Woyzeck Response

Brayden Bergman

Woyzeck by Georg Buchner is a play that revolves around a young soldier in a German speaking
country, who is placed under many pressures by his many peers and overseers, including his lover
Maria, who is a prostitute. Woyzeck slowly spirals into madness eventually stooping to the level of
killing his lover Maria. The play has a circular plot, in that it can be read in any order of the scenes, and
they would still make sense in regard to plot. In the German film of this play, Woyzeck is a more
likeable and sympathetic character than that of the character in the play. This is due to his interactions
with his son, which were completely nonexistent in the play as he avoided looking at the boy, whereas
in the film, Woyzeck plays with his son, and acknowledges his son in a fond manner. This is also due to
his relationship with any of his peers or betters, as his betters are all portrayed in a very harsh manner
in the film, with slight wording changes to some of the captain's and the doctor's speeches. In the film,
some of the scenes were shortened from the play, and took out some of the details that left the scenes a
bit open ended in the play. The film also gave the story a legitimate ending, giving Woyzeck a death,
and a relief from his madness and grief. In the play he was tied up and made fun of by everyone in the
play, including the Idiot. This took away the lack of structure and finality of the play and turned it into
a resolved ending that gave Woyzeck, ultimately, more sympathy.