Friedrich Dürrenmatt is a well-known Swiss German-speaking playwright, prose writer and publicist. He is a laureate of many literary awards: Moliere, Schiller, Austrian State Prizes.
short biography
This great man was born on January 5, 1921 in the village of Konolfingen, near the canton of Bern. Three years later, the youngest daughter Vroni appears in the family. Due to the material crisis in 1935, the family was forced to move to Bern.
Frederick's father was a rural pastor. In this regard, the boy was brought up very strictly, which protected him from the society of peers. Perhaps this influenced the development of his talents: from an early age he began to draw and write. For all his works of illustration, he created his own.
In 1935, Friedrich entered the Free Gymnasium in Bern, but later transferred to the Humboldtianum. Teachers often complained about his behavior, he did not have success in his studies. Friedrich himself later said that years of study for him were the most unpleasant time in his life.
After graduating from the Humboldtianum, he entered the University of Zurich, but soon transferred to the University of Bern. However, in 1943, he dropped out of studies and took up direct literature.
Creative fruits
Two years after the start of her creative career, the first play “For It Is Said” was released. She was staged in the theater in 1947, but did not make much furore. However, the creation of this theatrical production became fateful for Frederick. He met actress Lottie Geissler, they soon got married and moved to Ligerz. Since the husband is the head, a matter of a material nature has become a family with five children.
Successful work
He did not cease to be engaged in creativity, and the second play “Romulus the Great” brought him long-awaited success.
The third play, Mr. Mississippi's Marriage, brought him fame. After staging these works, Friedrich Dürrenmatt was recognized as a playwright of national scale.
In addition to fame and popularity, he practically got rid of problems with finances: he was still far from a beautiful life, but he did not need to count a penny to buy food for his wife and five children.
Own style
By that time, he had found himself in drama, had decided on his own style and problems in his works: the playwright was best able to reveal the themes of human impotence and opposition to cruel peace. His creations were never easy to read or view, they were always full of meaning and difficult for psychological perception. At that moment, the future immortal creation (no longer a brief summary of “The Visit of the Old Lady”, but a full-fledged tragicomedy) was preparing for stage production.
Triumph
The play “Visit of the Old Lady” is phenomenal (a summary is given in this article). Description of the main topics of humanity brought the author worldwide fame. In his creation, the author touched on the problematic issues of all time: fidelity, honesty, revenge, power, love and a passion for money.
F. Durrenmatt, “Visit of the Old Lady”. Summary
Despite the fact that the play is psychologically difficult, many people re-read this creation more than once. I would like to note that even the brief content of the “Visit of the Old Lady” is intriguing, shocking and arouses the desire to see the performance on a large stage.
The action takes place in the twentieth century in the small town of Güllen. The former resident Klara Tsahanassyan decides to visit the city, and as a girl - Wesher. At that time, she is an elderly millionaire. The once industrial city is now on the verge of poverty: factories and factories are standing, residents are losing their minds because of lack of money. Upon learning of Clara’s arrival, everyone hoped that she would give a gift of money for the prosperity of the city. They encouraged her to push this decision to grocer Ill, with whom Clara had an affair.
The spectacular appearance of Clara made all the inhabitants of Güllen startle. Trains do not stop in this town. Therefore, in order to exit, she had to break the stop crane. Seeing her appearing surrounded by an entire retinue, the residents gasped. The once young Clara Wesher was followed by her seventh husband, two large men carrying her train, a butler, maids and two blind men, Kobe and Lobi. The appearance of the lady was also shocked: instead of her right arm and left leg, she had innovative prostheses. She lost limbs in a plane and car crash. The luggage that was carried behind her consisted of countless suitcases, a coffin and a cage with a black leopard. Passing by the policeman, she asked the question whether he knows how to close his eyes to what is happening in the city. Clara also asked the priest if he would let go of the sins of those sentenced to death. The Holy Father, in turn, replied that the death penalty was abolished. The main character said that she will have to enter again. Witnesses of this dialogue were completely at a loss.
Ill decided to lead the former lover to the places of their wild love, to solve the problem through the surging memories. In the future, Ill married Matilda Blumhard, a wealthy heiress to a dairy shop, and Clara married millions of Tsakhanassyan. After love memories, Ill admitted that he always dreamed of returning long-gone feelings, between which he asked his beloved to help the city with money.
Upon returning from a nostalgic trip at a gala dinner hosted by the local head, Klara announces that she will donate a billion to Güllen: five hundred million to restore the city, another five hundred will be divided among the residents, but on condition that they do justice.
After this statement, she asks to go out to the people of her butler. It turned out to be a former judge of Gullen, whom everyone recognized. It reminds people of a lawsuit that happened 45 years ago. Then Klara Wesher was expecting a baby from Ill, and he, in his defense, brought two drunks who, for a bottle of alcohol, testified that they also slept with Clara, and paternity is not confirmed. After that, young Clara was kicked out of the city with shame. She got into a brothel, and a newborn girl was sent to an orphanage, where she died a year later.
For the girl it was a great tragedy, after which she vowed to return to the city and take revenge. After marriage, the first thing Clara ordered the thugs to find false witnesses in her case and blind them. Since then, Loby and Kobe have been living next to her.
After the announcement of this story, the lady said that Gullen would get a billion if someone killed Ill. The priest replied that none of the townspeople could be in the role of the executioner, however, Clara said that she had time to wait.
Climax
Ill began to notice that the majority of residents began to appear new things, they began to buy expensive products. He tried not to take what was happening to heart, but soon a sense of hopelessness from an imminent death took possession of him.
Meanwhile, Clara plays another wedding with a young actor, the townspeople have fun at the feasts. The people gradually forget about poverty, the industrial enterprises of the city resume their work one by one. The burgomaster, unable to withstand everything that is happening, asks Ill to commit suicide and give the city a chance to live a normal life. An elderly grocer refuses, but the last event finishes Ill. A black leopard, whom she brought with her, fled to the millionaire. In her youth, Clara called Illa "her black leopard." Soon, the leopard is caught in the woods and killed. The former lover finally reconciled with his own death. At a city meeting, all residents unanimously vote for the execution of a man.
After the meeting, Clara went to Illa and said that she still loves him, but this love is like a monster inside her. After that, brave townspeople take their grocer's life. The prosperous old lady kept her promise: the money was given to the city and people. Leaving the city, Klara takes the body in a coffin and takes it to the estate by the sea, where he places it in the mausoleum.
A brief analysis of the play
The essence of the tragicomedy is closely connected with the people of our days. Many crimes that occur in real life are similar to the play: someone simply steps aside from the problem, someone takes a “moral” point of view, and as a result, everyone becomes accomplices, since no one tried to help and solve the illegal situation. The work says not only about the fact of the murder, but also about secondary factors: the temptation for which the townspeople went for it. The author showed what influence money has, and how it can change even a priest and a policeman.
Durrenmatt also made us think about his actions so that in his life everyone would not come to his own "old lady". An analysis and summary of Durrenmatt's Visit of the Old Lady shows that the themes raised in the 1955 play are still relevant today.
Stage performance
A brief retelling of the content of “The Visit of the Old Lady” enthuses. Undoubtedly, this is a brilliant play that touches on the pressing problems of the people of that time and today. For the first time, a brief summary of the play “Visit of the Old Lady” in Moscow was presented by director Ilan Ronen. The Maly Theater Hall was filled with countless spectators; tickets could only be bought a few months before the performance. The Maly Theater has not seen such a full house for a long time. The Swiss writer Durrenmatt, even in a brief summary of “The Visit of the Old Lady,” was able to intrigue millions of people, and the full-fledged play left the audience in a wild delight.