Mother Courage and Her Children : Summary

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 Europe deeply influenced the play’s context. The heroine of the play is Anna Fierling, known as Mother Courage, who earns her living by selling food and goods to soldiers during the war. But in her attempt to profit from the war, she gradually loses all three of her children—Eilif, Swiss Cheese, and Kattrin. Her character symbolizes both the horrors of war and human helplessness. Though war sustains her financially, in the end, it takes everything away.

In Mother Courage and Her Children, Brecht employed the features of his Epic Theatre. Songs, scene divisions, direct addresses to the audience, and the use of the Verfremdungseffekt (Alienation Effect) prevent the audience from being carried away by emotions and instead compel them to think critically. The play demonstrates how war creates business opportunities in a capitalist society while simultaneously bringing misery and death to ordinary people.

The play is divided into 12 scenes. Each scene highlights the impact of war on Mother Courage’s life and the deaths of her children. Its structure presents war, greed, sacrifice, and the fragility of humanity in a new light. Since its publication and first performance, Mother Courage and Her Children has been recognized as one of the most powerful anti-war plays of the 20th century. It is not only the story of a mother but also a symbolic exploration of war, capitalism, and the harsh realities of human life. Even today, it remains a unique document of anti-war literature.

 Plot Summary

Beginning of the Play and Entrance of the Main Characters: The play Mother Courage and Her Children begins around the year 1624, during the devastating Thirty Years’ War in Europe. The setting is the province of Dalarna in Sweden. At first, a Recruiting Officer and a Sergeant appear on stage. They are trying to enlist new soldiers. Just then, the heroine of the play, Mother Courage (Anna Fierling), enters with her famous cart. This cart is her traveling business. She sells food, drinks, clothing, and other necessities to the soldiers. She survives by doing business amid the war. With her are her three children:

• Eilif (Eilif Nojocki): a strong son, who is soon taken by the soldiers for war.
• Swiss Cheese: a simple-minded son, who later becomes a regimental cashier.
• Kattrin (Kattrin Haupt): a mute and weak daughter, who becomes the most touching character of the play.

At this point, the Recruiting Officer and the Sergeant appear. The two discuss how difficult it has become to find new soldiers. The Officer complains to the Sergeant that the war is dragging on, but people are no longer eager to join it. Therefore, they must use tricks to lure men into service. In the middle of this conversation, Mother Courage arrives with her three children, Eilif, Swiss Cheese, and Kattrin, pulling the cart through the province of Dalarna.

Eilif’s Temptation and Joining the War: The Officer’s eyes fall on Eilif, the eldest son. He begins tempting him to join the war. He explains that war is not just fighting; it brings honor, bravery, financial gain, and the chance to earn a name in society. The Officer tries to present war as a noble enterprise. The Sergeant also agrees with him, describing war as both necessary and profitable. At first, Mother Courage is cautious, but with the Officer’s insistence and Eilif’s curiosity, it becomes clear that Eilif is gradually being drawn toward war.

This scene highlights both the horror and the lure of war. Mother Courage, busy haggling with her cart, wants to sell goods to the soldiers. Yet deep inside, she is afraid. She does not want her children to go to war. For her, war is only a means of livelihood, not something to sacrifice her children for.

The Officer then continues persuading Eilif (Eilif Nojocki). He tells him that by going to war, one can gain fame, honor, and wealth. The Sergeant supports the Officer and presents war as a noble cause. Eilif is influenced by their words. Dreams of power and bravery attract him. Ignoring his mother’s warnings, he goes away with the Officer. This scene shows that war is not only about business. War lures young men with promises of glory and drags them toward death. It reveals the terrifying reality of war.

Eilif’s Brutality and Courage’s Pain: The year is 1626. The war is still ongoing. Mother Courage (Anna Fierling) appears with her famous cart in front of a Swedish commander’s tent. She is making a living by selling food, drinks, and clothes to the soldiers. Although war means business opportunities for her, deep inside, she knows how dreadful it is. At this time, the Swedish commander praises the bravery of one soldier. He recounts how the soldier entered a village and caused terrible destruction, killing innocent peasants, burning their homes, and looting their cattle. In the commander’s eyes, this was a kind of heroism. But Mother Courage immediately realizes that this soldier is none other than her own son, Eilif (Eilif Nojocki).

