Overview
Synopsis
Loosely based on the real figure of Johann Christian Woyzeck, Georg Buchner’s Woyzeck is a naturalist indictment of the dehumanizing effects of the military and science on unsuspecting victims. The titular character is a soldier unwillingly subjected to a doctor’s experiment just so he can have enough money to support his common-law wife (Marie) and their illegitimate child. While his body deteriorates, Woyzeck’s mind and soul are broken by his captain’s psychological torture, culminating in the murder of Marie and his own subsequent suicide. Although left incomplete at Buchner’s death - and with no definitive text or order of scenes - Woyzeck is one of the most influential and performed plays in German theatre; its themes of poverty, isolation, and morality still resonate with audiences worldwide.
Show Information
- Book
- Georg Buchner
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 1
- First Produced
- 1913
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Germany, 1830s
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- Samuel French
- Ideal For
- College/University, Mature Audiences, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult, Elderly, Late Teen Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
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Supporting |
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Supporting |
Male |
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Supporting |
Female |
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Supporting |
Female |
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Supporting |
Male |
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Supporting |
Male |
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Featured |
Male |
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Featured |
Male |
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Featured |
Male |
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Featured |
Female |
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Featured |
Male |
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Featured |
Male |
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Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
A literary style or mode that subverts normal or dominant society, and may be playful or dark.
A narrative or dramatic structure that uses loosely connected scenes to tell a story.
A literary device that uses a word or phrase to represent another, often abstract, idea.
A play that centers around the downfall of the main character through tragic actions and events.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Cindi Calhoun
Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress