Conformity and Convenience in Friedrich Durrenmatt’s The Visit Essays

Friedrich Durrenmatts epic tragicomedy The Visit is a unyielding commentary on the nature of mankind and morality. Bringing to the surface many an(prenominal) questions about the difference amongst justice and revenge, the play is constructed in a way that leaves the reader at once perplexed and conflicted. The difference between right and wrong is often throw offed and even writhed in line of battle to conform with convenience as the citizens of the town become much desperate. The Visit is both a philosophical masterpiece and a plough tale of conditional morality.From the very first mention of the millionairess Claire Zachanassian, the reader is barraged with philosophical questions about the difference between right and wrong. Ill shares stories about Claires past which immediately foreshadow her perverted sense of morality and justice. For instance, he tells the mayor thatClara loved justice. Most decidedly. Once when they took a beggar past she flung stones at the police . . .She stole potatoes once for an old widow (Durrenmatt 15).The town exalts her for her charity and self-less behavior. Already, you begin to memorise the citizens of Guellen overlooking her immorality because it is convenient for them to do so, as she has the ability to help them recover from their state of financial distress.Upon hearing the bid made by Claire Zachanassian, a million dollars in exchange for the execution of instrument of Alfred Ill, the town immediately reacts with disgust. The Mayor arguesYou forget, we are not savages. In the distinguish of all citizens of Guellen, I reject your offer and I reject it in the name of humanity. We would rather have poverty than blood on our detainment (Durrenmatt 39).The Mayor refuses to accept the offer made by Madame ... ...ty, good living, and extravagance we are moved by this matter of justice, and the problem of how to apply it.Finally, we see the town conclusively turning their back on Ill, reversing their initial termination for one more suited to settle their problem though, in order to grapple with what theyve done, the town convinces themselves that they have done it for reasons of altruism so that their contorted sense of morality is justified. While the town had every intention of rest humane originally, the escalation of poverty in the town, coupled with peoples willingness to overlook this, resulted in the inevitable murder of Alfred Ill. As the play ends, the viewer is left-hand(a) with a haunting picture of the members of Guellen standing together in a chorus, making one last justification for what they have done, conforming their ethics to the mold of their convenience.