The meteor
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| Title: | The meteor |
| Genus: | comedy |
| Original language: | German |
| Author: | Friedrich Dürrenmatt |
| Publishing year: | 1966 |
| Premiere: | 20th January 1966 |
| Place of premiere: | Schauspielhaus Zurich , Zurich |
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The Meteor is a play by Friedrich Dürrenmatt .
The piece is seen partly as a satirical Dürrenmatt, and partly as a satirical of his critics. "The Meteor" was premiered on January 20, 1966 at the Schauspielhaus Zurich .
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The Nobel Prize for Literature, Wolfgang Schwitter, has finally passed away in the clinic after a long period of suffering. The piece begins when Schwitter, risen from the dead, returns to his old studio on the longest day of the year (mathematically speaking, on June 21), despite the heat in a thick fur coat, two suitcases and in his hands two large candles tucked under her arms. Another painter, Hugo Nyffenschwander, now lives with his wife Auguste and twin daughters in the studio where Schwitter tried his hand at painting forty years ago. Schwitter would like to die in the studio, according to his estimation it only takes ten minutes until the time comes. He rents the studio and sends the two out.
But instead of dawning away in peace, he now receives constant visitors, the visitors almost push the handle into their hands. The hospital priest comes first and tells Schwitter that he has risen. He helps Schwitter destroy his one and a half million and the manuscripts. The physically unstable pastor dies of excitement over this miracle. Next comes the homeowner, the “great Muheim”. Schwitter credibly assures him that he didn't have to pay rent at the time because he slept regularly with Muheim's wife. Muheim is devastated because his love for his wife has kept him going. Schwitter's wife, Olga, is now looking for her husband to take him home. However, Schwitter, who wants to finish his life, rejects the upright loving woman. Instead, Schwitter sleeps with Auguste after he has dealt with his son without the hoped-for inheritance.
In the second act, Schwitter lies dead in the bed of the studio, gently asleep in Auguste's arms. The critic Georgen has a devastating necrology on Schwitter's literature. Auguste leaves her husband because she was just a model for him. Schwitter gets up from the dead again, receives another visit from Muheim and witnesses how he in a mad rage pushes the painter down the stairs. The painter dies. Muheim is taken away by the police. Schlatter, Schwitter's personal physician for months, tried to persuade him to come to the clinic so that he could examine his patient properly and thus repair his bad reputation - twice he noticed Schwitter's death. Schwitter refuses. Now there is Koppen, Schwitters publisher, who is now ruined because the Nobel Prize author burned money that partly belonged to the publisher. Ms. Nomsen is the next visitor, Olga's mother. She tells her son-in-law that Olga killed herself because of the futile feelings for Schwitter. Mrs. Nomsen dies in Schwitter's presence. Now Schwitter is scared and afraid, he realizes that he cannot die. The Salvation Army appearing and singing about him gives him the rest. The piece ends with the sound of trumpets and his exclamation: “When will I finally die!”.
Web links
- Literature by and about The Meteor in the catalog of the German National Library