Ariel Dorfman's play Death and the Maiden is set in a country that is supposedly transitioning out of a military dictatorship and into a democracy. The play highlights the brutality of the previous regime and the half-hearted attempts of the current regime to correct the abuses of its predecessor. The opening of the play says that it could be set in Chile but leaves room for interpretation, suggesting that this kind of situation could happen in any country undergoing such a transition.

As you construct your answer, you should read about the Pinochet regime in Chile in the 1970s and 1980s. Pay attention to the military nature of the regime and the human rights violations it was known for. You might compare these to the situation presented in the play.

Notice, too, the commentary the play provides about the new democratic government that takes over from the military regime. While this government is supposed to be correcting the abuses that happened before, characters like Paulina feel that it does not do enough. She wants to take “justice” into her own hands. Yet readers are left with questions. We wonder if the commission will actually accomplish anything or if the members of the previous regime are too involved in the new one. We wonder if people like Paulina will actually receive justice from the new regime.