Hearing this, Courage becomes inwardly furious. She tells the commander that no good man could ever commit such acts. Burning homes, killing poor peasants—these are not signs of bravery, but of cruelty. Yet, according to the rules of war, such massacres are praised. Courage helplessly realizes that war has turned her son into a cruel and inhuman person.

Swiss Cheese’s Honesty and Tragic Death: Time passes. Three years later, the story takes a dreadful turn. Now Mother Courage’s (Anna Fierling) younger son, Swiss Cheese, has joined the army. He is working as the regiment’s paymaster (cashier). His duty is to collect money for the soldiers and deliver it to the right place. Swiss Cheese is honest and courageous, but not very sharp-witted. One day, unfortunately, he is captured by Catholic soldiers. Their aim is to seize the regiment’s money. But Swiss Cheese hides the cashbox and refuses to hand it over to the enemy. His honesty becomes a fatal mistake. When the news spreads, Mother Courage is devastated.

Mother Courage then desperately decides that she must do something to save her beloved son. She even thinks of selling her cart. In the midst of war, this cart had been her lifeline, the very core of her business. Yet out of motherly love, she is ready to give it up. She tries to collect money. She bargains, she asks for help, but in the end, she fails. She cannot gather enough money. Meanwhile, time runs out. Without the ransom, the Catholic soldiers execute Swiss Cheese. This scene is one of the most tragic moments of the play. When Mother Courage hears of her son’s death, she is struck dumb. She stands still in grief, as if turned to stone. No tears come to her eyes, yet the pain inside her cannot be expressed in words.

The Chaplain’s Request, Courage’s Refusal, and Kattrin’s Humanity: Shortly after this event, the Catholics temporarily win the battle. The situation changes drastically. The Protestant Chaplain, who once served the Protestants, is now seen wearing Catholic robes and singing hymns about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. War not only takes lives but also changes people’s faith, morals, and even their religious identities.

The plot then moves forward two years. The war is still raging, and Mother Courage (Anna Fierling) is still wandering with her cart. This time, she arrives at a Protestant regiment with her mute daughter Kattrin (Kattrin Haupt). The battlefield is filled with countless wounded soldiers. Blood, dust, and cries of pain fill the air. Yet even in such a situation, Courage continues her business. She tries to profit by selling bandages, medicine, food, and other items.

At this point, the Protestant Chaplain enters the stage. Witnessing the horrors of the battlefield, he asks Courage for help. He begs her to provide some bandages and medicine so that the wounded soldiers can be treated. But Mother Courage firmly refuses. She says that she cannot give them for free, because her business would collapse. For her, business interests outweigh the question of life and death in war.

Mute Kattrin is pained by her mother’s decision. She repeatedly pleads with her mother to give at least something to the wounded. But her mother’s heart remains unmoved. Just then, they see a wounded child nearby, writhing in agony. Kattrin can no longer bear it. She runs to help the child. Through this action, her character’s deep humanity is revealed.

On the other hand, the Protestant Chaplain becomes furious at Mother Courage’s cruel behavior. In anger, he pushes her aside and takes some bandages and medicine from her cart. Then he rushes toward the wounded to help them. This scene delivers a deep message in the play. Here, war is shown not only as a force that brings death and destruction but also as something that makes people greedy and heartless. Mother Courage becomes inhuman out of greed for business, but Kattrin shines the light of humanity.

Courage’s Maternal Anxiety: The story then moves forward to an event a year later. The war is still going on, and Mother Courage (Anna Fierling) is still trailing after the soldiers with her cart. This time, she is seen talking with the Protestant Chaplain. They discuss the current state of the war. The Chaplain clearly states that the war will not end so easily. Soldiers constantly want to prove their bravery to one another. As long as this competition for heroism continues, the war will not stop.

