Tales from the Vienna Woods and Other Plays. (Studies in Austrian Literature, Culture, and Thought. Translation Series)

Horvath (1901-1939) is one of the most important theater writers in the 1930s. His reputation rests largely on the four plays in this collection which he called Volksstucke (popular plays) although he had no desire to embrace this tradition uncritically. Reflected in these plays is his sympathy with the situation of the exploited classes, as well as the concern with the way language is used for self-deception. The hollow self-deceiving characters come across as potentially receptive to fascism. A latent brutality is unmasked, a lack of genuine feeling -- all lying well hidden under a veneer of facile sentimentality.Michael Mitchell (Translator) is the author of 'Tales from the Vienna Woods and Other Plays. (Studies in Austrian Literature, Culture, and Thought. Translation Series)', published 2002 under ISBN 9781572411081 and ISBN 1572411082.