Jean Genet’s play The Maids (or Les Bonnes) premiered in Paris at the Théâtre de l’Athénée in

1947.
Jean Genet- novelist and a playwright
Early life
His mother was a young prostitute who raised him for the first year of his life before putting him
up for adoption. He spent a period as a vagabond, petty thief and prostitute across Europe as he
recounts in the Thief Journal.
He completed five novels, three plays and numerous poems, many controversial for their explicit
and often deliberately provocative portrayal of homosexuality and criminality.
Growing up in poverty, being a criminal and struggling with issues of identity. Explored the
theme of marginalization, rebellion and the search for meaning in a seemingly indifferent world.

The Maids is based on the true story of the Papin sisters, two maids who shocked France in 1933
by murdering their abusive madame and her daughter. Genet’s play uses absurdity to demonstrate
the arbitrariness of class designations and the very real struggle of class inequality.

Claire and Solange are sisters, both in their 30s and serving as maids for Madame. The play
opens in Madame’s bedroom, where the younger sister Claire is dressed in a slip and surrounded
by flowers, and pretending to be Madame. Meanwhile, the older sister Solange pretends to be
Claire. This is their nightly ritual. With heightened dramatic gestures and tone,
Claire-as-Madame admonishes Solange-as-Claire for bringing gloves from the kitchen, which
she views as dirty, into the bedroom. Claire orders Solange to lay out a white dress for her,
casually accusing Solange of coveting her jewelry and allowing a man to seduce her. Solange
begins to shine Madame’s shoes, but Claire is disgusted with her use of saliva as polish. Solange
responds with deference and humility. Claire comments that she will look beautiful and insults
Solange’s appearance, briefly dropping her performance of Madame to say that Solange will
“never seduce Mario” and complaining, “A ridiculous young milkman despises us, and if we’re
going to have a kid by him—” (37). Solange cuts her off, and Claire steps back into character.
To Claire’s dismay, Solange brings out a dark red dress and commands Claire to wear it rather
than the white one. Solange insists that the dress is attractive and adds that as a widow,
Claire-as-Madame really ought to be wearing black. Claire is indignant, replying, “You want to
talk about Monsieur’s misfortunes, don’t you? Fool. It was hardly the moment to allude to hum,
but I can turn this matter to fine account!” (38). Claire-as-Madame bemoans her “infamy,”
reproaching Solange-as-Claire for judging her. Claire reveals that Madame’s lover was recently
arrested. She had written the letter to the police that exposed Monsieur’s crimes and sent him to
prison, although it is unclear whether Claire is referring to herself or herself-as-Madame as the
letter-writer. Claire exclaims that she has suffered greatly herself. Additionally, since Monsieur is
not dead, Claire insists that Madame is not a widow and will stand, distraught and grief-stricken,
by her lover’s side, even if he goes to prison or to Devil’s Island, a penal colony in French
Guiana.Claire wants to wear the white dress, fit for “the mourning of queens” (39), but Solange
again commands that Claire wear the red dress. Claire acquiesces, accusing Solange of despising
her. Solange replies, “I’ll follow you everywhere. I love you” (39). Claire-as-Madame replies
that Solange-as-Claire only loves her as a mistress because she hopes to gain something from
Madame’s favor. Solange helps Claire into the dress, and Claire complains that Solange smells
like an animal from living in the maid’s quarters. Claire describes the twin beds and the small
altar to the Virgin Mary in the austere room that they share, “where two sisters fall asleep,
dreaming of one another” (40), and where men, including the milkman, steal through the window
to visit them at night. Solange laments the misery of their lives. Claire comments on the paper
flowers, gesturing toward Madame’s room full of real flowers. Back in character, she vainly
compares her own beauty to that of the Virgin Mary.
Solange arranges the train of Claire’s dress, but Claire calls her a “bungler” and pushes her off,
kicking her sister in the head. Solange, mishearing the word as “burglar,” becomes upset, but
Claire scolds her and tells her to cry in her own room, insisting, “Here, in my bedroom, I will
only have noble tears” (42). Claire demands that Solange finish arranging her dress but then
expresses revulsion at Solange’s touch and insists that Solange dress her without actually
touching her. Claire-as-Madame accuses Solange-as-Claire of plotting revenge against her, and
Solange agrees that Claire-as-Madame can read her mind. Claire complains that it’s a dreadfully
difficult burden to be a mistress. With contempt, Solange reminds Claire of her lover, and Claire
replies, “My unhappy lover heightens my nobility” (43).
