Short Fiction · Chapter
Dotard and Dotardess explained
A brief, absurdist tale of an old dotard and dotardess who live for centuries, follow mundane routines, and die from overexertion in a steam bath and at the opera, respectively.
What happens
A brief, absurdist tale of an old dotard and dotardess who live for centuries, follow mundane routines, and die from overexertion in a steam bath and at the opera, respectively. The story concludes with a nihilistic reflection that such fools will always exist.
Themes in this chapter
Death and Mortality
The dotard and dotardess die from overindulgence in their habits, highlighting the inevitability and absurdity of death.
Illusion vs. Reality
The dotard and dotardess live in a routine of pension, baths, and opera, suggesting a life of comfortable illusion that ends in meaningless death.
Key passages
“The dotard went to the bath, steamed himself, steamed himself, and oversteamed himself, and died on the bench.”
The old man went to the steam bath, stayed too long, and died on the bench from overexertion.
Illustrates the absurdity of the dotard's death through repetitive, mundane action.
“The dotardess went to the opera, called encore to the singer, shouted and shouted, and overshouted herself, and died in the gallery.”
The old woman attended the opera, kept shouting for an encore, and died in the gallery from shouting too much.
Mirrors the dotard's death, emphasizing the symmetrical and trivial nature of their ends.
“There is nothing to grieve about: there will always be dotards and dotardesses.”
There is no reason to mourn, because foolish people like them will always exist.
Conveys the story's cynical, cyclical view of human folly.