Overview

Despite being widely acknowledged as one of the most important German dramatists since Bertolt Brecht, Heiner Muller (1929-95) still remains relatively unknown in the English-speaking world. This collection of plays aims to change that, presenting new translations and opening up his work to a larger audience. Collected here are three of his plays - ""Philoctetes"", ""The Horatian"", and ""Mauser"" - that together constitute what Muller called an ""experimental series,"" which both develops and critiques Brecht's theory of the Lehrstuck, or ""learning play."" Based on a tragedy by Sophocles, Philoctetes dramatizes the confrontation between politics, morality, and the desire for revenge. The Horatian uses an incident from ancient Rome as an example of ways of approaching the moral ambiguity of the past. Finally, Mauser, set during the Russian civil war, examines the nature and ethics of revolutionary violence. The plays are accompanied by supporting materials written by Muller himself, as well as an introduction by Uwe Schutte that contextualizes the plays and speaks of their continued relevance today.

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9781906497828

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Reviews

In [Muller's] writings you will find that which is repellant, unfathomable, false, and absurd....You will find truth, summoned up out of the ashes and mud, and you will find remarkable wit, intelligence, and beauty: the world, in short, as only the greatest dramatists are capable of describing it. (Tony Kushner)

&#8220;In [M&#252;ller&#8217;s] writings you will find that which is repellant, unfathomable, false, and absurd. . . . You will find truth, summoned up out of the ashes and mud, and you will find remarkable wit, intelligence, and beauty: the world, in short, as only the greatest dramatists are capable of describing it.&#8221;&#8212;Tony Kushner <br> --Tony Kushner

Author Information

Heiner Muller was a German dramatist, poet, writer, essayist, and theater director. He is one of the most important German dramatists of the twentieth century. His other plays include Hamlet Machine and Anatomy Titus Fall of Rome. Nathaniel McBride is a writer and translator. He lives in London.

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