A Climate Activist Reading of Elfriede Jelinek's Trilogy Sonne / Luft / Asche

Abstract: This article discusses Jelinek's trilogy Sonne / Luft / Asche from the perspective of a climate activist in the context of the escalating climate crisis in the early 2020s. Although all three parts are steeped in imagery of the destructive nature of climate change, Jelinek offers glimpses of hope, especially in the first two parts of the trilogy. This begins with the realizations that humans do indeed need a healthy planet earth to survive and still have the capacity to save the world. The essay shows how the plays reveal Jelinek's understanding of the concrete steps that are needed to address the climate crisis, from reductions in consumption—especially of animal products—to an end to fossil fuel dependence and new forms of transportation to grassroots activism. Though these are often presented through the prism of cynicism, Jelinek leaves room for directors to amplify encouraging messages in their productions.