Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921-1990) is commonly seen not only as the most prominent Swiss novelist, playwright, and essayist of the twentieth century but as one of the most influential authors of modern literature. Dürrenmatt’s works have been translated into virtually all languages, and his oeuvre is inextricably linked to the modernist canon. Among his best-known works are the plays The Visit (1956) and The Physicists (1962), as well as the novels The Judge and His Executioner (1952) and The Pledge (1958).  In 2001, The Pledge was adapted for the screen (directed by Sean Penn and starring Jack Nicholson).