Solange vents her hatred toward her mistress and the way she treats Solange as “an object of
disgust” (44), spitting on the red dress. In her anger Solange slips between roleplaying and her
identity as a maid and Claire’s sister. Solange blames Madame/Claire’s beauty, enhanced by
creams, powders, and lavish clothing, for robbing Claire/Solange of her own beauty, allowing
Madame/Claire to steal the milkman’s affection. Impassioned, Solange refers to herself by her
own name, and Claire anxiously corrects her. Solange quickly returns to calling herself Claire
and slaps Claire-as-Madame. Solange threatens that the maids will rise up and Madame will be
helpless, calling Monsieur “just a cheap thief” (45). Solange tells Claire to look in the mirror to
see how anger and confusion twists her face; Claire insists that even freshly slapped, she is still
beautiful. Solange continues, asserting that the two maids are no longer afraid of Madame.
Claire-as-Madame tells Solange-as-Claire to get out of the room, and Solange agrees to go back
to the filth of her job and the malodorous kitchen sink. But first, she advances on Claire,
threatening to “finish the job” (46). Suddenly, an alarm clock rings and surprises the two women.
They are themselves again, and Solange hurries to help Claire out of the dress. Claire moans that
they didn’t get to finish their roleplaying, and Solange sadly agrees that they never get to the end
before running out of time. Solange blames Claire, insisting, “It’s all your fault, you’re never
ready. I can’t finish you off” (46), but Claire suggests that they spend too much time in the start
of the scene. Solange tells Claire to watch through the window, although Claire says she set the
alarm early to allow time to clean up. Solange insists again that Claire keep watch since Solange
must deal with the mess, including cleaning the red gown.
Noting that Claire is still distracted by her own reflection, Solange directs, “You can be like me
now. Be yourself again. Come on, Claire, be my sister again” (48). Weary, Claire changes back
into her uniform and snipes at her sister for always trying to control her. Solange denies that she
is controlling, arguing that Claire was the one to create conflict when she mentioned Mario, the
milkman. Solange points out that Mario makes suggestive comments to both sisters. Claire
pretends to be too preoccupied with cleaning to listen, and Solange accuses Claire of enjoying
inserting personal insults into what Claire interrupts and describes as “the ceremony” (49). Claire
exclaims that she is jealous of Solange, who saw Madame’s reaction when Monsieur was
arrested, clarifying that Claire was the one to send the anonymous letter to the police.
Claire comments that Madame’s grief is so great that it might kill her, and Solange retorts, “Fine.
She can drop dead! And I’ll inherit!” (50). Solange imagines never having to be a maid or endure
their dingy servant quarters again. Claire muses that she likes their room, but Solange chides her
and argues that the room is “shabby,” but it doesn’t matter because the two of them are “scum”
(50). Claire is dismissive, but Solange persists in describing their meager, sparse little room.
Solange reveals that Claire likes to parade around at night, pretending to be a queen after the
household is asleep. Claire denies this, but Solange insists that she has seen her when Claire
didn’t know that she was watching.
Claire pleads with Solange to stop yelling, glancing nervously out the window. Solange assents
but heatedly tells her sister that the way Claire moves the curtains to look out reminds her of the
way Monsieur looked out to watch the police, which makes Solange furious. Claire finds this
silly and paranoid, but Solange tries to impress seriousness upon her sister, stating that there is
no one who loves them. Claire protests that Madame is kind and loves them, but Solange replies,
“She loves us the way she loves her armchair. Not even that much!” (52) Additionally, Solange
claims that they can’t even love each other because “filth…doesn’t love filth” (52). Anguished,
Solange describes their roleplaying game as a release from the misery of their lives that she can’t
stand to give up.
Claire tries to calm Solange, who is shouting again, but Solange declares that Madame is only
kind because it’s easy to be kind when you’re beautiful and privileged. But Solange and Claire
are just maids, and all they can do is pretend to be more, digging at Claire for her nighttime
games of pretend. Claire reproaches Solange for getting herself upset again, implying that she
has reason to criticize Solange too. Solange tells Claire that she hates her. Claire returns the
sentiment, reiterating that she could provoke Solange just as easily, and not just about Mario the
milkman. Solange challenges her to do it. Claire replies that Solange has been the aggressor but
hasn’t mentioned Claire’s most exposing behavior: her writing. In their room Claire has written
many letters in which she has created incredible stories and fantasies. But, as Claire claims,
Solange simply devoured the stories and used them to escape into her imagination.
