The Exorcist (novel)

The Exorcist is a 1971 novel by William Peter Blatty published.

Action

The 12 -year-old Regan is plagued by behavioral problems whose origin is unclear. Without healing their behavior is always blasphemous and obscene. It seems that a demon named Pazuzu has taken possession of her. The Jesuit Damien Karras, a Catholic priest and psychologist, looks forward to the thing with skepticism, but the existence of a demon would also prove the existence of God, to whom he can no longer believe as an enlightened man. As assistant of Father Merrin Lancaster he eventually begins an exorcism carried out. During the exorcism dies Father Lancaster, after which Father Karras provokes the demon of anger, but to try it with him instead of the little girl, after which the daemon runs in him. In a final effort succeeds Karras himself to plunge out the window and thus to defeat the demon. The small Regan remains healed.

The history

Template for the novel is an exorcism that was performed in 1949 in the U.S.. 1949 ( "possession " ) are found in the town of Cottage City, Maryland, was born in 1935 at Roland Doe, apparently in connection with the death of his aunt, behavioral problems. By Roland mother has been strictly religious upbringing. Due to the aunt, who had died on 26 January 1949 he learned about the occult and how to use a Ouija board. The mother initially turned to the Catholic priest Father Albert Hughes of St. James Church in the neighboring town Mount Rainier. On March 11, 1949 Roland Doe was the first time visiting the exorcist Father William S. Bowdern and his assistant, Father Raymond F. Bishop and Father Walter Halloran. On March 16, the permission to carry out exorcisms was issued by the Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter. These lasted until April 18, 1949.

  • According to Father Walter Halloran, the boy had expressed Latin words in the exorcism. This would have the boy can know from the Catholic worship; However, he came from a Lutheran family.
  • According to statements by Father Walter Halloran and the older brother of Roland Doe Roland was able to spit accurately. However, this was because Roland was very proficient in targeted spitting.

On August 20, 1949, the exorcism in a newspaper article in the Washington Post described. This was William Peter Blatty, then a student at Georgetown University in Washington, as an inspiration for his novel.

Book editions (selection)

  • The Exorcist. Harper & Row, New York 1971
  • The Exorcist. Novel. German by Gisela Stege. Molden, Vienna 1972, ISBN 3-217-00411-6
  • The Exorcist. Novel. German by Joachim Honnef. Bastion Luebbe, Bergisch Gladbach 2001, ISBN 3-404-25677-8

Filming

The book was made ​​into a film in 1973 by William Friedkin, also titled The Exorcist. The screenplay was written by Blatty himself

Play

John Pielmeier directed 2012 film Story at the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood (Los Angeles ), among others with Brooke Shields as Chris MacNeil and Richard Chamberlain as Father Merrin. Premiere was on July 3, the Dernière is planned for 12 August 2012.

The Exorcist (film) Westwood (Los Angeles)
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