The Balcony: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Balcony" is a play that intricately explores the dynamics of power and identity through its major characters, set against the backdrop of a brothel known for its role-playing fantasies. At the center of this world is Irma, the proprietress referred to as The Queen, who navigates her business with a mix of ambition and fragile alliances, particularly with her favored employee, Carmen, and the politically ambitious Chief of Police, George. Each character embodies various societal roles, such as the Bishop and The Judge, who transition from clients to participants in Irma's elaborate regime, highlighting themes of governance and authority.
Carmen, who serves as a bookkeeper and spy, contrasts sharply with Chantal, a former employee who seeks freedom and ultimately meets a tragic end due to the machinations of the powerful. Roger, Chantal's lover, grapples with his desire for control, ultimately taking on the role of Chief of Police in a dark twist of fate. The ensemble is completed by figures like The Executioner and The Envoy, who add depth to the play’s commentary on loyalty and revolution, underscoring the tension between personal ambition and collective upheaval. Each character's journey reflects a complex interplay of desire, betrayal, and the search for identity within a society on the brink of change.
The Balcony: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Jean Genet
First published: Le Balcon, 1956 (English translation, 1957)
Genre: Play
Locale: Spain
Plot: Absurdist
Time: The 1930's
Irma, called The Queen, the proprietress of the Grand Balcony, a brothel specializing in role-playing games. Approximately forty years old, she wears severe clothing and jewelry that reflect her bent for business matters and the riches they bring. Predisposed to calling her wealthy customers “visitors” instead of “clients,” she fears a workers' revolt that would threaten her establishment. Although she appears to have some genuine affection for one of her employees, Carmen, as well as for the Chief of Police, George, her good standing with them seems largely predicated on their usefulness to her. In scene 8, she becomes The Queen, wearing an ermine cloak and, on her brow, a diadem.
The Chief of Police, a man named George, a cigar smoker who wears a heavy fur-lined coat and hat. He wishes that “Chief of Police” would become one of the figures portrayed at the Grand Balcony. A politically ambitious freemason, he dreams of being enshrined in a tomb by the subjects of an empire he aspires to command. In scene 8, he becomes The Hero; later in the play, he seems to have achieved his goals. It is also revealed that he wears a toupee.
The Bishop and The Judge, clients at the Grand Balcony who first appear in versions of their customary garb, wearing garish makeup, twenty-inch tragedian's cothurni, and other accoutrements that make them seem unusually large. Later in the play, they appear to have actually assumed their roles in Irma's regime.
The General, another client, a retiring-looking gentlemen who is first shown being dressed in a complete general's uniform by The Girl, an employee of the Grand Balcony. He, too, appears to assume his role in Irma's government.
Carmen, an employee, favored by Irma, who is in charge of bookkeeping at the Grand Balcony. Possibly the daughter of a cavalry colonel, she talks of bringing toys and perfumes to her own daughter, who lives at a nursery in the country. Proud of her skills, she is particularly attracted to playing female saints and other religious heroines. She uses her familiarity with clients and other employees to spy for Irma.
Chantal, a former employee who has left the Grand Balcony to join her lover, Roger. Her acting ability is coveted by the revolutionaries, who desire a fiery woman who will inspire their followers. She leaves Roger's side to join them, only to be assassinated in a plot devised by The Bishop.
Roger, Chantal's lover, who admires her spirit but also wishes to control her. After her death, he becomes the first client at the Grand Balcony to play the role of Chief of Police. Interrupting the fantasy by asking Carmen if she knew Chantal, he then appears to castrate himself.
The Executioner, a man named Arthur, a physically intimidating employee of the Grand Balcony who helps enact The Judge's fantasy. At heart a retiring soul who clings to the security of his job and his sycophantic relationship with Irma, he is shot in the head at the end of scene 5.
The Envoy, who wears an embassy uniform styled as a tunic and speaks enigmatically of The Queen in his first appearance in scene 7. Unaffected by the revolt, he advises Irma on matters of state once she assumes the role of The Queen.
The Man, a nervous and sloppily dressed client who stands before three mirrors as he awaits the whip and louse-infested wig that are his costume props. His reflections are played by three actors. As The Beggar, he cries “Long Live the Queen” in scene 8; as The Slave, he partakes in Roger's fantasy at the Grand Balcony.
The Woman, also called Rosine, The Penitent, The Thief, and The Girl, young female employees who interact with The Bishop, The Judge, and The General and The Man, respectively.
Three Men with Machine-Guns, rebels who lead Chantal away from Roger in scene 6.
Three Photographers, earnest young men dressed in black leather jackets and blue jeans who take profile shots of The Bishop, The General, and The Judge in act 7.