Series Asterix Artists Albert Uderzo Language French Followed by The Mansions of the Gods Illustrator René Goscinny | Writers Rene Goscinny Date of publication 1970 Originally published 9 July 1970 Date 1973 | |
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Preceded by Asterix and the Roman Agent Similar René Goscinny books, Other books | ||
Asterix in Switzerland (French: Astérix chez les Helvètes, "Asterix in the land of the Helvetii") is the sixteenth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). It was originally serialized in Pilote magazine issues 557–578 in 1970 and translated into English in 1973.
Contents
Plot summary
Condatum's Roman governor Varius Flavus has been embezzling a majority of the taxes he collects in order to finance a debauched lifestyle of never-ending parties, sending only a pittance to Rome, until Quaestor Vexatius Sinusitus is sent to investigate. Flavus, upon finding that the Quaestor will not be easy to corrupt, serves him food laced with poison and provides inept doctors making absurd guesses at his ailment. Realizing his life is in danger, Sinusitus sends for the druid Getafix, who instantly identifies the malady as attempted murder by poison. Getafix agrees to brew an antidote for Sinusitus but lacks an essential ingredient: a flower called the 'silver star', and sends Asterix and Obelix to Helvetia (Switzerland) to retrieve it. He also insists that Sinusitus remain in the Gaulish village as a hostage; apparently to guarantee Asterix and Obelix's return, but actually to save Sinusitus from Flavus. Asterix and Obelix reach Helvetia but soon run into difficulties set by the Romans, as Varius Flavus has warned his colleague in Helvetia, the equally-corrupt Curius Odus, of their arrival. Thus the Gauls find themselves continually chased and delayed by the Romans, but are assisted by the hotel manager Petitsuix, bank manager Zurix, and some Helvetian veterans who hold a celebration at Lake Geneva. During the celebration, Obelix is rendered senseless by plum wine, and the veterans are attacked by the Roman army; whereupon Asterix and some of the Helvetians, tying themselves to Obelix and each other, obtain the 'silver star' from the mountainside, while the remaining Helvetians repel the Romans. Later Varius Flavus comes to the village, expecting that Sinusitus to be still poisoned; but now healthy Sinusitus confronts Flavus, and empowered by Getafix's magic potion, punches Flavus into the sky, announcing that he will now expose the corruption and sentence Flavus and Odus to their fate in the Circus in Rome. The story ends with the usual banquet for the villagers and Sinisitus, making it the first banquet featuring a Roman as a guest.
Commentary
Following the protests of May 1968, Goscinny started introducing more "adult" themes such as the opening "orgy" scene which parodies Federico Fellini's debauched Roman film, Fellini Satyricon. The painted faces, feeling of ennui, mechanical gorging of elaborate food, and sado-masochistic punishments are balanced (in Helvetia) by the fastidiousness of the Swiss servants who keep cleaning up messes, washing whips, etc.