Jack, or The Submission (1955) by Eugène Ionesco (Type of Work)

 

Jack, or The Submission (1955)

by Eugène Ionesco

(Type of Work) 

Type of Work: Jack, or The Submission (1955)

Jack, or The Submission is a one-act absurdist play written by Eugène Ionesco, one of the foremost dramatists of the Theatre of the Absurd. First performed in 1955, the play belongs to the mid-twentieth-century avant-garde movement that challenged traditional dramatic structure, realistic dialogue, and logical plot development. Rather than presenting a conventional story with psychological depth and clear resolution, the work uses exaggeration, repetition, and illogical situations to explore themes of conformity, identity, and social pressure.

As a dramatic work, it departs sharply from realism. The characters are not fully individualized human beings in the traditional sense; instead, they function almost as types or symbolic figures. The family members share nearly identical names and attitudes, emphasizing uniformity rather than personality. Their speech is mechanical and repetitive, highlighting the breakdown of meaningful communication. This stylistic choice aligns the play with the Theatre of the Absurd, a dramatic movement that reflects the disorientation and existential uncertainty of the post–World War II era.

Structurally, the play is a one-act comedy, yet its humor is deeply unsettling. It uses grotesque exaggeration—such as the bizarre qualities of Roberta and the obsessive focus on trivial matters like “potatoes with bacon”—to expose the irrational foundations of social conventions. Beneath its comic surface lies a serious philosophical inquiry into the nature of individuality and submission. The work does not follow a traditional rising action, climax, and resolution; instead, it moves in circular patterns of dialogue, reinforcing the sense of entrapment and inevitability.

Thematically, the play functions as a satirical social critique. It mocks the rigid expectations imposed by family and society, particularly regarding marriage and obedience. However, unlike conventional satire, it does not offer a clear moral solution. Instead, it leaves the audience with discomfort, reflecting the absurd condition of human existence.

In essence, Jack, or The Submission is an absurdist tragicomedy that uses non-realistic techniques, symbolic characterization, and circular dialogue to dramatize the conflict between individuality and conformity. Its type as a work is best understood as experimental, anti-realist drama rooted in the philosophy of existential absurdity.