What Was the Crime of Eilif?
Mother Courage and Her Children is a notable literary work by Bertolt Brecht. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Mother Courage and Her Children.
Answer
What was the crime of Eilif?
Eilif’s crime in “Mother Courage and Her Children” (1939) is linked to his violent behavior, which was celebrated during wartime but condemned during peacetime.
Eilif’s Heroic Violence During War: Eilif is Mother Courage’s eldest son, known for his bravery and strength. During the war, he is praised for attacking peasants, stealing their cattle, and using violence to feed his regiment. The Swedish Commander rewards him, calling him a hero.
The Shift from War Hero to Criminal: However, the act that made Eilif a hero during the war becomes a crime after the war ends. He repeats the same violent act, breaking into a peasant’s home and killing the wife.
CHAPLAIN: What has he done?
SOLDIER: He broke in on a peasant. The wife is dead. (Scene 8)
This time, instead of being praised, he is arrested and sentenced to death. The irony lies in the fact that what was once considered courage is now seen as murder. Eilif himself says,
EILIF: It’s no different. It’s what I did before (Scene 8)
The line highlights the absurdity of war’s moral contradictions.
In essence, Bertolt Brecht emphasizes how war blurs the lines between right and wrong. Eilif’s crime shows that war glorifies violence, but once the war is over, those same violent actions are condemned.