Ariel Dorfman

Ariel Dorfman is a celebrated Argentine-Chilean playwright, novelist, essayist, and human rights activist whose work often grapples with themes of tyranny, justice, and the search for truth. Born in Buenos Aires, he spent part of his childhood in the United States before his family settled in Chile. Dorfman became a professor at the University of Chile and served as a cultural adviser to President Salvador Allende until the 1973 military coup forced him into exile.

His most famous play, Death and the Maiden (1990), is a taut psychological drama exploring the aftermath of political repression. The work has been staged internationally and adapted into a film directed by Roman Polanski. Its tense interplay between victim and accused reflects Dorfman’s deep engagement with questions of memory and reconciliation in post-dictatorship societies.

In addition to theatre, Dorfman has written novels such as Widows, Mascara, and The Last Song of Manuel Sendero, as well as essays and political commentary. His nonfiction frequently addresses the intersection of art, politics, and human rights.

Dorfman’s plays are noted for their moral urgency and emotional intensity, blending personal stories with broader political landscapes. His works have been translated into dozens of languages, affirming his global reach as a writer.

Today, he divides his time between the United States and Chile, continuing to write and speak out on behalf of democracy, justice, and the power of storytelling to confront historical trauma.