Discussion Topic
Elements and meaning of alienation in Mother Courage and Her Children
Summary:
In Mother Courage and Her Children, alienation is a key element used to prevent the audience from becoming emotionally involved with the characters. This technique, known as Verfremdungseffekt or "alienation effect," encourages viewers to critically engage with the play’s themes, such as the futility of war and the impact of capitalism, rather than empathizing with the characters' personal struggles.
What does alienation mean in Mother Courage and Her Children?
Alienation is a term used by Brecht to describe the effect he tried to achieve through his drama. Brecht deliberately sought to remove the audience from the action through alienation effects. Brecht wanted to reduce the audience's emotional involvement in the play and with its characters so that they can focus more on the social message of the work and the various themes and meanings rather than becoming bogged down with the fate of the various characters. Interestingly, this is achieved in this play through a variety of different methods. Firstly, each scene is preceded by a summary of events so that the audience knows what is going to happen and they can focus on the meaning of the action rather than being surprised by the action itself. Secondly, consider the way in which parts of the play which would create an emotional response in the audience are taken off...
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stage rather than being acted on statge. This is most clearly shown in the execution of Swiss Cheese, which occurs offstage. Lastly, the dialogue of Mother Courage is very rarely emotional in nature and is more intellectual, allowing the audience to focus clearly on the anti-war message of the play. Note the following example:
I won't let you spoil my war for me. Destroys the weak, does it? Well, what does peace do for'em, huh? War feeds its people better.
This dialogue comes straight after the scene where Courage curses the war for disfiguring her daughter. The reversal in fortunes shows that she has not learnt the inherent tragedy and destruction in war and only sees it in terms of what she can gain. The use of such dialogue directs the audience towards Brecht's real message, which is of course the way in which, through war, there are no "winners," no matter what Mother Courage thinks.
What elements in Mother Courage and Her Children exhibit alienation?
Alienation is the name given to Brecht's approach to drama. He sought to reduce the audience's emotional response to the action by alienating them from it so that they could focus more on the political and social message behind the action rather than the action itself. To this end, in this play he gives a summary of the action at the beginning of each scene so that the audience can focus on the meaning behind that action. He also removes events that could provoke an emotional response from the stage, such as the execution of Swiss Cheese. Another key way in which he alienates his audience is through the frequent use of songs, which punctuate the action and undercut its reality whilst also highlighting the themes of the play. Consider the following example from "The Song of the Great Capitulation":
For that little bird whisper in your ear "That's all very well but wait a year And we will join the big brass band And with our trumpet in our hand We will march in lockstep with the rest. But one day, look! The battalions wheel! The whole thing swings from east to west! And falling on our knees, we squeal: The Lord God, He knows best! (But don't give me that!)
This song is sung by Mother Courage to a soldier who wants to make a complaint to his commanding officer. Mother Courage herself is wanting to do exactly the same thing. Her song is meant to deflate the young soldier's rage, and points out rather cynically the way that all humans eventually capitulate to the masses, as signalled by the shift in the song from "you" to "we." That Mother Courage herself ends up not pursuing her complaint indicates that she has learnt something from the song she has just sung. This song, and others in the play, are an excellent example of alienation because they clearly raise Brecht's anti-war message whilst also undercutting the reality of the action.