Conformity and Convenience in Friedrich Durrenmatt’s The Visit Essays

Friedrich Durrenmatts epic tragicomedy The Visit is a haunting commentary on the nature of mankind and morality. rescue to the surface many questions closely the residual between 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 overlooked and even contorted in order to conform with convenience as the citizens of the town become much desperate. The Visit is both a philosophical masterpiece and a harrowing tale of conditional morality.From the very first mention of the one million million 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 hotshot of morality and justice. For instance, he tells the mayor thatClara love justice. Most decidedly. Once when they took a beggar away she flung stones at the police. . .S he stole potatoes once for an old widow (Durrenmatt 15).The town exalts her for her generosity and self-less behavior. Already, you begin to see the citizens of Guellen lose 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 proposition made by Claire Zachanassian, a million dollars in exchange for the murder of Alfred Ill, the town immediately reacts with disgust. The Mayor arguesYou forget, we are not savages. In the name 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 hands (Durrenmatt 39).The Mayor refuses to accept the offer made by Madame ... ...ty, unplayful living, and luxury 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 ending 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 remaining humane originally, the escalation of poverty in the town, coupled with peoples willingness to overlook this, resulted in the needful murder of Alfred Ill. As the play ends, the viewer is left with a haunting picture of the members of Guellen standing together in a chorus, making one stick out justification for what they have done, conforming their morals to the mold of their convenience.