Class XII: Flamingo - THE LAST LESSON
The Last Lesson By Alphonse Daudet
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 14. He died on Dec. 10. 1897 in Paris, France. 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 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.
Main points
1. Franz is afraid of going to school as he has not learnt participles.
2. Wants to enjoy the beauty of nature the bright sunshine the birds chirruping in the woods
Prussian soldiers' drilling but resisted.
3. On reaching school Franz notices; unusual silence Villagers occupying the last benches
teacher well dressed everybody looked 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. Understands the reason why teacher is well dressed and villagers sitting at the back.
7. M. Hamel realizes that all three, he himself, the children and the parents are to be blamed
for losing respect and regards for the mother tongue.
, 8. Hamel says: French language most beautiful, clear and logical language in the world.
Always keep close the mother tongue to your heart as it is a key to the prison of slavery.
9. Hamel becomes emotional and writes on the black board "Vive La France"
10. Franz remembers the last lesson very well.
Important Short Answer Type Questions
01. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
Ans. Franz was expected to be prepared with participles that day for school, as Mr. Hamel
had said that 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 out doors in a
pleasurable manner.
03. What was unusual about the school that Franz noticed when he entered the
school?
Ans. On entering the school, Franz noticed that there was 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..
Q4. What had been put up on the bulletin-board?
Ans. Franz had a negative view about the bulletin-board as for the last two years only bad
news had come from it. 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.
Q5. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?
Ans. The order from Berlin caused man changes in the school that day. The entire school
seemed strange and solemn. The old villagers were sitting on the back benches of the
classroom quietly to thank M. Hamel for his forty years of faithful service and forshowing
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 the 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 from him but now all those feelings were 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, which seemed a nuisance and a
burden earlier ere now Franz's old friends.
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 in farm or mill 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 as he asked them to
water the flower and gave them off when he had to go for fishing
The Last Lesson By Alphonse Daudet
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 14. He died on Dec. 10. 1897 in Paris, France. 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 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.
Main points
1. Franz is afraid of going to school as he has not learnt participles.
2. Wants to enjoy the beauty of nature the bright sunshine the birds chirruping in the woods
Prussian soldiers' drilling but resisted.
3. On reaching school Franz notices; unusual silence Villagers occupying the last benches
teacher well dressed everybody looked 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. Understands the reason why teacher is well dressed and villagers sitting at the back.
7. M. Hamel realizes that all three, he himself, the children and the parents are to be blamed
for losing respect and regards for the mother tongue.
, 8. Hamel says: French language most beautiful, clear and logical language in the world.
Always keep close the mother tongue to your heart as it is a key to the prison of slavery.
9. Hamel becomes emotional and writes on the black board "Vive La France"
10. Franz remembers the last lesson very well.
Important Short Answer Type Questions
01. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
Ans. Franz was expected to be prepared with participles that day for school, as Mr. Hamel
had said that 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 out doors in a
pleasurable manner.
03. What was unusual about the school that Franz noticed when he entered the
school?
Ans. On entering the school, Franz noticed that there was 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..
Q4. What had been put up on the bulletin-board?
Ans. Franz had a negative view about the bulletin-board as for the last two years only bad
news had come from it. 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.
Q5. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?
Ans. The order from Berlin caused man changes in the school that day. The entire school
seemed strange and solemn. The old villagers were sitting on the back benches of the
classroom quietly to thank M. Hamel for his forty years of faithful service and forshowing
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 the 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 from him but now all those feelings were 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, which seemed a nuisance and a
burden earlier ere now Franz's old friends.
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 in farm or mill 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 as he asked them to
water the flower and gave them off when he had to go for fishing