The previous night, when Solange took her turn playing Madame, Claire saw the way her stories
influenced how Solange built herself up. She could see how Solange romanticized the idea of
following a lover to Devil’s Island. Claire expounds, however, that this isn’t the reason she hates
her sister. Claire hates Solange because she saw her at night trying to kill Madame. This terrified
Claire because she knew Solange wanted to kill Madame as a stand-in for Claire, and that Claire
would need to be wary of Solange after roleplaying Madame during their ritual. After a moment,
Solange agrees, explaining, “Yes, I did try. I wanted to free you. […] It made me suffocate to see
you suffocating, […] rotting away in that woman’s bitter-sweetness” (55). Solange notes that she
lost her nerve, but had she completed the act, Claire would have certainly turned her in to the
police.
Solange confesses that she wanted to kill Madame because the grief of Monsieur’s arrest only
turned Madame into a tragically glamorous figure. It made her more beautiful and compelling in
contrast to the never-glamorous maids. Solange admits, “I wanted to make up for the poverty of
my grief by the splendor of my crime. Afterward, I’d have set fire to the lot” (57). Claire begins
to feel suffocated, and Solange tells her to open the doors. The phone rings. Claire answers, and
the two women learn that Monsieur has been released on bail. Sarcastically, Solange
compliments Claire for her effectiveness in sending Monsieur to prison, adding that they might
even recognize her handwriting. Claire retorts that Solange should have killed Madame when she
had the chance, blaming Solange for being too frightened to commit. Additionally, Claire points
out that when they inevitably are caught performing their roleplaying ritual (as they never
manage to clean up all the evidence), that will also be Solange’s fault.
Claire accuses Solange of weakness, but Solange insists that she can summon the strength. Claire
replies that she has the strength to succeed where Solange failed. This time Claire is the one who
becomes upset while Solange tries to calm her. Claire announces that she is sick of living an
inferior, dirty life as a maid. Solange wants to soothe her but acknowledges, “I know I disgust
you. I’m repulsive to you. And I know it because you disgust me. When slaves love one another,
it’s not love” (61). Claire argues that she is tired of seeing herself reflected in her sister “like a
bad smell,” of “being raped by a milkman who goes blithely through our garrets” (61). Solange
attempts to persuade Claire to change her mind, but Claire is determined to poison Madame.
Claire declares that it’s her turn to assume the dominating role and barks orders at Solange, who
protests weakly. Solange tries to tell Claire that she “won’t know what gestures to make” (62),
but Claire responds by repeating stories that they’ve read about people who carried out
poisonings.
Claire proclaims that she and Solange can endure the aftermath together, even if it means going
to prison together, asserting, “We shall be that eternal couple, Solange, the two of us, the eternal
couple of the criminal and the saint. We’ll be saved, Solange, saved, I swear to you!” (63). Claire
collapses, exhausted, into Madame’s bed. Solange pacifies her affectionately, and Claire,
suddenly meek, says, “I’m ashamed, Solange” (63). Solange comforts her and tries to distract her
from thinking about Madame. Abruptly, Claire leaps up and exclaims that they cannot be weak.
They must work together and be strong. Solange must help Claire effectively administer
phenobarbital. Additionally, Claire adds, they must be cheerful as they carry out their plan to
avoid being overwhelmed by the tragedy, because “[m]urder is a thing that’s…unspeakable”
(65). They laugh as Claire says they will sing while they dismember and bury Madame’s body.
The doorbell rings.
Part 2
The sound of the doorbell signals that Madame is home. Solange and Claire spring into action,
tidying the bed. Solange asks Claire if she is certain that she wants to kill Madame, and Claire
affirms that she is. Solange advises Claire to put 10 pills in Madame’s tea. Claire agrees,
confirming that she has the pills, and Solange exits. After a moment, Madame enters with a bout
of anxious laughter, followed by Solange. Madame comments on the poor quality of the flowers
that flood the room, sent as condolences after her lover’s arrest. She was out all night and saw
her lover in jail, but only from far away and for a quick moment. Solange tells Madame that
Claire is making tea, and Madame says she feels guilty having tea when Monsieur has nothing.
Solange assures Madame that Monsieur will certainly be free in short order as they’ll know right
away that he isn’t guilty. Madame replies that even if he is guilty, this ordeal has made her
realize how much she loves him. She says that she’ll never abandon him, even if she must follow
him to Devil’s Island or Siberia. Solange comments that only the wives, sisters, and mothers of
criminals are permitted to go to the penal colonies, but Madame insists that she would sneak past
the guards, implying that she would use her sexual wiles to get to Monsieur. Solange suggests
that she should rest, and Madame becomes angry, accusing Solange of treating her like a child.
Calming herself, Madame admits that she is just upset. Solange asks if Madame wants to see the
accounts for the day, but Madame is too distraught.
