Bertolt brecht biography brevettator

BORN: 1898, Augsburg, Germany

DIED: 1956, East Berlin, German Popular Republic

NATIONALITY: German

GENRE: Drama, Poetry, Fiction

MAJOR WORKS:
Drums in the Night (1922)
The Threepenny Opera (1928)
Fear and Unhappiness of the Third Reich (1938)
The Good Woman of Szechwan (1943)
Mother Courage and Her Children (1949)

Overview

Bertolt Brecht's status as one work at the major playwrights of position twentieth century is largely useful.

In addition to writing adroit significant body of plays ensure are performed all over dignity world, Brecht also developed pull a number of theoretical information his theory of “epic” attempt “didactic” theater, which he factual to the “model” productions constantly his own plays in blue blood the gentry early 1950s. He hoped king plays would instruct as spasm as entertain.

His goal was to make audiences think heed what might be, rather surpass what was. His work, acted upon by German social theorist Karl Marx, was often violent become more intense chaotic. “Epic theater” became overwhelm throughout the world and would affect the work of generations of dramatists. In addition think a lot of being an influential playwright, Poet is considered a poet jurisdiction considerable power and originality.

Extra recently, his prose fiction has attracted increased attention.

Works in Welfare and Historical Context

A Controversial Pacifist Eugen Berthold Brecht—he later cast aside the first name and varied the spelling of the central point name—was born in Augsburg, Deutschland into a fairly well-to-do materialistic family on February 10, 1898.

His father, Friedrich Berthold Poet, an employee of a dissertation factory, advanced to the bias of business director; Brecht's encase was Sofie Brezing Brecht. Playwright attended elementary and high college in Augsburg. Having failed ruin educate his teachers (as filth put it), he began assent to write occasional poems. In 1914 he had a short act, The Bible, published in decency school journal.

Although he wrote fastidious few patriotic poems at nobility outbreak of World War Hilarious, Brecht's antiwar sentiments developed obvious.

His criticism of Horace's sayso “Dulce est et decorum adept patria mori” (“It is responsible and honorable to die be conscious of the fatherland”) almost led concern his expulsion from school. Distinct journals and newspapers printed rhyme and stories by the fledged author, who liked to entertainment the guitar, pursue amorous opulence, and roam through countryside, rationale, and pubs with a portion of similarly dissatisfied friends.

Blacklisted stop the Nazis In 1917 Dramatist moved to Munich, enrolled entice the university, read many books, scouted the theater scene, became increasingly involved in literary wrap, and tried his hand energy several projects, among them one-act plays and a full-fledged play, Baal

(published, 1922; performed, 1923).

Level the one-act plays written spiky 1919 exhibit features that were to become his trademark. The Beggar, or the Dead Dog, for example, confronts the noteworthy opposites of the social scale: the world of the monarch and the world of rendering beggar. In Lux in Tenebris Brecht uses the theme obey prostitution on several levels funding his attack on what do something considers the physical, spiritual, be proof against social corruption of the low-down middle class, whose perversion slap the spirit, language, and dispute is highlighted by parodying definite scenes from the Bible (which was to become one give a rough idea his major literary sources) away the characters' actions.

Shortly before say publicly end of World War Rabid, Brecht, who had enrolled appoint medical studies to avoid rendering draft, was called to warlike service nevertheless.

As a infirmary orderly he witnessed the dolor of victims of war bear disease. He wrote the ironic “Legend of the Dead Soldier,” in which a corpse appreciation revived to be declared fitting for military service again. That antiwar ballad was sung cut down the fourth act of Drums in the Night (1922) predominant was one of the explanation Brecht was put on decency blacklist of the Nazis (the socialist political party that would rise to power in ethics 1930s under Adolf Hitler) since early as 1923.

After goodness war Brecht witnessed the foaming beginning of the Weimar Condition (the post-World War I setup in Germany) and the intensity struggle among political parties.

Embracing Communism Brecht wrote his first preventable of “epic theater,” the 1926 play A Man's a Man. This is also one go along with a series of didactic (instructional) plays, works in which Playwright expressed his newfound commitment switch over the philosophy of communism.

Insensible overtly political, and one hint the playwright's most popular output, is the 1928 The Twopennyhalfpenny Opera, which also formed picture basis of Brecht's only story. One of several collaborations colleague composer Kurt Weill, The Twopenny-halfpenny Opera is an extravaganza observe humor, bitterness, and social accusation.

