Mother Courage and Her Children Character
MC
Mother Courage
Protagonist
Also known as: Anna Fierling
Resilient
Opportunistic
Greedy
Business-minded
The central character of the play, Mother Courage travels with her wagon selling food and supplies to soldiers during wartime. She earns her name by daring to continue her business even amid the dangers of war. In her relentless pursuit of profit, she loses all three of her children one by one. Her character symbolizes war, greed, motherhood, and helplessness.
E
Eilif
Supporting
Brave
War-loving
Reckless
Morally contradictory
Mother Courage's eldest son, Eilif is recruited by soldiers for his willingness to kill without mercy. He is initially celebrated as a war hero but is later executed during peacetime for the very same act that once earned him praise. His character symbolizes the moral contradictions of war.
SC
Swiss Cheese
Supporting
Honest
Simple-minded
Loyal
Naive
Mother Courage's second son, Swiss Cheese works as a paymaster for the regiment. He is captured by enemies after hiding the cashbox, and his mother's failure to negotiate his release in time leads to his execution. His character symbolizes honesty and the cruelty of war.
K
Kattrin
Supporting
Mute
Compassionate
Self-sacrificing
Innocent
Mother Courage's mute daughter, Kattrin cannot speak but demonstrates profound compassion and a deep affection for children. In the play's final scene, she beats a drum to warn a town of an impending attack, sacrificing her own life in the process. Her character symbolizes sacrifice, innocence, and silent protest.
TC
The Cook
Supporting
Also known as: Pavel
Self-interested
Pragmatic
Opportunistic
Conflicted
A cook who wishes to partner with Mother Courage in business and at one point proposes marriage to her, though she refuses because of Kattrin. His character symbolizes the conflict between selfishness and humanity.
TC
The Chaplain
Supporting
Also known as: The Parson
Hypocritical
Duplicitous
Helpless
Morally compromised
A Protestant clergyman who accompanies Mother Courage for much of her journey through the war. He exposes the hypocrisy of religion and morality during wartime. His character represents the helplessness and duplicity of religious institutions in times of conflict.
YP
Yvette Pottier
Minor
Survivalist
Opportunistic
Exploited
Resilient
A camp prostitute who survives the war by doing business with soldiers, at one point attempting to form a relationship with Swiss Cheese. She later marries a wealthy old officer but does not find happiness. Her character symbolizes the exploitation of women and their struggle for survival during war.
TS
The Sergeant
Minor
Authoritative
Militaristic
Coercive
A character appearing at the beginning of the play alongside the Recruiting Officer, the Sergeant comes to recruit soldiers and draw people into the war. His character symbolizes the machinery of war and its reach into ordinary life.
TR
The Recruiting Officer
Minor
Manipulative
Militaristic
Coercive
Appearing at the start of the play alongside the Sergeant, the Recruiting Officer works to conscript soldiers into the army. Together they symbolize the impersonal machinery of war that ensnares ordinary people.
OE
One Eye
Minor
Coercive
Militaristic
Symbolic
A one-eyed soldier who appears at the beginning of the play and participates in recruiting young men from villages into the army. He represents how war pulls common people into its grasp.
TY
The Young Soldier
Minor
Frustrated
Idealistic
Trapped
Outspoken
An ordinary young man drawn into the war who voices frustration about his wages and the injustices he faces. His character symbolizes the voice of common soldiers trapped in the terrifying cycle of war.
TC
The Captain
Minor
Authoritative
Transactional
Disciplined
Harsh
An army officer who commands soldiers and conducts transactions with Mother Courage. His character symbolizes military discipline and the harsh reality of war.
TL
The Lieutenant
Minor
Obedient
Authoritative
Inhumane
Mechanical
A military officer in the play who embodies obedience to orders and institutional authority. His character represents the machinery of war in which there is no room for humanity.
TP
The Peasant Family
Symbolic
Vulnerable
Innocent
Victimized
Ordinary
A family appearing toward the end of the play who are victims of the destruction caused by war. Kattrin sacrifices her life to save their children. They symbolize the suffering of ordinary people caught in the devastation of war.