Mother Courage and Her Children Summary
Background
Bertolt Brecht wrote Mother Courage and Her Children (Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder) between 1938 and 1939, and it was first staged in 1941 in Switzerland. The inspiration for the play came from the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648) in Europe as well as from the political situation of Brecht’s own time. In particular, the rise of fascism, Nazi Germany, and the looming shadow of war across...
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Mother Courage and Her Children Theme
Themes
War and Business: War is usually considered a symbol of destruction and death. But in this play, war is also shown as a business opportunity. Mother Courage (Anna Fierling) earns her living by selling food, liquor, clothes, and bandages to soldiers. Her only support in life is her cart. For her, war means a marketplace of profit. But for this very business, she has to pay a terrible price....
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Mother Courage and Her Children Quotations
Quotes
“Here’s Mother Courage and her wagon!
Hey, Captain, Let them come and buy!” – (Mother Courage and Her Children – Prologue)
Explanation (English): This is Mother Courage’s cheerful sales-call as she pulls her wagon. It shows how she treats war as business and tries to survive by selling goods even in danger.
“A mighty fortress is our God.” – (Mother Courage and Her Children – Scene III)...
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Mother Courage and Her Children Character
Major Characters
Mother Courage (Anna Fierling): The central character of the play. She is called Mother Courage because she dares to continue her business even during the war. With her wagon, she sells food and supplies to soldiers. But in trying to profit from the war, she loses her three children, Eilif, Swiss Cheese, and Kattrin, one by one. Her character symbolizes war, greed, motherhood, an...
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Mother Courage and Her Children Literary Device
Figures of Speech
Irony: Irony is evident throughout the play. Mother Courage wants to profit from war. She believes war is the foundation of her business. But that same war takes away her three children one by one. The irony lies in the fact that war both helps her survive and destroys her at the same time. Effect: This irony shows that war is not a protector of a mother, but rather the root cau...
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Notes (14)
- What Role Does Religion Play in the Drama “Mother Courage and Her Children?”
- Why Does Mother Courage Refuse to Marry the Cook?
- The Relationship Between Maternity and War as Illustrated in “Mother Courage and Her Children.”
- Describe the Situation That Leads Kattrin to Death in “Mother Courage and Her Children”
- What was the crime of Eilif, and why did he die?
- Write the historical context of “Mother Courage and Her Children.”
- How do the songs in “Mother Courage and Her Children” relate to the play and Brecht's conception of epic theatre?
- What role does religion play in Mother Courage and Her Children?
- Why was Swiss Cheese sentenced to death?
- In Brecht's play, the life of Mother Courage is plainly an open contradiction. Discuss.
- Do you consider “Mother Courage and Her Children” a tragedy? Give reasons for your answer.
- Consider Brecht as an innovative playwright with special reference to “Mother Courage and Her Children.”
- Explain the conflict between the mother and the tradeswoman in “Mother Courage and Her Children.”
- “Mother Courage and Her Children” is an anti-war play. Discuss.