Dürrenmatt - Friedrich Dürrenmatt

Swiss playwright and novelist. Born in the suburbs of Bern to a pastor's son. Along with Max Frisch, he is one of the most representative writers of post-World War II Swiss literature. Originally an aspiring artist, he also illustrated his own works. His creative attitude is linked to the view that the modern world has become strange, as he raised the issue in Problems of Dramatic Theatre (1955). He believes that the modern world can no longer be understood by the closed form of classical tragedy, and he has experimented with a variety of traditional theatrical materials and styles, taking inspiration from rich theatrical fantasy, and making full use of unexpected techniques such as parody, vaudeville-style climaxes, gesture-based kyogen, clowning, and puppetry, thereby renovating theater by creating open-style comedies that leave the answer to the audience's judgment. In this respect, he has something in common with Brecht, but he clearly distinguishes between literature and politics, and limits his insight into the world as an absurd place with grotesque and monstrous aspects. His criticism of the people and the times is moralism based on conscience and Christianity. His representative works include "Mr. Mississippi's Wedding" (1952), "The Lady Comes Home" (1956), and "The Physicists" (1962), which have been performed all over the world. He also showed talent in detective novels, such as "Suspicion" (1953), "The Promise" (1958), and "Accident in the Daylight" (1958).

[Mitsuyuki Natsumeda]

"Mr. Mississippi's Marriage" (1954, Hakusuisha, translated by Mamoru Kato) "The Lady Comes Home" (1974, Chikuma Shobo, translated by Tatsuji Iwabuchi) "Suspicion" (1960, Hayakawa Publishing, translated by Michisuke Maeda)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

スイスの劇作家、小説家。ベルン郊外の牧師の子に生まれる。マックス・フリッシュと並んで第二次世界大戦後のスイス文学を代表する作家。もともと画家志望で自作に挿絵も描く。その創作態度は、『演劇の諸問題』（1955）で問題提起したように、現代の世界は異様になっているとみる視点と結び付いている。古典悲劇の完結の形式では現代はもはやとらえられないとし、従来のさまざまな演劇素材や様式を縦横に混交し、豊かな演劇ファンタジーに着想、パロディー、寄席(よせ)演芸的やま場づくりや、身ぶり狂言的、道化的、操り人形的といった、意表をつく技法を駆使して実験を試み、解答は観客の判断にゆだねる開放形式の喜劇づくりにより演劇を刷新した。その点で彼はブレヒトと相通ずるものをもつが、文学と政治を明確に区分し、この世を化け物じみたグロテスクな様相を呈する不条理の世界と洞察することに限定し、その市民と時代への批判がキリスト教に基礎を置く良心からのモラリズムである点で、ブレヒトと異なる。代表作に『ミシシッピー氏の結婚』（1952）、『貴婦人故郷に帰る』（1956）、『物理学者たち』（1962）があり、世界各地で上演された。このほか推理小説にも才を示し、『嫌疑』（1953）、『約束』（1958）、『白昼の事件』（1958）などがある。

［棗田光行］

『加藤衛訳『ミシシッピー氏の結婚』（1954・白水社）』▽『岩淵達治訳『貴婦人故郷に帰る』（1974・筑摩書房）』▽『前田道介訳『嫌疑』（1960・早川書房）』

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