Solange takes Madame’s fur cape and notices that it needs repair. Madame replies that she plans
to rid herself of her lavish clothing and go into mourning, so there’s no point. When Madame
suggests that the maids might find the house too depressing, Solange promises that they’ll never
abandon her. Then Madame surprises Solange by asking, “You’ve not been too unhappy with
me, have you?” (69). Madame says that she’s always made sure the maids had what they needed,
then comments that she’s finished with fine clothes. Claire brings the tea, and Madame adds that
Solange and Claire will inherit all her things and the lifestyle that comes with them. Solange
offers Madame the tea, but Madame turns it down and says she is going to bed. She picks up the
red velvet dress and offers to give it to Claire.
Taken aback, Claire says, “It’s so beautiful. I’ll never dare wear it” (71). Next, Madame offers
her fur cape to Solange, who accepts it graciously. Madame is about to exit but notices that the
telephone has been taken off the receiver and questions the two maids. Claire and Solange
reluctantly explain that Monsieur called after making bail and that he is waiting to meet
Madame. Suddenly bustling, Madame orders the women to call a taxi and fetch her furs.
Madame scolds them for not telling her right away. She complains that the tea is cold and
demands details about the phone call. Waiting eagerly for Solange to return, Madame reminds
Claire to take her fur cape to be repaired and asks to see the day’s accounts.
Looking closely at Claire, Madame notices that she’s wearing makeup. Unaware that the powder
is left over from their roleplaying, Madame laughs and compliments her, advising, “You’re still
young. Make yourself attractive. Smarten up” (74), and putting a flower in Claire’s hair. Claire
offers to heat up the tea, but Madame, giddy and impatient, exclaims that she will be drinking
champagne with her lover instead. Suddenly, Madame spots the alarm clock and wonders why
it’s in her room. Claire claims that Solange brought it from the kitchen to use while cleaning.
Madame replies, “How odd” (75), then comments irritably about how long it is taking for
Solange to find a taxi. Madame sits in front of the mirror and talks to herself, asking her
reflection if she looks attractive enough to see Monsieur and observing that she’s being silly
because she’s so excited.
Madame muses to herself, “Those girls do worship me” (75), but she criticizes their work,
noting, “Their housekeeping is the most extraordinary combination of luxury and filth” (76).
Claire enters and overhears, but Madame reassures her that she is thrilled with their efforts.
Claire is skeptical, but Madame brushes her off, attributing her comment to her difficult day.
Abruptly, Madame wonders who could have sent the letters that led to Monsieur’s arrest in the
first place and asks if Claire knows anything. Claire is alarmed, but Madame claims she isn’t
accusing or insinuating anything. Once more, Madame expresses exasperation at the time that
Solange has been hailing a taxi, exclaiming that it has been an hour.
Madame asks again why the sisters didn’t tell her about the phone call, and Claire explains that
they were afraid of shocking her. Madame accepts this answer, gushing, “You’re quietly killing
me with flowers and kindness. One fine day I’ll be found dead beneath the roses” (77). Madame
asks for Claire’s opinion on her hair. Pleased with Claire’s advice, Madame observes that Claire
is intelligent and sensitive, stating that she has always believed Claire had potential for a better
life. Claire demurs, and Madame excitedly exclaims that she hears a car. Claire offers Madame
the tea again, but Madame declines happily. Claire attempts to insist that she drink the tea, but
Solange rushes in, interrupting. Cheerfully, Madame hurries out.
Once the sisters are alone, Solange sarcastically praises Claire for failing to poison Madame,
reminding Claire that she had insulted Solange when Solange failed. Wearily, Claire says she’s
going to sleep and exits. Solange calls for Claire and demands that she come back. Claire
reenters, maintaining that it wasn’t her fault that Madame wouldn’t drink the tea. Solange rages,
furious at Madame’s happiness and the fact that she took back the furs. Claire is apathetic, asking
Solange what there is to do. Solange replies, “Let’s get on with it” (81), directing Claire to keep
her apron on since it’s Solange’s turn to play Madame. Claire insists that it doesn’t matter whose
turn it is and pushes Solange to accept the apron. She does. Solange tells Claire to turn out the
lights.
In the darkness Claire suddenly worries that Madame might return. Despite Solange’s
assurances, Claire feels that Madame suspects something and is trying to catch them. Solange
tells Claire that she is being insane, and Claire asks if they might say a prayer to the Virgin Mary.
But Solange is aghast at the idea of bringing God into their ritual. Solange asserts that God is
listening regardless. Resigned, Claire offers to wear the white dress. Solange agrees, telling
Claire to dress quickly, suddenly excited to perform the ritual. Claire reenters, having put the
white dress on over her maid’s uniform. Solange expresses her awe at Claire’s beauty, but Claire
insists that they skip the beginning.