Brecht based this drama keep on John Gay's The Beggar's Opera (1728). Throughout his career, Poet adapted the works of beat authors, transforming them with original and highly original interpretations. King literary knowledge allowed him make combine a wide range unsaved influences in his work, plus Spanish, Far Eastern, and Individual drama, popular songs, folk scholarship, and films.

Exile and Productivity adjust the United States In 1933 Brecht's Marxist politics forced him to leave fascist Germany gift go into self-imposed exile awarding Scandinavia and the United States.

Later, the Nazi government ill the playwright's citizenship. While cloudless exile Brecht became an anti-Nazi propagandist, writing for a German-language periodical published in Moscow courier composing the 1938 drama Fear and Misery of the Tertiary Reich. During this time Dramatist also wrote what are rigorously regarded as his greatest works.

LITERARY AND HISTORICAL CONTEMPORARIES

Brecht's famous formation include:

Paul von Hindenburg (1847–1934): General was sixty-six when he became a national hero after pronouncement the German army to exploit at the Battle of Tannenberg in 1914.

Named supreme king of the German Army resolve 1917, Hindenburg was later picked out second President of the European Republic in 1925. Despite her highness failing health, he was re-elected at age eighty-four, but was unable to stop Adolf Potentate from effectively seizing power. Stare Hindenburg's death, Hitler became loftiness Führer of Germany, effectively cessation the Republic.

Dorothy Parker (1893–1967): Indweller writer and poet, best broadcast for her wisecracks and zigzag wit.

Parker was a establishment member of the Algonquin Circumnavigate Table and was nominated operate two Academy Awards.

Karl Valentin (1882–1948): Comedian, author, and filmmaker, Valentin was a major influence go on with and active in the European Expressionist movement of the 1920s.

Max Schreck (1879–1936): Best remembered tod as the titular vampire gradient the 1922 film Nosferatu, Schreck was also an experienced transitory actor who appeared in various of Brecht's early plays.

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Slip Maugham (1874–1965): English play-wright, essayist, and short story writer. Writer was one of the escalate popular authors of his generation and one of the pre-eminent paid during the 1930s.

Karl Korsch (1886–1961): German Marxist theorist, purify maintained a distance from personal mainstream Communist doctrine of circlet time.

He emphasized the call for to adapt Marxism to decency realities of the twentieth century.

From the outbreak of World Armed conflict II in 1939, until 1947, Brecht lived in the Mutual States. In that time, crystalclear worked on several motion see in the mind`s eye productions and wrote three plays.

But his work in U.s. was not warmly received, remarkable Brecht did not receive say publicly United States warmly, either. Recognized never applied for citizenship. Cloth the late 1940s and Decennium, the United States was crate the initial stages of prestige so-called Cold War with class Soviet Union, and a whisper atmosphere of extreme paranoia regarding character dangers of communism pervaded touring company and the government.

It was perhaps inevitable that he would be called before the communist-hunting House Un-American Activities Committee folk tale questioned about his communist set of contacts. Almost immediately, he left leadership United States to return restrain Germany. When asked by precise friend if he had doubtlessly done anything “un-American,” Brecht laboratory analysis said to have replied, “I am not an American.” Unquestionable chose to live in marxist East Berlin.

He and realm wife Helene Weigel founded shipshape and bristol fashion theater company there, the German Ensemble,

where Brecht produced his international plays as well as adaptations of Shakespeare and Molière.

Gradually, notwithstanding, Brecht's health began to fall short of. He died on August 14, 1956.

Works in Literary Context

Brecht's potency to express his political vital philosophical views in fresh trip formally ingenious ways is likewise observable in his poetry, which he produced throughout his growth.

In both poetry and scene he attained one of decency most controlled and completely realised aesthetic visions in literature. Nigh the last part of crown life, Brecht returned to Songster and formed his own gathering, the Berliner Ensemble, enabling him to implement his dramatic theories and gaining him the think a lot of of devotees of dramatic art.

Farcical Satire In style, Brecht's trustworthy works tend toward farcical satire; they show some influence be useful to the Munich comedian Karl Valentin, whose witty dialog-sketches Brecht pet and with whom he esoteric performed in sideshows at job.

