Plot Summary

The Double Bass

Patrick Süskind
Guide cover placeholder

The Double Bass

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1981

Book Brief

Patrick Süskind

The Double Bass

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1981
Book Details
Pages

64

Format

Play • Fiction

Publication Year

1981

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

The Double Bass, a one-act monologue by Patrick Süskind, premiered in 1981 and follows an unnamed orchestral double bass player in his mid-thirties who feels trapped in a stifling relationship with his instrument. As he grows progressively drunker, he explores his life, career, and unreciprocated feelings for a mezzo-soprano named Sarah.

Contemplative

Mysterious

Humorous

Melancholic

Reviews & Readership

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Patrick Süskind's The Double Bass is celebrated for its profound meditation on loneliness and artistic passion. The monologue format offers an intense, introspective experience, though some may find it excessively introspective or lacking in action. The book's exploration of the relationship between a musician and his instrument is poignantly rendered, captivating readers who appreciate deep character studies.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Double Bass?

Readers who appreciate monologues and character-driven stories will enjoy Patrick Süskind's The Double Bass. Comparable to Samuel Beckett's Krapp's Last Tape, this novella is suited for those interested in existential themes, the nuances of performance art, and the intimate struggles of musicians.

Book Details
Pages

64

Format

Play • Fiction

Publication Year

1981

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Buy This Book

We’re just getting started

Add this title to our list of requested Study Guides!