‘La Marguerite’.

Q5. What subtle hint do we get from the title of the last play ‘La Marguerite’ about the Author’s concept of love in
the beginning?
Ans. The Author’s concept of love regarding the subtle hint in the title of the last play ‘La Marguerite’ was
‘Marguerite-I love you, I love you not, I love you, I love you not’.

Q6. Why did the plumbers visit the Author’s house?

Ans. The plumbers visited the Author’s house for repairing the leak.

Q7. What similar incident took place in Madame Bessarabo’s great uncle’s house?
Ans. In Madame Bessarabo’s great uncle’s house, there too was leakage and there was water all over the drawing
room.

Q8.What does the woman want over the phone?

Ans. Over the phone, the woman wanted to talk to Leon, her first husband.

Q9. Who is Moliere? Who is compared to Moliere’s heroines?

Ans. Moliere is a famous French dramatist (1622-1673). He wrote comedies and farces mostly. The maid is
compared to Moliere’s heroines.

Q10. What does Madame Bessarabo say about Rumanians?

Ans. Madame Bessarabo said that Rumanians are such great idealist. They believe enormously in sentiment.

Q11. What does Ardele refer as “oafish practical jokes”?

Ans. Ardele “oafish practical jokes” refers to the act of the plumbers’ cutting off water ( instructed by the author)
as she was taking shower.

Q12. How does the Author define love to Madame Bessarabo during their interview?
Ans. During their interview, the author defined love, like the marguerite, has leaves or rather petals.

Q13. Who is Gustave?

Ans. Gustave is a friend of the Author.

Q14. What is the story of “The woman with the Boas”?

Ans. The story of “The Woman with the Boas” is about a madly beautiful, woman who meets a man in a train and
falls in love with him.
Q15. Who agreed to enact the role in Gustave’s film?
Ans. Liliane Tresor agreed to enact the role in Gustave’s film.

Q16. What does Liliane Tresor refuse to Gustave?

Ans. Liliane Tresor agreed to enact the role in Gustave’s film but she refused to die at the end.

Q17. Why did the Author’s mother call him immediately?

Ans. The Author’s mother called him immediately because she wanted to know about the apartment and she had
to let them have her answer by this morning.

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Q18. What does the Author’s mother say about her son’s married life with Ardele?
Ans. Regarding the Author’s married life with Ardele, Author’s mother said that if only, he had a different wife
then she could come and live with him.

Q19. How does Liliane Tresor agree to die in the end?

Ans. In the end, Liliane Tresor agreed to die by consumption.

Q20. How does Paul Zed like to end the film?

Ans. Paul Zed wanted to end the film by Liliane Tresor turning religious and going into a convent as it would
make it sell better in Canada and the Channel Islands.

Q21. Who is La Surette? How is La Surette related to the Author?

Ans. La Surette was a tramp and former colleague of the Author. When the Author and La Surette were in the
army, La Surette saved the Author from being court-martialled the time he mislaid his bayonet.

Q22. What does he demand from the Author?

Ans. La Surette is demands a pair of boots and money for his gas connection.

Q23. What does the Author comment about man in general?

Ans. The Author says “Man is alone. Man is desperately alone”.

Q24. Who is Glothaire? What is the problem with it?

Ans. Glothaire is the cat of the Author and Ardele. It is sick.

Q25. Why does Glothaire look sad and why is he miaowing?

Ans. Glothaire looked sad and he is miaowing because Ardele was leaving.

Q26. Why did the housing inspector, the man in black, visit the Author?
Ans. The housing inspector, the man in black visited the Author because a complaint has been lodged against the
Author for insufficient occupation of the premises and that the Author was under threat of a requisition order for
the surplus accommodation.

Q27. Whom does the housing inspector want accommodate in the house of the Author?
Ans. The housing inspector wants to accommodate, a father of eight; Brigadier Lapomme in the house of the
Author.

Q28.What did the Man in black find in the end?

Ans. In the end, the Man in black found out that there were twelve rooms to spare.

Q29. Where did the leak start according to the plumbers?

Ans. According to the plumbers, the leak started in the two big empty rooms on the third floor that runs right
across the table tennis room, the winter garden and the two libraries and finishes up in that big room where the
Author has got collection of toy soldiers.

Q30. What was the accusation made by Ardele about the Author?
Ans. Accusation made by Ardele about the Author is that he is having a secret affair with a woman.

Q31. What ‘terrible thing’ has happened to the lady telephoning?

Ans. Terrible thing that had happened to the lady telephoning was that she had to find a flat.

Q32. Who is Madam Pripon Minet? Why does the Author’s mother call her?
Ans. Madam Pripon Minet is the first wife of Mr. Leon. The Author told his mother that the woman has a flat
with four rooms and thus the mother called her.

Q33. Who are Lucienne and Lea?

Ans. Lucienne is Gontran’s wife whom he has left three months ago and Lea is a woman that Gontran is in love.

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Q34. Who is Gontran and why does he need a gun?
Ans. Gontran is the sixth visitor and a friend of the Author. He needed a gun as he wanted to commit suicide.

