Groteska w rytmie walca, czyli „Veliki briljantni valček” Drago Jančara

Abstract

Drago Jančar wrote his play in 1985 shortly before the political transformations which led to Slovenia’s secession from Yugoslavia. The Great Brilliant Waltz is a captivating drama about the impact a totalitarian regime makes on people’s lives. The central theme of the play is the conflict between individuals and a repressive institution. The psychiatric hospital depicted in it becomes a metaphor for life in a totalitarian state whose authorities exert complete control over the citizens’ minds. The author created three main characters with three different personalities: Simon Veber, Volodja and the Doctor. The most important one is Simon Veber – a historian who becomes one of the victims of the totalitarian system. Drago Janĉar asks questions such as: Why do free individuals loose their freedom? Why do intelligent people submit to the authority of someone who wants to destroy their lives and minds – their entire world? He leaves these questions unanswered. He simply shows how it is possible for totalitarianism to grow in strength.