Literature Library author

Friedrich Dürrenmatt

A concise guide to Friedrich Dürrenmatt's body of work, major titles, and recurring themes.

IB PRL recommended author
Languages
German
Regions / countries
Switzerland
Forms
Drama, Poetry, Prose: fiction
Indexed works
3

Author overview

Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921–1990) was a poet and playwright whose body of work spans drama, poetry, and fiction. This writing is in German and associated with Switzerland. Major works and useful reading starting points include Der Besuch der alten Dame, Der Richter und sein Henker, Die Physiker, and The Pledge: Requiem for the Detective Novel. Key themes include Justice transformed into revenge, Consumer debt and moral choice, Collective responsibility and euphemism, and Law and private justice.

Reading pathway

Begin with Der Besuch der alten Dame, then move to Der Richter und sein Henker, then move to Die Physiker.

Representative starting points

Der Besuch der alten Dame

When billionaire Claire Zachanassian offers the ruined town of Güllen prosperity in exchange for Alfred Ill's death, public morality slowly changes into a well-financed collective murder.

Der Richter und sein Henker

A dying police inspector turns a colleague's murder into the final move of a forty-year contest, forcing readers to separate legal proof from private judgment.

These are Literature Library reading suggestions by an IB PRL author, not titles prescribed by the IB.

All published guides by this author

Biography, authority, and bibliography sources

This independent author guide supports reading and discussion. Curriculum badges show useful AP or IB connections without making this an official AP or IB publication.