Of War and Capitalism: Austrian Authors Explored

A Salzburg production is juxtaposing the works of two prominent Austrian female authors, Elfriede Jelinek and Ingeborg Bachmann, exploring the thematic resonance between their writings. While their selected plays may not share a common aesthetic, they are united by a conceptual field where violence manifests in diverse forms: as warfare, political structures, and economic imperatives. This confrontation creates a space that views war not merely as a historical event but as a mode of thought that persists within capitalism.

Elfriede Jelinek, a Nobel laureate, returns to Salzburg with the premiere of her play 'Unter Tieren' (Among Animals). In this work, she crafts a scenario where animal characters, bears, cows, pigs, and foxes, investigate the history of money. These creatures, while capable of speech, retain their distinct animalistic perspectives and characteristics. Their attempt to comprehend the mechanisms of modern financial capitalism is not doomed by inability but by the inherent elusiveness of the system itself.

Jelinek, known as a chronicler of contemporary society, uses language not as a neutral medium but as a site of contestation. Her work consistently deconstructs myths, whether national, economic, or gender-based, revealing their underlying power dynamics and fragility. 'Unter Tieren' is part of this broader poetics, critically engaging with the linguistic construction of social reality rather than merely reflecting it.

The play's reference to animal fables evokes comparisons to George Orwell's 'Animal Farm' and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's 'Reineke Fuchs'. By shifting the perspective to animals, Jelinek exposes the absurdities and contradictions of a society driven by economic pressures. Themes of political corruption, economic power structures, social inequality, and the entanglement of war and the arms industry permeate the text, offering a sharp critique of contemporary capitalism.