2 X 2 = 5: A Comedy in Four Acts
"2 X 2 = 5, a Comedy in Four Acts" is a biting and witty satirical drama by the celebrated Danish author Gustav Wied. A master of the "satyr-play," Wied utilizes this four-act structure to skew the pretensions and hypocrisies of the intellectual and bourgeois classes. The title itself serves as a provocative metaphor for the irrationality of human behavior, suggesting that in the realm of social and personal politics, logic often gives way to convenience, vanity, and contradiction.
Set against the backdrop of turn-of-the-century social shifts, the play follows a cast of characters whose high-minded ideals are frequently undermined by their own base instincts and the pressures of societal expectations. Through sharp dialogue and cynical humor, Wied explores the friction between the individual's desire for authenticity and the performance required by the community. This translation by Ernest Boyd and Holger Koppel captures the acerbic spirit of the original Danish work, presenting a world where the search for truth is often secondary to the preservation of one's reputation. "2 X 2 = 5, a Comedy in Four Acts" remains a significant contribution to European dramatic literature, offering a timeless and humorous critique of the human condition that continues to resonate with modern audiences.
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