The Last Lesson

by

Alphonse Daudet

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Last Lesson makes teaching easy.

Franz (The Narrator)

The narrator of the story, Franz is a young school boy in the French region of Alsace-Lorraine in the nineteenth century. Franz is a dawdler when it comes to schoolwork, preferring to spend time in… read analysis of Franz (The Narrator)

M. Hamel

The school master of a small village school in the French region of Alsace-Lorraine. M. Hamel is stern and intimidating to his pupils, among them the narrator of the story, Franz. He has been… read analysis of M. Hamel

Old Hauser

One of the elder villagers who gathers with the children in M. Hamel’s classroom to hear the last lesson. He brings his old primer, an elementary reading textbook, with him to the class, and… read analysis of Old Hauser

Prussian Soldiers

Forces of the occupying Prussian power, which has invaded the French region of Alsace-Lorraine and claimed it for Prussia (then consisting of Germany, Poland, and parts of Austria). Franz passes the soldiers doing their drills… read analysis of Prussian Soldiers
Minor Characters
Wachter
A blacksmith in a village in the French region of Alsace-Lorraine. As he hurries to school, the narrator, Franz, passes Wachter standing in front of the town hall bulletin-board. Wachter tells him not to go so fast, and Franz thinks the blacksmith is making fun of him.