Claire-as-Madame screeches insults at Solange-as-Claire, articulating intense disgust for all
servants. Solange urges her to continue and then demands that Claire be quiet, brandishing a
whip. Claire is confused, but Solange orders her onto her knees. Solange hits Claire and forces
her to lay on the floor and then crawl. Solange insults Claire-as-Madame, telling her that she’s no
longer beautiful enough to keep her lover, mocking her for thinking that she was young and
attractive enough to follow her lover across the ocean. Claire begs, “Solange, please, I’m
sinking” (88). Solange continues to abuse Claire, demanding that she stand up. Claire tells her
sister, “You’re killing me” (88), then says they ought to go to sleep.
Solange refuses, despite Claire’s pleas that Madame might come home and her certainty that
they’re in danger. Claire screams for help, but Solange rebukes her, telling Claire that shouting is
pointless as “death is present, and is stalking [Claire]” (90). Solange tells Claire that she has
sacrificed to keep her sister alive, including “all of the fetuses [she] threw into the gutter” (90).
Claire continues to yell, but Solange states, “Everyone’s listening, but no one will hear” (90).
Begging, Claire tells Solange that she feels sick, eliciting sympathy as Solange helps her to the
kitchen. After a moment, Solange returns, wearing her black uniform dress. In a long, disjointed
monologue, Solange “seem[s] to be addressing characters who are imaginary, though present”
(91).
Solange proudly announces that she has finally strangled Madame with her dish gloves and
killed her. Solange insults Madame for wearing a black dress. She mimics Madame, expressing
annoyance at the inconvenience of having to wear black to mourn a maid and considering it a
joke that she’s treated like family at the funeral. As herself, Solange announces that she is
“Madame’s equal” (92). Laughing, she states that although Monsieur doesn’t remember, he used
to obey their orders when he was a child. Solange addresses a police officer but refuses to talk
about her role in the murder, adding that she and Claire didn’t need Madame’s dresses and now
Solange wears “the red garb of criminals” (92). Then Solange sees Monsieur, who laughs at her
but ultimately forgives her, and she pronounces him “the soul of kindness” (92).
Next, Solange sees Madame, who recognizes for the first time that Solange is lonely. However,
Solange claims that while Madame has her belongings, Solange has her sister. She asserts that no
one would try to stop her from saying these things because she may have once been a servant,
but now she stands tall as the woman who murdered her sister. Solange pities Madame, who is
small and fragile. She remembers the night that Madame wore the white dress. Madame had
laughed at Claire for staring at picture of Gary Cooper in a magazine and then taken the
magazine away. Monsieur laughed too. Solange again refuses to talk to the police officer,
explaining, “It would be a fine thing if masters could pierce the shadows where servants live…
That, my child, is our darkness, ours” (93). Solange smokes a cigarette, coughing. She turns her
back to the audienceand describes a police officer escorting her to the gallows, where the
hangman attempts to kiss her.
Solange says that all the servants from the funeral watch her as she dies. She remembers the
funeral, lamenting Claire and weeping. Then Solange stands and agrees to follow the police,
feeling kinship with them as “they too belong to the world of outcasts” (94). During the last
lines, Claire appears in the doorway, unseen by her sister but listening to Solange. Solange says
she has become infamous as a criminal, explaining, “I’m not a maid. I have a noble soul” (95).
Claire enters wearing the white dress. Solange complains that Madame won’t obey her and stop
walking around the apartment. Claire, mimicking Madame’s voice, addresses Solange and calls
her Claire. Claire-as-Madame complains that Solange-as-Claire needs to be quiet. Solange
explains that it’s the middle of the night and they’re playing a silly game.
Claire asks Solange for a cup of tea. Solange hesitates, but Claire insists, and Solange suggests
that they’re exhausted and it’s time to quit. But Claire is firm, telling Solange that she is now in
charge and Solange’s job is to make Claire follow through. Solange worries that Madame might
return, but Claire states, “Forget about them. We’re alone in the world. Nothing exists but the
altar where one of the two maids is about to immolate herself” (96). Claire explains to Solange
that when she goes to prison, Claire will secretly be with her. Claire orders Solange to stand. She
repeatedly demands her tea, despite Solange’s protests. Finally, Solange brings it to her. It’s cold.
As Claire drinks, Solange describes a scene in which Madame returns home with Monsieur, but
Madame is dead and both maids are living. Solange pronounces, “We are beautiful, joyous,
drunk, and free!” (100).