Impromptu de l'Alma (1956) by Eugène Ionesco (List of Characters)

 

Impromptu de l'Alma (1956)

by Eugène Ionesco

(List of Characters) 

List of Characters from Impromptu de l'Alma (1956) by Eugène Ionesco

1. Ionesco

The central character of the play.

A dramatized version of the playwright himself, he represents the creative artist struggling to defend his freedom of expression. He values imagination, spontaneity, and artistic independence. Throughout the play, he is confronted and intellectually challenged by critics who attempt to dictate the meaning and method of his theatre.

 

2. Bartholomeus I

One of the three critics who visit Ionesco.

He symbolizes rigid academic authority and theoretical dogmatism. He speaks in abstract, intellectual language and insists that art must conform to structured ideological principles.

 

3. Bartholomeus II

The second critic.

Very similar to Bartholomeus I, he reinforces the same arguments. His presence strengthens the sense of repetition and uniformity among the critics. He represents the collective voice of institutional criticism.

 

4. Bartholomeus III

The third critic.

Like the others, he functions more as a symbolic figure than as an individualized character. He participates in overwhelming Ionesco with theoretical discourse. Together, the three critics form a chorus of intellectual authority.

 

Character Note

The three Bartholomeuses are often seen as caricatures rather than realistic individuals. Their nearly identical names emphasize their sameness and symbolize the mechanical, repetitive nature of dogmatic criticism.