Intruder in Modern Drama

The Intruder is a dramatic character who appears suddenly on stage, seemingly from nowhere, unknown to the other characters, thrusting himself upon them and upsetting the status quo. The study compares twelve plays by ten major modern dramatists (Arden, Betti, Bond, Brecht, Dürrenmatt, Frisch, Gombrowicz, Ionesco, Pinter, Williams). In all the plays, as a result of the intrusion, there is a mood of uneasiness, impending social change which disturbs the socio-political equilibrium.