Czeryne Peralta

19/ 06/ 2021

HL Essay Outline
WC (all): 1807

The transformation of Ill’s family as a result of wealth in The Visit

Line of inquiry: How does the transformation of Ill’s family in Durrenmatt’s The Visit illustrate the corruption of
the family unit in time of financial duress?

Intro:
● Importance of family - strong bond and how families stay together no matter how hard
and difficult it becomes. (At least 2 sentences)
● Introduce text:
○ In Durrenmatt’s The Visit, the family unit is explored in a different way that not
many can associate with. At the time of difficulty and poverty, the taste of wealth
and the possibility of rising through had made Alfred Ill’s family cast an ignorant
eye/look away. To receive the generous donation made by Claire Zachannasian, a
former resident of Guellen, the poverty stricken town must murder their most
liked person. Which is Alfred Ill. The delusion they have created and their
unbothered concern for their father/husband has lead him to embracing his given
fate.
● Thesis
○ The transformation of Ill’s family in Durrenmatt’s The Visit illustrate the
corruption of the family unit in times of financial duress.
● Summary of essay:
○ This is explored through the formation of ideals of Ill’s children (a symbol of
poverty and wealth), the accumulation of debt that his family has taken, and their
inconsistent presence (family should be there for each other) during the play (time
jump).

P1: Formation/Creation of ideals

● The transformation OF Ill’s children, act as a symbol for the entire town.
S: first introduced to Ill’s children in Act One when Claire asks about them and Ill replies that
they have no sense of ideals.
E: “CLAIRE. Your children? ILL. No sense of ideals. CLAIRE. They’ll develop one soon.”
(1.30)
A: reveals how he sees his own children and the affect of poverty had hit them - when poor, do
everything to survive. This also acts as a foreshadow of what will occur.
S: His own view of his children after meeting again with Claire may have changed/or old age is
hitting well. He asks his children if they wanted to have a “good old days” (2.40) but they both
turn down the offer replying that they are going out to find jobs. This reinforces the poverty line.
E: “SON. It’s better than no job. … DAUGHTER. To the Labour Exchange. They may have
vacancy. … ILL. Good kids, fine kids.” (2.40-41)
A: this quote has a double meaning - he is either proud of the independence his children has
taken even if it was in the hands of poverty OR he is upset that he was the cause of the whole
fiasco, could have been different if he had chosen Claire instead of Matilda, his wife. ? (This
SEA is optional, use the last SEA if future me do not understand).
S: In Act Three, the two children enter the new furnished family shop with expensive looking
clothes and they enter the shop like in a T.V. show. They enter and Mrs. Ill introduces them to the
reporters that came to the town for Claire’s grand wedding.
E: “(Enter Son, left, wearing suede jacket.) … (Daughter walks into shop, wearing tennis-outfit,
carrying tennis-racket.) (3.72)
A: Clothes symbolizes the status of wealth and where one resides. In Act Two, where the reader
first meets the children, one can imagine them as dirty and looked desperate for money. In this
case, the clothes they wear symbolizes their newfound ideals and “wealth” to achieve this
“look”. This is the second evidence that his family has betrayed him for the “blood money”. In
addition, as the children symbolizes the town, this completes the betrayal and foreshadows
ultimately what will happen with Ill.
S: In the same Act, the children’s courses and extracurricular activities are told by Mrs. Ill as
they drive for the first and last time as a family.
E: “MRS. ILL. Ottilie’s taking her Advanced in French and German. … MRS. ILL. Ottilie’s
studying literature too. … MRS. ILL. Karl drives well. Very smart, the way he cut that corner.
You don’t feel frightened with him.” (3.83)
A: These finalizes the formation of ideals of Ill’s children and how wealth took a part in it. It is
also significant how Mrs. Ill is the one that explains it her husband as it emphasizes the effect of
their betrayal as they accumulate debt in which they will use the “blood money”.
Additional quote, just in case, “ CLAIRE ZACHANASSIAN. You see, they have developed a
sense of ideals after all. …” (3.85)