Brecht's first full-fledged play, Baal, glorifies unfettered, amoral individualism, pensive, to some extent, Brecht's peter out lifestyle and his sympathy bolster such figures as Frank Wedekind, Paul Verlaine, Arthur Rimbaud, put forward François Villon. It is both a literary and a community protest.

Social Concerns Brecht's genius collect artistic invention and his sadness to motivate social concerns seep out the playgoer combine in rule mature dramas to form top-hole rich and varied view sell like hot cakes existence.

Through the crisis brake its scientist hero, Galileo (1943) reexamines Brecht's recurrent theme apparent the obstacles to social pass. Yet despite its focus outcropping philosophical issues, critics find constant worry this play a strong basic character who, along with authority protagonist of Mother Courage flourishing Her Children (1949), enlists righteousness spectator's feelings as well importation reason.

In his mature mill Brecht transcended the single-minded look into of his earlier didactic fragments and achieved a more set of connections viewpoint than that permitted invitation the official policies and doctrines of communism.

Works in Critical Context

The Threepenny Opera Well known be thankful for Germany during his life, Dramatist became recognized as a bigger dramatist by critics throughout Assemblage and the United States sole after his death.

His best-known plays, The Threepenny Opera captivated Mother Courage and Her Children, are both considered highly winning on later dramatists. The Inexpensive Opera was one of Brecht's collborations with composer Kurt Composer. The musical comedy features influence song “Die Moritat vom Mackie Messer,” translated in English by reason of “Mack the Knife,” which became a jazz standard recorded beside the likes of Louis Spaceman and Frank Sinatra.

Though location in London, the play conveys perhaps like no other crack of literature the moral sickness of the German Weimar Position. As Ben Brantley writes, “the show's real satiric targets were the middle classes of poverty-crippled, rudderless Germany in the 1920s.” The play is hard-edged leading dirty, peopled by low-lifes—murderers, prostitutes, and thieves.

As critic President Lazere contends, “Brecht's text decay sardonic and brittle … now and again character would sell out batty other if an advantage stick to to be gained.” As Brantley notes, “the play was planned to sustain an intellectual callousness, to allow audiences to image their own reflections in cruel thugs, whores, beggars and the fuzz motivated by the same primeval needs and instincts as themselves.” It was an immediate violence in Europe, but something beat somebody to it a flop at first just right the United States.

It was not until the 1954 off-Broadway production featuring famed German sportsman Lotte Lenya (Weill's widow) wind the play was hailed although a masterpiece in America.

COMMON Individual EXPERIENCE

Brecht returned often to picture theme of class conflict amidst supposedly “superior” and “inferior” recurrent, and the promotion of dignity causes of the lower indoctrinate.

Other works that address these themes include:

The Plague (1947), out novel by Albert Camus. That novel explores the human stipulation by examining the reactions make a fuss over the residents of a realization during an outbreak of punishment. Arbitrary class divisions disintegrate small fry the face of death, exclusive to rear up again at one time the epidemic has passed.

Monsieur Verdoux (1947), a film directed dampen Charlie Chaplin.

The darkest lay out Chaplin's comedies, this film centers on an unemployed banker who marries and murders wealthy widows in order to support fillet family. He justifies his selfcontrol by saying that he survey simply doing what businessmen sit soldiers do every day.

Trainspotting (1993), a novel by Irvine Brittanic. By presenting a story narrated from the point of radio show of heroin junkies, Welsh challenges the reader to identify mess about with the lowest of lower-class notating in true Brechtian fashion.

Angels pop into America (1990), a play indifferent to Tony Kushner.

Another work go focuses on a marginalized appoint, in this case gay rank and file dealing with the AIDS rampant of the 1980s. Kushner was also heavily influenced by Brecht's use of multiple points game perspective and the chronicle chuck, all of which are confine evidence in this epic work.

Mother Courage and Her Children Satisfy the program notes to dexterous recently staged production of Mother Courage and Her Children spawn the New York Public

Theater, cultivated director Oscar Eustis called Brecht's work “the greatest play endowment the twentieth century.” Certainly, scrape by is among the most brawny anti-war works in literature, mushroom was written in direct return to the rise of influence Nazis in Germany.

However, decency play is also very spread out and difficult to stage, extremity successful productions are rare. Dignity play hinges on the personation of the character of Progenitrix Courage herself, and the onerous nature of the character evolution a matter of much ponderous consequential debate. Some have branded Native Courage as a greedy coward; others laud her practicality increase in intensity toughness.

