Mother Courage and Her Children : Key info

Key info

Key Facts

• Full Title: Mother Courage and Her Children
• Original Title: Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder (German)
• Author: Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956)
• Title of the Author: Modernist Playwright, Marxist Dramatist, Founder of Epic Theatre, Political Thinker
• Source: Inspired by the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648), Brecht’s Marxist views, and his critique of capitalism, war, and profiteering. Also influenced by Hans Jakob Grimmelshausen’s 17th-century novel Simplicius Simplicissimus.
• Written Time: 1939 (in exile, shortly before World War II)
• First Published/Performed: First staged in 1941 in Zürich, Switzerland; published later in Germany.
• Publisher: Suhrkamp Verlag (in German editions after WWII)
• Genre: Epic Theatre / Political Drama / Anti-War Play
• Form: Play in 12 scenes (episodic structure rather than continuous action).
• Structure: Episodic narrative with songs, direct addresses to the audience, placards, and interruptions that break theatrical illusion (Verfremdungseffekt / Alienation Effect).
• Tone: Didactic, ironic, critical, tragic, satirical, politically charged.
• Point of View: Objective and detached, in keeping with Epic Theatre style; avoids emotional identification and instead provokes critical judgment.
• Significance: A milestone of modern political theatre. It critiques war and capitalism by showing how “Mother Courage” profits from war but loses all her children to it. Brecht wanted to show the futility of war and the dangers of profit-driven survival.
• Language: German (with later translations worldwide).
• Famous Line: “War is like love: it’ll always find a way.”
• Setting:
• Time Setting: The Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648).
• Place Setting: Various locations across Europe (battlefields, camps, towns, rural roads) during the war.

Key Notes

• Original Title – Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder: The original German title of the play is Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder, which means “Mother Courage and Her Children.” Bertolt Brecht wrote it in 1939, and it was first staged in 1941 in Switzerland.
• Significance of the Title Mother Courage and Her Children: The name “Mother Courage” is ironic. Anna Fierling, who is called Mother Courage, tries to survive by doing business during the war. But because of the war, she loses all her children one by one. The title reflects both the horrors of war and the misguided courage of people who struggle to survive in it.
• Character of Mother Courage: Anna Fierling, or Mother Courage, is a canteen woman who drags her cart and sells goods to soldiers during wartime. She uses the war as a way to make money, but in the end, the same war ruins her completely. Her three children, Eilif, Swiss Cheese, and Kattrin, are all killed in the war. Her character stands as a tragic symbol of survival dependent on war.
• War and Capitalism: The play is set against the backdrop of the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648). Brecht shows that war actually creates opportunities for business. Mother Courage seeks to profit from war, but in the end, it brings her total destruction.
• Brecht’s Epic Theatre: The play uses songs, scene divisions, direct addresses to the audience, and theatrical interruptions (Verfremdungseffekt or Alienation Effect). Through these devices, Brecht aimed to make the audience think critically rather than become emotionally absorbed.