La Ronde was written in 1897 by Arthur Schnitzler, but because of its subject matter, it was not performed on stage until 1920. Its first performance in Berlin was met with violent critical and popular reactions to the play’s subject matter. Audiences found it difficult to accept a play that offered social commentary on how sexual contact transgresses boundaries of class.

The Berlin court even brought up charges of immorality against the play, which were later dropped. However, Schnitzler was labeled a pornographer. He withdrew the play from production, refusing to allow it to be performed in any German-speaking countries. In 1982, Schnitzler’s son Heinrich released La Ronde for German-speaking performances.

Format & Structure

La Ronde does not fit the usual format of what one expects of a play. It does not have a beginning (exposition), a middle (building up of action and setting up conflicts), or an end (where everything is tied up in a neat resolution). Instead, the play is divided into ten scenes or dialogues, with two characters in each scene who meet, make love, and move on without resolution or finality.

The ten characters begin with a sexual encounter between a whore and a soldier, and end with a scene between a count and the whore. By choosing characters across all levels of society, the play offers sharp social commentary on how sexual contact transgresses boundaries of class.