The image of the physicist in modern drama

While the role of the scientist in society has been a subject for playwrights from the time of the Renaissance onwards, quite a number of post‐World War II plays have focused on the role physics and physicists play in modern society. In this article, the plays of Bertold Brecht, Friedrich Durrenmatt, William Golding, and Heinar Kipphardt are reviewed, which focus especially on the difficult choices faced by physicists in the modern world in which the consequences of physics‐based technology are immense, if not overwhelming. These plays also provide an attractive context for discussion on science and social responsibility.