Q35. What is Ardele’s opinion about Lea?

Ans. Ardele’s opinion about Lea is that – Lea looks like a stick, shriveled prune and hasn’t even got any hair.

Q36. What is Gontran’s accusation about Lucienne?

Ans. Gontran accuses Lucienne that she is not answering the phone, his letters; she is deceiving him and has been
deceiving him ever since he left her.

Q37. What happened to Gontran while talking to the Author?

Ans. While talking to the Author, Gontran sobs like a child in the arms of the Author, fainted and crumbles on the
floor.

Q38. What does the woman on the telephone tell to Ardele while questioned?
Ans. When Ardele got the number of the caller from the exchange and dialed, a woman receives the call. Further
misunderstanding was created, both accusing each other of snatching husband and flat.

Q39. What accusation did Ardele make to the Author while he was attending Gustav’s call?
Ans. While the Author was attending Gustav’s phone call, Ardele told the Author that she caught him in the act.
Ardele was accusing the Author that he was talking to his girlfriend and slaps him.

Q40. Why does Author get angry on La Surette?

Ans. Author got angry on La Surette as he was misbehaving with their maid Leonie in the kitchen where he was
sent to eat and drink.

Q41. What terrible thing does the maid inform the Author?
Ans. The maid informs the Author that she was pregnant and it was the cause of all the weeping.

Q42. Why does Madam Bessarabo like to take the photograph of the Author instantly?
Ans. Madam Bessarabo liked to take the photograph of the Author instantly because the Author was behaving
like a mad person and such kind of photograph of a person like him in such state will make sensational headlines.

Q43. Why does the Author threaten to kill the photographer?

Ans. He was asked by Madame Bessarabo to photograph the author in an awful condition.

Q44. What was the suggestion made by the Man in Black after his careful investigation in the Author’s house?
Ans. After his careful investigation in the Author’s house, the Man in Black suggested that as there are twelve
spare rooms, two policemen will be accommodated there.

Q45. What made the Plumbers frantic in the end? What did they announce to others?
Ans. The Plumbers were frantic in the end because the leak which they found before was the wrong one. Now
they found the real one, something had gone wrong and water was trickling all over the place. They couldn’t
control it.

Q46.Who started shooting the Author in the end? What was the net result?
Ans. In the end, Ardele comes with a gun and started shooting at the Author, he dodges the bullets. Ardele was
scared of the bullet sound. When she finally shot the last bullet, she was in a frightened state and screamed,
finding him not hurt, then she throws herself into his arms and faints.

Q47. How does the play end?

Ans. In the end of the play, cascade of water brought down the ceiling. In the background, there was lots of panic
and Author was coming forward, dragging Ardele and Gontran who were both in unconscious state. The décor
falls to pieces as the Author addresses the public.

Q48. What do you mean by the term ‘Absurd Play’?

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Ans. One of the most important aspects of absurd drama is its distrust of language as a means of communication.
Language, it seems to say, has become nothing but a vehicle for conventionalized, stereotyped, meaningless
exchanges. The Theatre of the Absurd constituted first and foremost an onslaught on language, showing it as a
very unreliable and insufficient tool of communication. Absurd drama uses conventionalised speech, clichés,
slogans and technical jargon, which it distorts, parodies and breaks down. By ridiculing conventionalised and
stereotyped speech patterns, the Theatre of the Absurd tries to make people aware of the possibility of going
beyond everyday speech conventions and communicating more authentically.”

Features:
 It is different from other plays because of its unusual plot structure.
 The events in the play are not logically connected to each other, and to an average audience, meaningless.
 The actions of the characters are senseless, useless and meaningless.
 One of the most important aspects of absurd drama is its distrust of language as means of
communication; they show it is unreliable and insufficient tool of communication; the broken dialogues
and conversation between the unknown woman, Madame Bessarabo and the author are some of the
examples of this.
 The characters are found to be troubled and strangely threatened.
 Meaningless plots, repetitive or nonsensical dialogue are used.
 Defies all norms of conventional drama. There is no dramatic conflict in absurd drama.
 Absurd plays are comical and irrational.
 To bring about laughter the absurd plays makes use of farce.
Q49. How does the author try to control the excitement of the people? What is the irony in it?
Ans. The author tries to control the excitement of the people by telling them to remain calm. He says ‘let’s keep
calm. Let’s keep calm to the end’.
The irony here is that it is he who needs to be calm. From the moment the play opens he seems to be hassled. All
the characters come to him with their problems and except him to solve their problems. In the end he seems to be
troubled. He doesn’t find a moment of peace. He needs calming effect, not others. Therefore it is quite ironic to
see him saying ‘let’s keep calm ‘, when he is the person who needs to be clam.

Q50. Write a short note on farce as a sub-genre in the play “Episode in the life of an author”
Ans. Farce, a sub- genre of the “Theatre of the Absurd”; Farce is a type of comedy designed to provoke laughter.
It commonly employs highly exaggerated or caricatured types of characters, put tem into improbable and
ludicrous situation and makes use of broad verbal humour, physical bustle etc.

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