The Power Of Power In The Visit By Friedrich Dürrenmatt

The play The Visit, takes place in the late 1950’s, post-World War 2, in Güllen, Germany, the town being in complete ruin and in the need of money. When a special offered is made by the main character to help them prosper, they can't seem to resist the temptation. In his tragicomedy, the author Friedrich Dürrenmatt focuses on his moneyed main character Claire Zachanassian as a way to highlight the manipulation of a society through power.

Claire’s power to manipulate is first portrayed when she arrives to Güllen and pulls the emergency brake. The Train Supervisor informs her that in Germany no one pulls the emergency brake even if it is an emergency because staying on time is their priority. When Claire’s asked for an explanation by the Train Supervisor, she responds with “You are a blockhead. I’m here to pay this little town a visit. Do you expect me to

In which, he responds “I do, Madam. How else could I get by in Güllen? (15) and that’s exactly what he did when Ill went to visit him and when the Gymnast decided to kill Ill. Ill is strangled to death by the Gymnast with a checkered tablecloth, following the vote of the townspeople to have justice done. The Mayor announces, “The Claire Zachanassian endowment has been accepted… Not for the sake of the money. But for the sake of justice…” (104) and early in the play Dürrenmatt has Claire ask the Gymnast “Have you ever used your strength to strangle someone? Once Ill is killed the journalist asks what’s going on, and the Doctor responds with “heart attack” (109) a reference to the beginning of the play, when Claire advises the Doctor, to write heart attack as the cause of death next time. They were all motivated from the beginning to satisfy their part in Claire's proposal. Claires money and power gave her the ability to get ever she