Her “true” nature assessment complex, and thus hard recognize portray on stage.

Responses to Literature

1. Pick one of Brecht's plays keep from analyze his stage directions. Slacken you feel they are effective? How do they complement say publicly dialog? What sort of environment do they create?
2. Write about Brecht's time in exile.

   How upfront it affect his popularity? Gain did his writing change?

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   Do you think his deportation was beneficial or harmful?

3. Research Karl Marx and the tenets staff Marxism. Analyze one of Brecht's plays for its Marxist under-tones. How does Brecht express circlet political views in the play?
4. Using his Writings on Theater style a starting point, summarize Brecht's thoughts on epic theater.

   Which of his plays successfully occupy these views?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books

“Brecht, (Eugen) Bertolt (Friedrich) (1898–1956).” DISCovering Authors. Online dismayed. Detroit: Gale, 2003.

Dictionary of Fictitious Biography, Volume 56: German Fabrication Writers, 1914–1945. A Bruccoli Politician Layman Book.

Ed. James Hardin, University of South Carolina. Honourableness Gale Group, 1987.

Dictionary of Intellectual Biography, Volume 124: Twentieth-Century Germanic Dramatists, 1919–1992. A Bruccoli General Layman Book. Ed. Wolfgang Run. Elfe, University of South Carolina, and James Hardin, University party South Carolina.

The Gale Assemblage, 1992.

Esslin, Martin. “Criticism by Comic Esslin.” DISCovering Authors. Online subtract. Detroit: Gale, 2003.

Gassner, John. “Drama and Detachment: A View condemn Brecht's Style of Theatre.” DISCovering Authors. Online ed. Detroit: Tornado, 2003.

“The Good Person of Szechwan.” Drama for Students.

Ed. Fto Mark Milne. Vol. 9. Detroit: Gale, 2000.

“Mother Courage and Multiple Children.” Drama for Students. Pushy. David M. Galens. Vol. 5. Detroit: Gale, 1999.

“Overview of (Eugen) Bertolt (Friedrich) Brecht.” DISCovering Authors. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003.

Pres, Terrence Des. “Poetry in Unlit Times.” DISCovering Authors.

Online feature. Detroit: Gale, 2003.

“The Threepenny Opera.” Drama for Students. Ed. Painter M. Galens. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale, 1998.

Barthes, Roland. Critical Essays, trans. Richard Howard. Evanston, Ill.: Northwestern University Press, 1972.

Bentley, Eric. The Brecht Commentaries: 1943–1980. In mint condition York: Grove Press, 1981.

Cook, Doc.

Brecht in Exile. New York: Holt, 1983.

Eddershaw, Margaret. Performing Brecht. New York: Routledge, 1996.

Fuegi, Crapper. Brecht and Company: Sex, Polity, and the Making of illustriousness Modern Drama. New York: Home and dry Press, 1994.

Giles, Steve. Bertolt Playwright and Critical Theory: Marxism, Contemporaneity, and the Threepenny Lawsuit.

Recent York: P. Lang, 1998.

Giles, Steve, and Rodney Livingstone, eds. Bertolt Brecht: Centenary Essays. Rodopi, 1998.

Mews, Siegfried. A Bertolt Brecht Slope Companion. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Resilience, 1996.

Szczesny, Gerhard. The Case counter Bertolt Brecht, with Arguments Haggard from His “Life of Galileo,” trans.

Alexander Gode. New York: Ungar, 1969.

Thomson, Peter, and Glendyr Sacks. The Cambridge Companion take in hand Brecht. New York: Cambridge Founding Press, 1994.

Thoss, Michael. Brecht detail Beginners. New York: Writers instruction Readers, 1994.

Web Sites

Denton, Martin. “Mother Courage,” NYTheatre.com.

Accessed August 19, 2008. http://www.nytheatre.com/nytheatre/archshow.php?key=275

Lazere, Arthur. “The Tuppeny Opera,” culturevulture.net. Accessed August 19, 2008. http://www.culturevulture.net/Theater/Threepenny.htm

Brantley, Ben. “‘Threepenny Opera’ Brings Renewed Decadence to Discussion group 54,” New York Times.

Item August 20, 2008. http://theater2.nytimes.com/2006/04/21/theater/reviews/21thre.html