The physicists
The Physicists
The Physicists is a satiric play written by the Swiss author Friedrich Dürrenmatt about three physicists who are living in the private
sanatorium " Les Cerisiers " headed by the last living member of an old regional aristocratic family, Miss Dr. h.c. Dr. med. Mathilde
Von Zahnd.
The first one thinks he is Sir Isaac Newton, but he is in reality Herbert Georg Beutler, the second one thinks he is Albert
Einstein and his real name is Ernst Heinrich Ernesti. The third physicist, Johann Wilhelm Möbius is different, he has got no second
identity but he is in this sanatorium because King Solomon speaks to him.
We enter the play when many men are in the saloon. It is the place of a tragedy as Mr Ernesti has strangled a nurse. Mr. Beutler has
also killed a nurse a couple of months ago.
The inspector is slightly annoyed because he has to visit Les Cerisiers the second time
during a short period of time and because he can’t speak to or take away the murderer . He is also expressing the wish of the
public prosecutor that the sanatorium has to be taken over by male nurses because of the two murders by the two physicists.
During the course of the play the personal and physical change is perceptible. Both the main characters and the environment are
changing. For an example in act two, Herbert Georg Beutler alias Sir Isaac Newton turns out to be a long lost world famous physicist
Alex Jasper Kilton who discovered the "Theory of Equivalents" also Albert Einstein alias Ernst Heinrich Ernesti is the also long lost
discoverer of the "Eislereffect" Joseph Eisler. The most noticeable changes are that there are male nurses and the iron bars in front of
the windows.
There are many characteristic changes in this incalculable and satiric play.
First of all the inspector is annoyed and impatient because he can’t see or take away the - as everybody knows guilty -
murderers to put them to justice or he can’t even question these criminals. After the death of nurse Monika Stettler caused by
the " so-called" harmless physicist Johann Wilhelm Möbius the inspector changes rapidly " At first I felt angry at not being able to
proceed with the arrests." Then the change occurs "But now ? All at once I’m enjoying myself." " The first time in my life
justice is on holiday- and it’s a terrific feeling." (page 35).
After this comment we see the inspector the last time.
Then the head of this institution Dr. Dr. Mathilde Von Zahnd the last descendant of the once great Zahnd family. She is in her mid
fifties and has the appearance of an old maid she also behaves like one. We know a bit about her family background like that her
father hated her like poison as he did with every human being or that she is the last member of a former glorious family and her still
living relatives (a great aunt and a cousin) are interned in this Sanatorium.
She considers herself as a medical wonder that is quite
normal. Her main part of changing is the leap from the nice doctor to the mad uncontrollable member of a nearly or fully extinct
species. At the end she accuses Möbius of denying King Solomon.
The public prosecutor is a role which never speaks but has a crucial part in the play that paves the way for the change to a kind of
high security prison, by the order the inspector delivered.
The Möbius-Rose family consists of the three kids, Adolf-Friedrich(16) the eldest who wants to be a vicar, then
Wilfried-Kaspar(15) the second son who wants to be a philosopher and the youngest one Jörg-Lukas(14) who plans to be a
physicist. Till this point Johann-Wilhelm didn’t interfere with the conversation but when Jörg-Lukas offers the wish to be a
physicist Johann-Wilhelm protests heavily against it.
Then Lina his Ex-wife who worked 15 years so hard that her beloved husband
can stay in Les Cerisiers. There is also the new husband of Lina Oskar. This is the last visit before they go off to the Marian islands.
Herbert Georg Beutler alias Sir Isaac Newton alias Alex Jasper Kilton a famous lost physicist who is now working for a secret
Intelligence service discovers first that Johann-Wilhelm isn’t mad he plays this role to save his secret before the world. Then
Albert Einstein
alias Ernst Heinrich Ernesti alias Joseph Eisler also a lost famous physicist and Kilton try to get in favour of Johann-Wilhelm for their
secret service.
Johann-Wilhelm Möbius the main character in this book is a puritan and plain character who sacrifices his life for the science to hide
his dangerous discovery from mankind to protect themselves from their own thirst of knowledge and the search for the ultimate
knowledge.
Raphael Bsteh
Standard Grade English
U2
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