Study of Survival and Entrepreneurship in the Bertolt Brecht's play "Mother Courage and Her Children"

Abstract

Bertolt Brecht, a seminal figure in 20th-century theatre, profoundly influenced the landscape of modern drama, and his play "Mother Courage and Her Children" stands as a towering testament to his unique artistic vision. Written in 1939 amidst the tumult of a world on the brink of another global conflict, Brecht, a staunch critic of war and fascism, embeds his deep socio-political concerns within the fabric of this play, using the Thirty Years' War as a historical backdrop to draw stark parallels with contemporary events of his time. The play is an exemplar of Brecht's pioneering 'Epic Theatre', a style he developed to encourage audiences to engage critically rather than emotionally with the play, thus fostering a more detached, analytical response to the narrative and its themes. This approach is vividly demonstrated through the play's central character, Mother Courage, a canteen wagon owner who navigates the treacherous landscape of war, profiting from the conflict yet suffering immense personal loss. Her character embodies the contradictions of survival and morality within a war-torn world, highlighting the complex interplay between individual agency and the inexorable sweep of historical forces. Brecht’s use of the alienation effect, or Verfremdungseffekt, a technique designed to prevent the audience's emotional identification with the characters, is pivotal in this context.