The Visit

At the beginning of the play, the leaders and townspeople of Guellen patronizingly underestimate Claire. This is largely because most of them don’t remember her at all, and the one person who does remember her has conveniently mitigated his memory of breaking her heart and ruining her life. The entire welcome is orchestrated by men who have barely left Guellen, yet they expect Claire to be impressed and pleased by their display, as if pretending to know her and handing out fabricated compliments is bestowing an honor. They put on a show that they can’t afford, but only because they are certain that their show will provoke a generous donation from Claire. The Mayor predicts, “Madam Zachanassian sets foot on her native soil, she’s home again, and how moved she is, there are tears in her eyes, ah, the old familiar places. The old faces” (16). The fire bell masquerades as the church bell, and the people of Guellen masquerade as Claire’s long-lost loving family. The town leaders attempt to engage her in what they expect to be a mutual act of pretending for the sake of social ceremony, expecting the truth to be nothing but water under the bridge after 45 years—after all, she has come to Guellen, which can only mean that she plans to spread her wealth there as she has done in other places.