The Visit: social context

The Visit: social context

Swiss Setting and Post-war Europe

  • Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s “The Visit” is set in the fictional town of Güllen, which is representative of a typical Swiss town during the post-war period. The hardships faced by the townspeople can be seen as a reflection of the economic challenges experienced by Europe during this time.

  • The text was published in 1956, thus it is set against the backdrop of the Cold War era, a time when the world was grappling with the ideological battle between capitalism and communism. This might have influenced the themes of corruption and moral decay in the play.

Economic Struggles

  • At a time when Europe was recovering from the financial burdens of the devastating world wars, the plight of the impoverished Güllen echoes the economic struggles of the wider society. This setting provides the perfect breeding ground for Claire’s temptation of wealth to take root.

  • The desperate state of the town and its citizens, which sees them slowly becoming complicit in the sinister plot against Ill for the sake of economic progress, mirrors the growing sociocultural tensions and moral lapses in a society grappling with economic hardships.

Social Class and Wealth Disparity

  • Claire’s arrival in Güllen creates a stark contrast between her immense wealth and the poverty of the townspeople. This highlights the economic disparity and the consequences of capitalism, where a few control most resources leaving the majority languishing in poverty.

  • This disparity is a critique of the capitalist system and serves as a cautionary tale of its potential to corrupt, where people might be driven to compromise their morals in pursuit of wealth and improvement of economic circumstances.

Revenge and Justice

  • The play also deals with themes of revenge and distorted justice within its social context. Claire seeks her own form of justice due to Ill’s past actions, and the fact that the town accepts her outrageous proposition suggests a flawed justice system where recompense can be bought, reflecting the potential corruption in the legal mechanisms of the time.

  • Claire’s introduction as a victim turned avenger offers commentary on society’s retribution mentality. Thus Dürrenmatt uses the social context to interrogate the concept of justice, revenge, and their potential impacts on the collective societal conscience.