Bertolt Brecht
1898-1956
Importance of Brecht’s historical situation.
Served briefly in World War One
Displaced by World War II and directly witnessed the
destructive force of war, the ruin of Europe.
Saw the potential for Marxism to become a just system
for the proletariat, workers, common people.
What is “Brechtian”
The Epic Theater
The Alienation Effect (Verfremdungseffekt)
• The theater of realism seems outmoded and not useful
in Brecht’s time. A kind of theater needed to inspire
action, not complacency. Gradually he fashioned his
theory of the Epic Theater.
• Brecht sought a kind of theater where the viewers
were as knowledgeable about theater as they might be
about sports. Where one would be too excited and
disturbed to go for a relaxing post-theater dinner.
• One becomes conscious that one is in a theater and
not “immersed in a reality.” This inspires thought and
a kind of active assessment of the play.
•
For Mother Courage and Her Children, this kind of alienation effect
might be the music and songs. In an original production put on by
Brecht, when songs began, a string of banners would be lowered over
the stage, upon which were depicted trumpets and drums and musical
notes.
Many of the songs from Brechts plays, which he
wrote with composer Kurt Weil, have become
famous
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6orDcL0zt34
•
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnHRTmZGS6g&feature=related
•
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLMp50iK0G0
•
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouAI4cKschg&feature=related
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPG9GcykPIY
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dDs_N3kGQk&feature=relat
ed
Mother Courage and Her Children (Act 1)
• There are some connections to Candide in that the most serious
elements are treated with flippancy and humor. Underneath, of
course, a serious look at war, its costs, the connections with
commerce, and finally this message that the “small fry,” the
small businesses, are not the ones to profit from war.
• The story of the “chicken-breasted” recruit who gets away (after
a few drinks).
• The assertion that war is the great organizing principle of
civilization--”it takes a war before you get decent lists and
records.”
• The torturous paths of paternity for Mother Courage’s children.
• The brutal reality of war in Ma C’s introductory song.
More Black Humor from Act 1
• Courage tries to scare the soldiers off with her system of crosses
to mark death. Ends up, prophetically, marking all of her own
children for death. Thinks they can be saved by being smart (Elif)
or honest (Swiss Cheese) or quiet (Katrin).
• Back to humor. The Sergeant thinks it unlikely that he will die
because he always stays in the rear. He also defends the
Swedish troops by denying that there is a lot of religion in the
Swedish military camp (page 337).
• Finally what allows Elif to be spirited away is the distraction of Ma
C. by the potential for a sale. Is this the first instance in the play of
her exchanging her children for profit?
Act 2: Commerce and War, Hunger and Scarcity,
Heroism and Knavery
• Act 2 begins with the entertaining bartering for the capon. Or
instance, this particular capon was adept at math. And the way
Courage questions the “freshness of the Beef,” (if he was
slaughtered only yesterday, “he must have stunk on the hoof.”)
• We realize that, on some level, the general’s dinners are more
important than his soldier’s needs. (see Joseph Heller’s Catch
22 for a more modern version of this.
• And that in this “religious war,” it is bound to be the peasants
who most greatly suffer. See Elif’s act of heroism.
Act 3: More Commerce, a Change of Fortune, a
Protestant Turns Catholic, Honesty doesn’t Pay.
• The Ordnance Officer selling the ammunition to buy the General’s
liquor.
• Yvette also our for survival in this time of war. (Sickness?)
• The Chaplain’s advice to the Cook: “Don’t get sentimental.”
• Again, the Chaplain--”I almost let out a prayer.”
• The main tension caused by Courage’s wavering about the sale
of her wagon. Is this another point where her concern for profit
has cost her a child?