Summary
Highlights
Karellen Avant Roba introduces "Der Besuch der alten Dame," a tragicomic play by Swiss dramatist Friedrich Dürrenmatt, written in 1956. This play, a popular A-level text for German students, is used to illustrate the importance of perspective. The plot revolves around Claire Zachanassian, an enormously wealthy old woman, who returns to her dilapidated hometown, Güllen. She offers its impoverished residents a fortune in exchange for the murder of Alfred Ill, the man who impregnated her years ago and abandoned her, bribing the local court. Initially, the townspeople refuse, but Claire's promise of wealth gradually sways their decision, leading to Ill's eventual death.
The central theme of perspective in the play focuses on how the townspeople's view of Claire and Ill evolves. This change occurs due to the passage of time since Claire's disgraced departure and the audience's own shifting perceptions of the characters and events.
Early in the play, Claire's significance is highlighted when she forces a train to stop in Güllen. Initially, the ticket inspector admonishes her, stating she should be treated like 'everybody else.' However, upon learning her identity, his demeanor immediately changes, acknowledging that her case is 'different.' This quick shift illustrates Claire's immediate and powerful influence.
When Claire proposes her offer, the mayor, described as 'proud and dignified,' vehemently rejects her request for Alfred Ill's death, citing moral grounds and proudly declaring they would rather remain poor than commit such a crime. His speech receives huge applause. However, Claire's succinct and powerful response, 'I'll wait,' foreshadows the town's inevitable change of heart.
Later, the townspeople begin to negotiate with Claire, showing increased sympathy. They adopt her vocabulary of 'justice,' previously ignored, and describe her as a woman whose love has been 'wounded.' This marks a significant shift in their perspective, moving closer to accepting her demand. Claire further influences this by recounting her past, emphasizing her vulnerability as a young, pregnant girl forced to leave town in disgrace, thereby evoking sympathy from the audience as well.
The presentation concludes with a series of questions to analyze perspective in plays, noting that while perspective is often discussed in prose and poetry, it's equally crucial in drama. These questions include: How is the story presented? Is the audience directly addressed? How does the play's ease of understanding affect perception? How does the audience become emotionally involved? What point of view are we invited to adopt in relation to the characters and events? To what extent does the play resemble real life, and are we meant to suspend realist conventions? Are we invited to side with a particular character, and how are our powers of identification distributed?