P2: Accumulation of debt

● As Ill had said to the Mayor in Act 2, “... The greater the debt, the higher the standard of
living. The higher the standard of living, the greater need to kill me.” (2.50)
● Stage directions in this play are significant as they expose the change of environment as
well as the change of appearances of buildings and people.
S: The general store is described as grimy/dirty and contained old stocks, this is explainable due
to the poverty Guellen has faced as a whole.
E: “... Right, a sign, ‘Alfred Ill: General Store’, above a grimy shop-counter backed by shelves
displaying old stock. Whenever anyone enters the imaginary door, a bell rings, tinnily. Left, a
sign, ‘Police’, above a wooden table, on it a telephone. Two chairs. …” (2.40)
A: the store is run down but still operable. This introduction to the store will be compared to the
new changes that will occur later on. Only displaying old stocks and a few furnitures that
probably are rotting unveils the graveness of the poverty the town has faced/or are still facing.
S: The changes in the store are described in the stage directions. Ill’s family has taken into
account many of the refurbishing, thus the standard of living has increased.
E: (Ill’s shop appears in foreground, right. New sign. Glittering new shop-counter, new till,
costlier stock. Whenever anyone enters the imaginary door, a bell ring, magnificently. …) (3.67)
A: Since the store is now refurbished and refurnished, the description of it is much more
appealing. Instead of a grimy shop-counter, it is now a “glittering” one. Everything is replaced,
however, a placement of a door did not occur. Instead, a bell rings “magnificently when someone
enters the imaginary door. The contrast of the word choices reiterate the accumulation of debt
and the betrayal of his family, even to his own business.
S: Ill suggests a drive to his family and as he was looking through his closet for his Sunday suit,
he found a fur coat in which Mrs. Ill replies that it is still on approval - on account- debt
E: “MRS. ILL. Everyone’s making debts, Freddy. You’re the only one throwing fits of hysterics.
It’s simply ridiculous of you to be scared. … Clarie won’t go the whole way, I know her, she’s
too good-hearted.” (3.78)
A: Mrs. Ill tries to justify their family’s accumulating debt saying that everyone has it and that
it’s all in Ill’s head thinking that he will be killed, and she adds that she knows no harm will
come to him since she knows Claire is too kind-hearted. This reveals how deluded Mrs. Ill and
the children are toward money as the children agree with their mother and don’t want to admit
that they’re willing to sacrifice their own family member (father/husband) to obtain money.
Justify - what Ill had done to Claire in the past.

P3: The time jump of his family’s appearance

● The reader is introduced to Ill’s family in the Act One and Two
○ Mrs. Ill - Act One - when Claire proposes one million dollars in exchange for Ill’s
body/life
○ His children - Act Two - his children turns down the offer of eating as a family
like the good old times - them leaving to find jobs
○ Do not get to seem them till Act Three where they have already transformed into
“wealthy” people
● Effect generated by this time jump?
○ Accentuates their betrayal to the father figure - as he goes through a dilemma and
a realization - whole town has betrayed him “indirectly” or in their deluded ways -
 his family was in the same boat - they do not fight for his innocence but takes part
in it by the accumulation of debt - the hurt is immense
● The reader were not able to see more of the family’s character and dialogue to better
understand them - their betrayal makes it seem that they really never loved or had little
affection of Ill as their change was done in the behind of the scenes
S: Their last time together - the mood is not somber nor the family seem sad or feel guilt for their
actions. They leave Ill at the woods where a bench is placed as he says that they do not have to
wait for him so they could go.
E: “MRS ILL. In that case we’ll drive into Kalberstadt, Freddy, and see a film. SON. ‘Bye,
father. DAUGHTER. Au revoir, papa. MRS ILL. See you soon. See you soon!” (3.85)
A: Ill’s family is not present when he is murdered - possibly to not feel the guilt of their actions.
When his children says goodbye, the reader could interpret this as a happy goodbye - it is like in
the movies - happy goodbyes - knowing that they will see each other soon/later. Ironic - Mrs. Ill
tells him that they will meet again - afterlife? - both parties know that this will not occur as his
own family has laid his body in a grave - debt. Level of concern is minimal. May be deluding
themselves that they will soon see him - guilt?

Conclusion:
● The three points (use another word), strengthens the corruption of Ill’s family in times of
financial duress.
● The establishment of ideals by his children through their clothes and courses is one of the
steps they have taken revealing their betrayal to their father.
● The accumulation of debt that Ill’s family indulge in by refurbishing their shop,
purchasing expensive clothes and a new car, as well as taking courses that only the
“wealthy” are accustomed to and can afford. Justice can be bought even your family.
Claire making her own justice and order - wealth
● The time jump - accentuates the betrayal and how far his family is going to delude
themselves in exchange for money for his life. As they part ways - their concern seems to
be minimal - they do not want to express their guilt or accept the fact that they sacrificed
their own father.
● The importance of the transformation of Ill’s family illustrates that not all families are the
same. Not all will help and fight for each other or have the strong bond that will last a
lifetime. That at times of desperate and desired “needs”, even one’s family will betray
them regardless of the reason.