Arthur Schnitzler
Hands Around [Reigen]: A Cycle of Ten Dialogues
"Hands Around [Reigen]: A Cycle of Ten Dialogues" by Arthur Schnitzler is a play written in 1897. Ten characters form an unwitting circle through secret sexual encounters that cross all levels of Viennese society. Each person appears in two consecutive scenes with different partners, creating an interconnected chain of relationships. The play scrutinizes sexual morality and class ideology through dialogues before or after intimate encounters. Considered highly controversial, it was privately printed in 1900 but not publicly performed until 1920, provoking violent reactions and antisemitic attacks against Schnitzler.