The paper examines Yasmina Reza’s exploration of the human need for
validation from others. The absence of this validation triggers negative
emotions such as resentment, guilt, and hostility in her plays Le Dieu du
carnage and « Art ». Both works begin with an appearance of goodwill, which
gradually deteriorates, revealing underlying tensions. Rather than aligning
with Sartre’s notion of “hell is other people”, Reza’s works suggest that “hell
is the self&revealed”. The plays highlight the fragility of positive emotions,
demonstrating how they can evolve into conflict when individuals are
confronted with uncomfortable truths about themselves.