Ode day, the Cook makes a personal proposal to Mother Courage. He says that they could build a household together, that during wartime they could be each other’s support. But Mother Courage refuses this proposal. She says that her mind is occupied elsewhere. She is deeply worried about the whereabouts of her elder son, Eilif (Eilif Nojocki). Moreover, she is anxious about her daughter Kattrin (Kattrin Haupt), especially about her chances of marriage in such times. This scene clarifies Mother Courage’s character. Although she is shrewd enough to survive in wartime, her primary concern remains the lives of her children. On the other hand, the Cook’s proposal reflects an attempt to seek human connection in the midst of the horrors of war.

The Joys and Sorrows of the War Truce, and Courage’s Conflict: Next, the play presents a major turning point. With the death of Sweden’s King Gustavus Adolphus, the war halts for a short while. This sudden peace brings a double-edged effect on Mother Courage’s (Anna Fierling) life. On one hand, she is happy, because if the war stops, at least her children will no longer face the horrors of death. In particular, she hopes that her son Eilif (Eilif Nojocki) and daughter Kattrin (Kattrin Haupt) will remain safe.

But on the other hand, she falls into deep worry. Peace means no more battlefields, no soldiers, and therefore no marketplace for her trade. Mother Courage had recently purchased many new goods to sell in the war zone. But with the sudden peace, all of those items become useless. This casts a dark shadow over her livelihood. At this time, the Protestant Chaplain gives her some hope. He tells her that her son Eilif will soon come to see her. This news brings Courage a bit of relief. Yet her concern for business pushes her back toward the town, where she intends to sell her new stock.

Eilif’s Execution and the Mother’s Unknowing Grief: Next, the play presents a tragic scene. Eilif (Eilif Nojocki), once praised as a heroic soldier, is now branded a criminal during peacetime. During the war, he had killed peasants and looted their cattle. At that time, his actions were hailed as acts of bravery. But once the war ended, the same deeds were judged as treason. For this, he is sentenced to death. Two soldiers bring him to have one last meeting with his mother. But unfortunately, Mother Courage (Anna Fierling) is away on business at that moment. As a result, the mother and son never had their final meeting.

Only the Protestant Chaplain and Mother Courage’s Cook know this truth. Both of them understand that if Mother Courage were to learn of it, she would be devastated. So they vow that she must never find out. This scene delivers a powerful message in the play: those who are glorified as heroes during wartime are condemned as criminals during peace. And the greatest wound is inflicted upon a mother’s heart.

Deception in the Battlefield and the Peasant’s Failed Warning: After this, the war begins once again. Mother Courage (Anna Fierling) returns to the battlefield with her shop. For her, war once again means opportunity for business. She makes a good profit selling food, liquor, and other goods to the soldiers. One day, she parks her cart in front of a German peasant’s house and goes into town to buy supplies. Left behind with the cart is her mute daughter, Kattrin (Kattrin Haupt).

Just then, two Catholic soldiers arrive. They disguise themselves as ordinary people but are in fact spies. They cunningly question the peasant about Protestant spies in the area. The peasant realizes what is happening. He wants to warn the nearby Protestant soldiers of the danger. So he tries to give signals of alarm by making different noises. Unfortunately, his efforts fail. The Protestants do not receive any warning. This scene highlights the deception and conspiracy within war. Even ordinary people here become victims of fear and treachery.

Kattrin’s Sacrifice and the Tragic Ending of the Play: Seeing all this, Kattrin (Kattrin Haupt) can remain silent no longer. She takes a drum from her mother’s cart and begins to beat it. Her only purpose is to warn the Protestant soldiers so they can escape the attack. Fearless of death, she continues to beat the drum loudly. Hearing the sound, the two Catholic soldiers return. They order Kattrin to stop drumming. But Kattrin remains unshaken. She does not stop. To save the Protestants, she disregards her own life. At last, the Catholic soldiers aim and shoot at her. Kattrin is killed on the spot.

A little while later, Mother Courage (Anna Fierling) returns. Seeing the dead body of her beloved daughter, she breaks down. Grief leaves her speechless. Yet the war does not stop. Weeping, Mother Courage takes up her cart once again and sets off toward the battlefield. The play ends here. The final scene shows that war has taken all of the mother’s children one by one. Yet the wheel of war does not stop, and for the sake of survival, Courage must keep moving on.