Claire Durrenmatt Quotes

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The Visit, by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, is about the billionaire who seeks revenge. Claire got pregnant from Alfred in her young years, but he denied being the father, destroying her reputation. She was drawn into prostitution after her town, Güllen, abandoned her. She became rich after a billionaire fell in love with her and married her. After his death she married again several times until she came back to the town to get her revenge from Alfred. She is willing to give the whole entire town one billion dollars if they kill Alfred. A hunt begins for Alfred who constantly has to worry about getting killed by the town inhabitants. The main character, Claire, who is the most powerful character in this play and as well a woman, is shown as a cruel, …show more content…

A typical image of a witch was red hair, green eyes or in general extraordinary features. Dürrenmatt uses this image and pictures Europeans have of witches to influence our perception of Claire. He describes Claire as a red haired, old woman with extraordinary clothes and a wicked personality. “…, Claire Zachanassian, sixty-two, red-haired, pearl necklace, huge gold bracelet, extravagantly made up, quite impossible but just for that reason a grande dame, with peculiar grace, despite her grotesque appearance.” (Dürrenmatt, p. …show more content…

Claire uses her power to influence the people and convince them to go over their essential ethical viewpoints and get them to murder one of their town people. “Claire: I can afford justice. One billion for Güllen, if someone kills Alfred Ill” (Dürrenmatt, p. 35). Claire is getting her revenge without giving Alfred a fair trial. Like the pair, Alfred was young, probably afraid of taking such a huge responsibility at this age. He should have gotten the chance of a fair trial, where he can at least show his side of the story and has the chance to defend himself. But Claire is not giving him that and shows no mercy, the only thing she has in mind is her revenge, even when she says that it is justice. Dürrenmatt shows women’s “incapability” to have power. Claire is the only woman in the play who received power and she is using it to do something not just illegal but also

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