Themes in the play
What is the main theme of Death and the Maiden?
Justice vs revenge.
What does the tape recorder symbolize?
truth.
What is the impact of Paulina's line: "What do we lose by killing one of them? What do we lose?"
Paulina’s anguished question forces readers to confront the moral ambiguity of revenge versus justice. It underscores her desperation and challenges audiences to consider the ethical cost of retribution
Name a dramatic technique Dorfman uses.
Our answer: tension-building through dialogue.
Who is Paulina Escobar?
A former political prisoner who was tortured and seeks justice.
Name two themes explored in the play.
Either; truth & memory or power & control.
How does music function symbolically?
Schuberts, "Death and the Maiden" triggers Paulina’s trauma and represents her past.
What does Paulina's line:
"Forgive yes, forget no. But forgive so we can start again" convey about her internal conflict?
Impact: This line captures Paulina’s ambivalence toward forgiveness. It profoundly affects readers by addressing the tension between moving forward and remembering past injustices to prevent their repetition
How does the play use monologues?
they reveal internal struggles and emphasize personal perspectives
How is Paulina both strong and weak?
Strong: Takes control, fights for justice. Weak: Emotionally scarred, struggles with trust.
How does the play explore justice vs. revenge?
Paulina seeks justice but acts in ways that resemble revenge.
Explain the use of light and darkness as symbols.
Light represents truth and exposure, while darkness symbolizes secrecy and repression. Headlights, Paulina draggin him out of the bedroom on a dark stage, etc.
What is the significance of the quote: “I want him to confess”?
It reveals Paulina’s need for closure and confirms her suffering.
Explain how Dorfman uses pacing to create suspense.
Long silences and sudden outbursts create tension, mirroring Paulina’s psychological state.
What does Roberto Miranda symbolize?
The ambiguity of justice—he represents both the accused oppressor and potential victim of injustice.
How does Dorfman use the theme of truth and memory?
By questioning whether truth is fully attainable, using unreliable narratives.
What does the gun symbolize in Paulina’s hands?
Power, justice, and her reclaiming agency.
Why is Paulina’s final silence important in the play?
It leaves ambiguity about whether she killed Roberto, reinforcing the theme of unresolved justice.
How does the use of an ambiguous ending serve the play’s themes?
It forces the audience to reflect on justice and whether true resolution is possible.
How does Gerardo act as a catalyst for change?
He bridges the political transition but also represents the compromises of post-dictatorship justice.
Discuss how power dynamics evolve throughout the play.
Paulina gains control over Roberto, reversing past power structures, but her authority remains fragile.
How does Dorfman use setting and sound to create tension?
The remote setting (of the house) isolates the characters, while sound (waves, music, silence) increases suspense.
How does the last scene reinforce the play’s message?
It suggests that trauma lingers despite political transitions, with unresolved tensions remaining.
Discuss how the play engages the audience through dramatic irony.
The audience knows Paulina’s past trauma, making Gerardo’s dismissiveness and Roberto’s denial more unsettling.
Discuss whether Paulina is a hero, a villain, or both.
She is a complex figure—both a victim seeking justice and someone capable of committing questionable acts. (She can be seen as both)