The Maids

Research absurdism and the Theatre of the Absurd. How is The Maids an example of absurdism? What conventions of absurdism do you see in the play, and how does it fit the philosophy of absurdism?

There are several striking symbols in the play. Which do you think would be the most memorable if you saw the play onstage? Where does the symbol manifest in the play, and what do you think it signifies?

How would you describe the relationship between the two maids? How are they stable and instable as characters? Why do you think it matters that they are sisters? Use examples from the text.

Why do you think Claire and Solange refer to their roleplaying game as a ceremony? What is the significance of using that word? How does it contribute to the meaning of the ceremony within the play?

Although The Maids is an absurdist play, it also employs some conventions of more traditional romanticism and pre-modern theater. What are some of the ways that the play seems traditional rather than absurdist? How does Genet undermine or warp some of those traditional conventions?

Claire and Solange begin and end the play with a theatrical roleplaying game. How do theatricality, acting, and pretending function in the play? What about meta-theatricality? What effect do you think this use of theatricality and meta-theatricality would have on the way the audience experiences the play?

By the end of the play, the audience has learned Solange and Claire’s first and last names. Yet Madame and Monsieur are only ever known by their titles. Why do you think Genet made that choice? What is the significance of names?

What points do you think the play raises or addresses in terms of social issues, anxieties, or concerns? Imagine that The Maids is being performed today. How do you think the play’s commentary on those issues, anxieties, or concerns could be relevant to a current audience?