Refund is a clever one-act play by Fritz Karinthy (1887–1938), a Hungarian satirist known for his keen wit and social critique. Adapted by Percival Wilde, the play conveys an enduring message regarding the irrationalities of the education system. Through humor and irony, Karinthy highlights how conventional education frequently falls short of equipping people for actual life obstacles

About the Playwright

Fritz Karinthy was known for his keen insight into human behavior and his humorous take on society’s flaws. His works, including Refund, use satire to provoke thought while keeping the audience entertained.

Plot Summary

The drama depicts Wasserkopf, a discontented, jobless man in his forties who rushes into his former school seeking a reimbursement of his tuition costs. He asserts that his education was pointless because he has not managed to achieve success in life.

The Principal and his group of educators become anxious, but quickly understand Wasserkopf’s scheme—to intentionally fail a retest and validate his refund request. In response, the Mathematics Master creates an ingenious plan: regardless of how ridiculous Wasserkopf’s responses may be, the instructors will consider them accurate.

During the re-examination, Wasserkopf gives outrageous answers such as:

• History: “The Thirty Years’ War lasted seven meters.”
• Geography: “The capital of Brunswick is Same.”
• Physics: Rude comments that the teachers still interpret as “philosophical truths.”

At last, when prompted to determine his refund amount, Wasserkopf provides the accurate figure right away—unaware that it was a test question. The Mathematics Master proudly announces that Wasserkopf has excelled, demonstrating that his education was worthwhile. The teachers subsequently expel him for being excessively brilliant, completely reversing his argument.