Mother Courage and Her Children

Mother Courage and her Children is a play by Bertolt Brecht, written in 1938-9 and premiered in Zurich in 1941. It follows the journey of a canteen woman, Mother Courage, as she travels with her wagon during the Thirty Years War, selling provisions and liquor to the troops. Her sons die in the war, and her daughter is mortally wounded, but she continues her travels, calculating how to make material profit from the conflict. The play explores themes of war, nature, capitalism, dramatic devices, production history, critical reception, academic debate, and further study.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 136 pages
Publication date: 16 June 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This new Student Edition, featuring the classic John Willett translation of the play, includes an introduction by Katherine Hollander, which explores the following:
Contexts (Thirty Years War, 1618-1648; World War II and exile; sources; influential figures such as Brecht, Margarete Steffin, Helene Weigel, and Karin Michaelis)
Themes (war; nature; capitalism)
Dramatic devices (epic theatre)
Production history and critical reception
Academic debate (Marxist, feminist, and postmodernist)
Further study

Widely regarded as Brecht's best work, Mother Courage and her Children was written in 1938-9 and received its premiere in Zurich in 1941. Mother Courage, a canteen woman serving with the Swedish Army during the Thirty Years War (1618-48), follows the armies, selling provisions and liquor to the troops. Both her sons die in the war, and her dumb daughter, Kattrin, is mortally wounded as she beats a drum to warn the town of Halle of an impending attack. Yet, all the while, Mother Courage continues her travels with her wagon, indomitably businesslike, calculating how she can make material profit from the war and turn conflict into capital.

The play is a powerful exploration of the human cost of war, as well as the ways in which individuals and societies can be shaped by conflict. Mother Courage is a complex and multifaceted character, driven by her desire for survival and her willingness to exploit others for her own gain. She is a symbol of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity, but also a reminder of the moral compromises that are necessary in times of war.

One of the most striking features of the play is its use of dramatic devices, such as epic theatre, to convey its message. Brecht's use of long, uninterrupted scenes and the use of multiple characters to represent different perspectives allows the audience to fully immerse themselves in the world of the play. This technique also allows Brecht to explore the themes of war and capitalism in a more nuanced and complex way, as he is able to show the ways in which these forces intersect and influence each other.

The production history of Mother Courage and her Children is also fascinating. The play was first performed in 1941, at a time when Germany was under the control of the **** regime. Despite the political context, the play was a critical success, and it quickly became a symbol of resistance against the **** regime. The play was banned in Germany in 1943, but it continued to be performed in other countries, including the United States and the Soviet Union.

In recent years, Mother Courage and her Children has been the subject of much academic debate. Scholars have explored the play's themes of war, nature, capitalism, and gender, and have argued about the ways in which Brecht's political and social commentary is reflected in the play. The play has also been the subject of feminist and postmodernist interpretations, which have challenged traditional readings of the play and explored the ways in which gender and power are represented on stage.

Despite its age, Mother Courage and her Children remains a powerful and relevant play. Its exploration of the human cost of war and its critique of capitalism and power continue to resonate with audiences today. The play's use of dramatic devices and its complex and nuanced portrayal of characters make it a valuable addition to the canon of world theatre.

In conclusion, Mother Courage and her Children is a masterpiece of world theatre that explores the themes of war, nature, capitalism, and gender in a powerful and nuanced way. The play's use of dramatic devices and its complex and multifaceted portrayal of characters make it a valuable addition to the canon of world theatre. Despite its age, the play remains a powerful and relevant play that continues to resonate with audiences today.

Weight: 120g
Dimension: 129 x 196 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350178533
Edition number: 2 ed