fire, and she tries all means to retrieve it from the fire. Anatol leaves the room, saying, "whore". Farewell supper Anatol wants to end his relationship with Annie and meets up with Max in a restaurant. Meanwhile, he has been with another woman, who is much more modest than Annie. Anatol and Annie had made a pact that they would end their relationship before they cheat. Annie comes to the restaurant and wants to end their relationship. Anatol tells her of his relationship with the other woman in order to make it look as if it was he who ended the relationship. Incensed, Annie leaves the restaurant. Agony Anatol and Max are in Anatol's apartment. Max leaves the house. Else comes in a little later to see Anatol. Else is married and cheating on her husband with Anatol. Anatol wants her to be with him, and to elope with him. However, Else does not want to do that and has to go back. She comforts him and puts him off until the next day. Anatol's wedding morning Anatol is going to get married and has celebrated his bachelor party the day before. Ilona is still in bed. At first he tells her he is going out with friends and she cannot come with him. Then he confesses, however, that he is going to a wedding. Anatol leaves the house and goes to his wedding. Ilona swears revenge, but Max calms her down. Interpretation and analysis Anatol outwardly looks like a happy person with many liaisons. However, on a closer look, it becomes apparent that he is driven by fear of intimacy and cannot commit to a real partnership. Womanizing is not a positive trait, and causes inability to relate and fear of infidelity. Male pride is hurt many times in this play and influences Anatol's thinking and actions. Overall, the change in the nature of Anatol's relationships with women from act to act in this play is striking. In the first act, he effectively has the opportunity to get an answer to a "question to fate", to discover the truth. His lover is hypnotized, and in a sense Anatol is actually the "god" he feels he is: The power of knowledge is given to him. The responsibility for not using the power lies solely with him; he does not dare to ask the question, out of pride and because "imagination