The Visit: structure

Overall Structure

‘The Visit’ is divided into three acts, each encompassing multiple scenes. These acts follow a specific narrative progress - introducing the characters, developing the conflict and then approaching resolution.
The structure of “The Visit” follows the classical pattern of introduction, complication, climax, and resolution, however, these stages are intermingled with elements of absurdity and irony that characterise tragicomedy.

Scene Breakdown

The progression of scenes in each act enhances the narrative flow and tension. The brief interludes that break up the scenes serve to provide perspective and further insight into the town’s moral decline.
The use of space and setting in each scene contributes to the play’s overall structure. For example, the scenes switch between public spaces (town hall, railway station) and private spaces (Zachanassian’s villa), indicating the contrast and conflict between public morality and personal greed.

Time Manipulation

‘The Visit’ utilises flashbacks and time jumps to delve into the past of the characters, laying bare the protagonist’s motivations. This manipulation of time adds complexity to the narrative structure and deepens the characterisation.
The years that pass between Claire’s exile and return take place offstage, which allows the town’s transformation under Claire’s influence to sharply contrast with its initial state as a dilapidated community.

Structural Devices

The elimination of characters in ‘The Visit’ is notable - as the play progresses, critical characters like Ill are systematically removed. This contributes to the growing sense of doom and inevitability.
The use of repetitive motifs (like the repeatedly updated sign at the railway station) punctuates the structural development of the play. These motifs serve to enhance themes and maintain audience engagement.
‘The Visit’ also utilises theatrical devices like the use of a chorus (the townspeople) and monologues to add texture to the narrative structure. This aids in emphasising the communal culpability and individual greed.

Enhancement of Themes

The structure of ‘The Visit’ reflects and enhances the play’s key themes - justice, revenge, guilt, and decadence. The narrative progression maps the town’s moral decline, escalating the tension and desperation.
Dürrenmatt uses the structure to encapsulate the cruel reality of the human condition. The gradual build up of circumstance followed by the sudden twist of fate is a tool to highlight the harshness of life and human fragility.