Daisy is a character who appears in Eugene Ionesco’s popular Avante-Garde Drama ‘Rhinoceros’. Daisy is a young receptionist who works at the same office as Berenger, the protagonist of the play. Daisy is described as attractive, and Berenger is shown to have feelings for her. She first appears outside a café where Berenger and his friend Jean are meeting. Daisy serves as a love interest for Berenger, and that their relationship is complicated by the events of the play. Daisy is one of the few characters in the play who remains committed to Berenger throughout the chaos and destruction caused by the rhinoceros epidemic. While other characters transform into rhinoceroses and abandon their humanity, Daisy remains loyal to Berenger and serves as a source of comfort and stability for him through most of the play. Jean uses the idea of Daisy to encourage Berenger to improve himself and abandon alcohol. Later on in the play, Daisy herself takes up the role of encouraging Berenger to drink less. She serves as a symbol of hope and humanity in the midst of the rhinoceros epidemic that is taking over the town. Despite the chaos and destruction caused by the rhinoceroses, Daisy remains steadfast and kind-hearted, providing a glimmer of hope for Berenger and the other characters in the play.
Daisy’s character in “Rhinoceros” becomes more complex as the play progresses. While she initially seems kind and sensible, she begins to sympathize with the rhinoceroses and becomes more accepting of their behavior. However, I think it is important to note that this shift in her character is not necessarily a betrayal of Berenger or a symbol of her abandoning him. Rather, Daisy’s character serves to highlight the dangers of conformity and the power of groupthink. As the other characters in the play begin to transform into rhinoceroses, Daisy becomes more sympathetic to their perspective and begins to question her own beliefs. Daisy’s hesitation to intervene in the lives of others represents a common societal problem of apathy and indifference towards injustice and oppression. When Daisy’s says”They’re like gods” it is a chilling moment in the play, and it highlights the danger of groupthink and blind adherence to authority. This line suggests that the rhinoceroses, in their strength and power, have become god-like figures to Daisy, and that she is willing to abandon her own values and beliefs in order to conform to their will.
She initially showed interest in Berenger and encouraged him to not get too involved with the rhinoceroses. However, as the story progressed, she started sympathizing with the rhinoceroses and their way of life. As Daisy becomes more sympathetic to the rhinoceroses and their way of life, she becomes increasingly distant from Berenger. Her acknowledgment of the power of the rhinoceroses ultimately forces Berenger to hit her, which is a violent and tragic moment in the play. Daisy was unable to commit to having children with Berenger to rebuild the human race, and eventually, Berenger slaps her during an argument. This event pushed her towards her final decision to join the rhinoceroses and encourage Berenger to do the same. Daisy’s decision shows how powerful forces can cause people to abandon their values and become part of a group, even if it means giving up their freedom and individuality.
While most of the characters in the play convert to being a rhinoceros relatively quickly, Daisy holds out longer than anyone other than Berenger. However, when she does convert, it is a more powerful and profound transformation than any of the others. While Jean and Dudard have their own reasons for becoming rhinoceroses, Daisy genuinely starts to worship them and sees herself as becoming one with the gods. Daisy’s conversion reflects the allure of power and the desire for a sense of belonging and purpose that the rhinoceroses offer. By joining them, she hopes to transcend her own human limitations and become something greater. However, her decision ultimately leads to her abandoning her own values and beliefs, and becoming part of a violent and oppressive force that is destroying the world around her. Daisy’s character serves as a powerful symbol of the seductive and dangerous nature of conformity and the way in which it can lead individuals to abandon their own moral compass in pursuit of a sense of belonging or power.
