Accidental Death Of An Anarchist

The Chief serves as a caricature of corrupt leaders of abusive systems. A supporting character, he exemplifies every point The Fool makes. He blusters his way through the play, unwilling to believe that anyone would be able to get the upper hand while dealing with him. His “bullish” attitude makes him easy for The Fool to manipulate and satirize. His unwillingness to admit fault or acknowledge the inherent corruption of his job causes him to follow The Fool’s lead long after it has become a hindrance to his own goal. When The Fool appears as the comically dressed Captain Piccinni, The Chief goes along with him, even though he is aware of how ridiculous the situation has become.

Ultimately, it is The Chief who is responsible for the corruption at Police Headquarters. He is the one who pushed the anarchist from the window; he is the one who goes along with The Fool’s suggestions to rewrite the report. The Chief consistently illustrates casual abuses of power and corruption within the police force, even not so subtly threatening The Reporter to persuade her to print what he wants. He even argues that the police should be allowed to infiltrate left-wing groups and incite them to violence: “I for one feel not the slightest embarrassment that we, the government, are using every tool we can think of…” (80). The Chief is the play’s clearest embodiment of Corruption and Abuse of Power. He even turns against his fellow police officer, Inspector Bertozzo, to preserve his own control and power: “Don’t you understand it’s got to be kept secret? If the woman finds out about the counter-investigation, we’re done for!” (87).

Inspector Bertozzo is a foil to The Fool. While The Fool repeatedly outsmarts him, he is the only character aware of what is really going on. He knows The Fool is neither a judge nor a police captain nor a bishop, and he refuses to let him get away with any of his tricks. The Inspector is as free of corruption as a police officer can be in Accidental Death of an Anarchist, but his innocence is often indistinguishable from naivete. He isn’t aware of an investigation into the anarchist’s death, and he doesn’t go along with The Chief, Captain Pissani, and The Fool to maintain a cover-up. Instead, Bertozzo persistently tries to stop The Fool, even going against his direct commander: “Hands up! Backs to the wall or I’ll shoot! […] Hands up, I said. You too, Chief” (92). Baffled by the events unfolding around him, he falls back on the only, imprecise tools he knows how to use. In this moment, after he has been ignored for most of the second act, Bertozzo takes extreme action to stop The Fool’s antics, pulling a gun and handcuffing everyone.

What makes Inspector Bertozzo an interesting character is that he represents an honest individual in a corrupt system. He follows the law, and he believes that his work as a police officer is inherently good. It is clear he is aware there is corruption within the police and knows that the anarchist was beaten to death. However, when he learns about the laws that protect people with mental illness, he holds back from beating The Fool or using excessive force on him no matter how obnoxious he finds him. He knows that if he is caught, the consequences will be great. He doesn’t automatically assume that he will be able to cover up his corruption. Fo uses Bertozzo to illustrate the individual’s role in resisting systemic Corruption and Abuse of Power. Bertozzo is willing to expose blatant abuse of power within the police in order to stop The Fool from causing more damage. When the rest of the police gratuitously kiss the ring of The Fool when he is the Bishop, Bertozzo must be forced, and it becomes the straw that breaks the camel’s back, prompting him to act.