Interpretations of Plot about Alceste: from Euripide’s Social and Domestic Drama to Franz Fühmann’s “Play with Music in Ancient Landscapes”

Abstract

The significance of the study is due to the need to update the memory of the personality and work of the East German writer Franz Fuhmann, undeservedly forgotten in the era of united Germany. The novelty of the proposed study is due to the fact that the materials that testify to the long and painstaking preparatory work to create a play about Alces and this work itself have not only not been translated, but have not been studied in Russian German studies either. It is noted that the problem of “inclusion” of artistic consciousness in new media makes it necessary to approach the reception of the classical heritage from a new point of view. It is indicated that Franz Fuman is one of the brightest experimenters in this field. It is shown that psychological rethinking of traditional mythological situations and the creation of their new versions prevail in his dramatic experiments, which allows us to see the timeless grain of the myth. It is argued that in the named work the writer does not deviate from the formulation of the burning topics of our time, but elevates their understanding to a higher level of the eternal questions of mankind. It is emphasized that in this context it is not surprising that the writer turned to the traditions of antiquity, primarily mythology. The author of the article believes that the study of the dramatic experiments of Franz Fumann helps to supplement the picture of the genre and style diversity of his work with new facts.