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Selected Writings, Vol. 1: Plays
The Swiss writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921–90) was one of the most important literary figures of the second half of the twentieth century. During the years of the cold war, arguably only Beckett, Camus, Sartre, and Brecht rivaled him as a presence in European letters. Yet outside Europe, this prolific author is primarily known for only one work, The Visit. With these long-awaited translations of his plays, fictions, and essays, Dürrenmatt becomes available again in all his brilliance to the English-speaking world.
Dürrenmatt’s concerns are timeless, but they are also the product of his Swiss vantage during the cold war: his key plays, gathered in the first volume of Selected Writings, explore such themes as guilt by passivity, the refusal of responsibility, greed and political decay, and the tension between justice and freedom. In The Visit, for instance, an old lady who becomes the wealthiest person in the world returns to the village that cast her out as a young woman and offers riches to the town in exchange for the life of the man, now its mayor, who once disgraced her. Joel Agee’s crystalline translation gives a fresh lease to this play, as well as four others: The Physicists, Romulus the Great, Hercules and the Augean Stables, and The Marriage of Mr. Mississippi.
Dürrenmatt has long been considered a great writer—but one unfairly neglected in the modern world of letters. With these elegantly conceived and expertly translated volumes, a new generation of readers will rediscover his greatest works.
Dürrenmatt’s concerns are timeless, but they are also the product of his Swiss vantage during the cold war: his key plays, gathered in the first volume of Selected Writings, explore such themes as guilt by passivity, the refusal of responsibility, greed and political decay, and the tension between justice and freedom. In The Visit, for instance, an old lady who becomes the wealthiest person in the world returns to the village that cast her out as a young woman and offers riches to the town in exchange for the life of the man, now its mayor, who once disgraced her. Joel Agee’s crystalline translation gives a fresh lease to this play, as well as four others: The Physicists, Romulus the Great, Hercules and the Augean Stables, and The Marriage of Mr. Mississippi.
Dürrenmatt has long been considered a great writer—but one unfairly neglected in the modern world of letters. With these elegantly conceived and expertly translated volumes, a new generation of readers will rediscover his greatest works.
328 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2006
15 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Friedrich Dürrenmatt
409 books1,028 followersFriedrich Dürrenmatt (1921 – 1990) was a Swiss author and dramatist.
Dürrenmatt was born in the Emmental (canton of Bern), the son of a Protestant pastor. His grandfather Ulrich Dürrenmatt was a conservative politician. The family moved to Bern in 1935. Dürrenmatt began to study philosophy and German language and literature at the University of Zurich in 1941, but moved to the University of Bern after one semester. In 1943 he decided to become an author and dramatist and dropped his academic career. In 1945-46, he wrote his first play, "It is written". On October 11 1946 he married actress Lotti Geissler. She died in 1983 and Dürrenmatt was married again to another actress, Charlotte Kerr, the following year.
He was a proponent of epic theater whose plays reflected the recent experiences of World War II. The politically active author gained fame largely due to his avant-garde dramas, philosophically deep crime novels, and often macabre satire. One of his leading sentences was: "A story is not finished, until it has taken the worst turn". Dürrenmatt was a member of the Gruppe Olten.
Dürrenmatt was born in the Emmental (canton of Bern), the son of a Protestant pastor. His grandfather Ulrich Dürrenmatt was a conservative politician. The family moved to Bern in 1935. Dürrenmatt began to study philosophy and German language and literature at the University of Zurich in 1941, but moved to the University of Bern after one semester. In 1943 he decided to become an author and dramatist and dropped his academic career. In 1945-46, he wrote his first play, "It is written". On October 11 1946 he married actress Lotti Geissler. She died in 1983 and Dürrenmatt was married again to another actress, Charlotte Kerr, the following year.
He was a proponent of epic theater whose plays reflected the recent experiences of World War II. The politically active author gained fame largely due to his avant-garde dramas, philosophically deep crime novels, and often macabre satire. One of his leading sentences was: "A story is not finished, until it has taken the worst turn". Dürrenmatt was a member of the Gruppe Olten.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 5, 2021
Dürrenmatt is well known in Germania theatre but not so well known in English speaking countries. Perhaps his sense of satire and irony doesn't translate as well as some more publicized authors. I read "The Physicists" as an assignment b my tutor when I was living in Germany.
The plot twists are wickedly clever.
Although the Cold War is no more, the COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us of the threat of global destruction by unleashing technology. Are there some secrets that mankind is better off NOT knowing? That is the premise that the plot unfolds.
These plays are extremely well crafted, the characters relatable, and the treatments are meant to give the audiencesomething to think about without hammering any particular ideology.
Will worth the reading.
I would love to see any of these plays performed, in English or German.
The plot twists are wickedly clever.
Although the Cold War is no more, the COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us of the threat of global destruction by unleashing technology. Are there some secrets that mankind is better off NOT knowing? That is the premise that the plot unfolds.
These plays are extremely well crafted, the characters relatable, and the treatments are meant to give the audiencesomething to think about without hammering any particular ideology.
Will worth the reading.
I would love to see any of these plays performed, in English or German.
December 26, 2011
Hanya membaca Kunjungan Nyonya Tua, alias The Visit
sebuah drama yang menggugah, yang dapat dengan cerdk menggambarkan warna asli para manusia. mungkin, masih ada purist yang tidak percaya bahwa uang adalah segalanya. namun di dalam drama ini durrenmatt dengan jelas menggambarkan bagaimana jika uang dengan jumlah sedemikian rupa ditawarkan - seorang purist pun akan jatuh dalam dosa karena uang memiliki sebuah daya magnetik khusus yang membuat manusia menjadi lemah dan lebih riskan dalam membuat dosa.
merupakan sebuah karya yang jujur dan berbeda.
sebuah drama yang menggugah, yang dapat dengan cerdk menggambarkan warna asli para manusia. mungkin, masih ada purist yang tidak percaya bahwa uang adalah segalanya. namun di dalam drama ini durrenmatt dengan jelas menggambarkan bagaimana jika uang dengan jumlah sedemikian rupa ditawarkan - seorang purist pun akan jatuh dalam dosa karena uang memiliki sebuah daya magnetik khusus yang membuat manusia menjadi lemah dan lebih riskan dalam membuat dosa.
merupakan sebuah karya yang jujur dan berbeda.
March 9, 2012
The Visit ****o
The Physicists ****o
Romulus the Great ***oo
Hercules and the Augean Stables ***oo
The Marriage of Mr. Mississippi ***oo
The Physicists ****o
Romulus the Great ***oo
Hercules and the Augean Stables ***oo
The Marriage of Mr. Mississippi ***oo
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews