The Killer (1957) by Eugène Ionesco (Summary)

 

The Killer (1957)

by Eugène Ionesco

(Summary) 

The Killer (1957) – Summary

In a gray, restless city filled with bureaucracy and quiet despair, there lives a man named Bérenger — a sensitive, anxious, and somewhat ordinary individual who feels out of place in the modern world. He works in a government office, navigating endless files and official nonsense, yet deep inside he longs for beauty, meaning, and harmony.

One day, Bérenger discovers something astonishing.

He learns of a radiant, peaceful neighborhood known as the “Radiant City.” It is described as a place of sunlight, calm streets, and cheerful residents — a utopian district designed to bring happiness to its inhabitants. To Bérenger, who has always felt trapped in monotony, the place sounds like a miracle. Hope awakens in him.

When he visits the Radiant City, he is overwhelmed with wonder. The air seems lighter. The houses are neat and glowing. Everything feels pure and promising. For a brief moment, he believes humanity has finally achieved harmony.

But the dream begins to crack.

Bérenger soon hears disturbing rumors: a mysterious killer is roaming the Radiant City. This killer drowns his victims in a lake within the district. No clear motive. No rage. No gain. Just quiet, persistent murder.

Bérenger is horrified. How could evil exist in such a perfect place?

He rushes to the authorities — a pompous Architect and various officials who helped design the Radiant City. They respond with indifference. They minimize the danger. They speak in technical language and empty reassurances. The murders, they suggest, are unfortunate but manageable. Statistics matter more than lives. Order matters more than fear.

Bérenger cannot accept this calm indifference. He feels personally responsible. If beauty exists, it must be defended.

As the murders continue, Bérenger becomes obsessed with finding the killer. Unlike others who shrug and continue their routines, he cannot tolerate the coexistence of perfection and evil. His anxiety grows. His speeches become more desperate. He insists that something must be done.

Finally, he encounters the killer.

The meeting is chilling — not because of violence, but because of simplicity. The killer is small, almost unimpressive. He barely speaks. He smiles strangely and carries a knife. There is no grand ideology, no hatred, no revolutionary purpose. Just a silent, stubborn presence of destruction.

Bérenger tries everything. He reasons. He pleads. He argues morality, logic, humanity. He speaks about beauty, hope, civilization, and the value of life. He begs the killer to stop.

But the killer says almost nothing. He grins.

Bérenger realizes the terrifying truth: evil does not need justification. It does not argue. It simply exists.

The more Bérenger speaks, the more powerless he feels. Words — all his passion, logic, and moral conviction — fail against mute violence. The killer stands there, unaffected.

In the final moments, Bérenger faces the absurdity of existence. He understands that no system, no utopia, no bureaucracy can erase the fundamental presence of destruction in human life. The Radiant City, symbol of perfection, cannot eliminate death.

The play ends with Bérenger confronting the killer alone. His courage remains, but his arguments dissolve. Evil does not debate.

And we are left with the haunting realization that beauty and horror coexist — and that sometimes, reason is helpless against absurdity.

 

Themes Woven Through the Story

The Absurdity of Existence – A core idea in the works of Eugène Ionesco, where logic collapses in the face of irrational reality.

Indifference of Bureaucracy – Systems that prioritize order over human life.

The Persistence of Evil – Evil without motive is more terrifying than evil with ideology.

Isolation of the Individual – Bérenger stands alone in his moral outrage.

The Failure of Language – Words cannot defeat violence.