
The Visit
Friedrich Durrenmatt(Author)
Jonathan Cape (Publisher)
Published on 23. August 1973
Book
Paperback/Softback
112 pages
978-0-224-00914-0 (ISBN)
Shipment within 10-15 days
Description
In The Visit (original title Der Besuch der alten Dame), Claire Zachanassian, now a multimillion heiress and an older woman, returns to the impoverished town of her youth with a dreadful bargain: in exchange for returning the town to prosperity through her vast wealth, she wants the townspeople to kill the man who jilted her.
From its subtle exploration of parochial politics to its horrific climax, The Visit shows a population willing to sacrifice loyalty and scruples in the pursuit of riches. It is a drama of the absurd that reduces human nature to its most ridiculous depths.
Duerrenmatt was one of the most important figures of modern European drama and The Visit remains both a powerful critique of twentieth century civilisation and an outstanding piece of experimental theatre.
From its subtle exploration of parochial politics to its horrific climax, The Visit shows a population willing to sacrifice loyalty and scruples in the pursuit of riches. It is a drama of the absurd that reduces human nature to its most ridiculous depths.
Duerrenmatt was one of the most important figures of modern European drama and The Visit remains both a powerful critique of twentieth century civilisation and an outstanding piece of experimental theatre.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Vintage Publishing
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 196 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
105 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-224-00914-0 (9780224009140)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
New editions

Book
10/2010
Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press
€15.50
Available immediately
Person
Friedrich Duerrenmatt was born on 5 January 1921 in the Emmental, Switzerland, the son of a Protestant pastor. At the age of 26, his first work, It Is Written, premiered to great controversy, and he went on to write many successful and challenging plays, including Romulus the Great and The Physicists. He was a proponent of epic theatre whose plays reflected the recent experiences of World War II. He wrote avant-garde dramas, satire and philosophical crime novels and he was a member of the Gruppe Olten. Duerrenmatt died from heart failure in Neuchatel in 1990, aged 69.