Geschichts- und Kulturpessimismus in Max Frischs Dramenstück "Die Chinesische Mauer"

The drama The Chinese Wall spectacularly shows its audience that history and culture consist of repetition through repetitive injustices and incapable people that repeat themselves. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine The Chinese Wall in the context of theories of historical and cultural pessimism that emphasizes the understanding of cyclical history. In the first part of the study, the introduction, Max Frisch`s literary works especially the Chinese Wall and its dividedness to the other works were mentioned. In the second part, the reasons of the occurrence of pessimism and its historical development were demonstrated and following that pessimistic theories of Schopenhauer, Nietzsche and Spengler were examined. In this context it was pointed out that they interpreted the existence, history and culture with a cyclical approach. It was investigated how Max Frisch was influenced by them, especially from the understanding of cyclical history, and how this philosophical theory was carried into his literacy. The third part focused on Frisch`s interpretation of the theater in general. In this context the spatial and temporal dimensions of his theater, the recurrence motif, and various types of theater that he created under the influence of Brecht were analyzed. Furthermore, The Chinese Wall which the recurring motif is applied in and carries traces of the epic theater was examined. In the fourth part, the content of the drama was scrutinized regarding to the character constellation and the inability of the characters against the main problem of the drama which underlines the cyclical approach. Finally, the farce the generic name of the drama was analyzed and it was indicated that it punctuates the absurd elements of the drama.