Widely considered one of the great dramatic creations of the modern stage, Mother Courage and Her Children is Bertolt Brecht's most passiona...
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Apr 14, 2008
Baiocco
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Bertolt Brecht is a mutherfucking G! and I don't mean Gangsta, I'm talking straight German! While Baal remains my favorite Brecht play, Mother Courage was one of his most daring. The story of a Mother in charge of an independent supply wagon with her two sons and one mute daughter during the 30 Years War in 17th century war in Poland. Brecht wrote MC in response to Hitler's invasion of Poland, in attempts to find a dramatic counter-act to the rise of Fascism and Nazism in Europe. Rather th
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Dec 13, 2008
Akemi
rated it: 
Soon after I finished reading this for class, I saw a documentary on a production of Mother Courage in Central Park using a translation done by Tony Kushner. Apparently Kushner read Mother Courage in college and loved it. Can't say I had quite the same reaction. Maybe it's more effective on stage, but I wasn't really moved by this play. Perhaps because it is so repetitive in its theme of Mother Courage's relentless business sense over family. I don't know. It has its funny moments, one of the ch
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May 17, 2010
Rowland
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The Verfremdungseffekt, alienation or "distanciation" effect, is the primary innovation of Brecht's epic theater. By alienating the spectator from the spectacle, its devices would reveal the social gestus underlying every incident on-stage and open a space for critical reflection. Often alienation also means making the workings of the spectacle possible, and decomposing the unity of the theatrical illusion. Brecht called for the spectator's alienation to oppose the mystifying tendencie
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Jan 05, 2012
Mother Courage is a true herald of free enterprise. In the middle of the thirty years war (1618-1648) she travels confidently with her wagon full of goods to sell, family and hangers-on. Everybody needs her goods. She can sell intoxicating beverages to both the Imperial and Protestant soldiers. She can always make money and profit from everybody's misery.
However her belief in the triumph of market forces blinds her to the fact that her situation, family and hangers-on are the pro More...
However her belief in the triumph of market forces blinds her to the fact that her situation, family and hangers-on are the pro More...
Mar 21, 2011
Keith
rated it: 
Mother Courage is Brecht's anti-war play, originally written around the beginning of WWII as a warning to the German people. As such, it is a bitter, dark play. Although Brecht tries very hard to make the reader/viewer hold Mother Courage accountable for the loss of her children (because of her overzealous concern for her cart -- i.e., capitalism), it's hard not to see her children's deaths as a result of the senselessness of war.
Mother Courage is classic Brecht with all the "a More...
Mother Courage is classic Brecht with all the "a More...
Oct 17, 2009
Rachel
rated it:
I read this play and then saw it performed in a theater production. I think this is an amazing play about a woman during war times (the 30 year war) who was willing to do anything for her children. She fought, lied, cheated and stole whatever was possible to survive.
The one thing I remember about seeing this preformed that I wasn't a fan of was the cursing. It felt like every other line a swear word was thrown in. Sometimes swearing is just swearing and isn't always needed for dram More...
The one thing I remember about seeing this preformed that I wasn't a fan of was the cursing. It felt like every other line a swear word was thrown in. Sometimes swearing is just swearing and isn't always needed for dram More...
Nov 20, 2008
Lavinie
rated it: 
Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder ist mit sicherheit Brechts bekannteste Stück. Wie ich letzten Freitag bereits schrieb, gehören Brecht und seine scharfe Ironie zu meinen Favoriten.
Ein überwältigendes Stück, von dem man nicht unberührt bleibt.
Die Geschichte spielt im Dreissigjährigen Krieg in Deutschland und Polen. Mutter Courage zieht mit ihrem Planwagen durch die Krieggebiete und verkauft den Soldaten ihre Wahre. Sie sucht immer das Beste für ihre Kinder und sich seblst und lebt sozus More...
Ein überwältigendes Stück, von dem man nicht unberührt bleibt.
Die Geschichte spielt im Dreissigjährigen Krieg in Deutschland und Polen. Mutter Courage zieht mit ihrem Planwagen durch die Krieggebiete und verkauft den Soldaten ihre Wahre. Sie sucht immer das Beste für ihre Kinder und sich seblst und lebt sozus More...
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May 11, 2008
Sarah
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Depressing! During college I had to design the costumes for this play and all the colors I chose were drab blues and grays. I think that adequately sums up the tone of this Brecht piece.
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Apr 02, 2009
probably one of the oldest plays I've read and probably my favorite. Generally I am not a fan of plays because they used to bore me however recently I have been reading a lot more plays and I'm finding it to be much more interesting than i have expected. I was never a fan of Shakespeare mainly because of the complexity of his language. But this book was very different in the reason that it was very in that time period yet the language was for me to understand. another reason i enjoyed this book
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Jul 08, 2009
Erin
rated it:
I remember it capturing well the confusion, hopelessness, stubbornness and irony of war. Bertholt Brecht chose the setting of the play to occur in the 1620's - 30's, during the Thirty Year War. This war, one of the most devastating and heinous to take place in Europe, substantially reduced the total population. If my memory serves me correct, (and someone please correct me here if I am wrong) I believe the death toll, including some of the ensuing plagues, was an astounding 50-70 percent of the
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Sep 05, 2010
Ashley
rated it:
I love the idea of this play and the story/context of it, but I feel that I would have enjoyed viewing a performance more than reading this one. Perhaps the translation leaves out some of the German stoicism and pragmatism that I think would be exaggerated in the original language. I like the idea of a woman profiteer during such a suffocating war. The persistence of her life throughout the death of her children was numbing, rather than emotionally provocative. I'm interested to see how this wou
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Jun 29, 2010
Kaleigh
rated it:
This review contains spoilers:
I think that it is unfortunate that this play has recieved such low ratings. Granted there are some very dry, unsuccessful translations, but this translation is actually quite good.
The thing about Mother Courage is that it, like all plays, should be seen and not read.
I think that seeing the play really shows you whether or not the characters are affected by their losses and the hardships they must endure. And yes, Brecht did want you kept at More...
I think that it is unfortunate that this play has recieved such low ratings. Granted there are some very dry, unsuccessful translations, but this translation is actually quite good.
The thing about Mother Courage is that it, like all plays, should be seen and not read.
I think that seeing the play really shows you whether or not the characters are affected by their losses and the hardships they must endure. And yes, Brecht did want you kept at More...
Jan 25, 2009
WaiThain
rated it:
After I finished the play, I changed my perspective towards Mother Courage. At first, she gave me the impression of being a tough woman because she knows how to bargain and benefit off from the war. Also, she seems like a mother who only cherishes Eilif because the Commander praised him for his accomplishments. As for Swiss Cheese, I do not think she valued him as much because she thought that Swiss Cheese was too stubborn for wanting to protect the cash box and got killed, so she negotiated th
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Dec 03, 2010
Ahmad
rated it:
برشت نمایشنامهء «تفنگهای ننه کارار» را تحت تاثیر یکی از آثار درامنویس ایرلندی «سینج» که او نیز درام را به سال 1937 نوشته و در همان سال در پاریس نمایش داده شده بود، نگاشته است. ماجرای نمایشنامه، در اسپانیا، در ایامی که جنگهای داخلی این سرزمین را به خاک و خون کشانده بود، اتفاق میافتد. آدمهای نمایشنامه را ماهیگیران و خانوادههایشان، یک کارگر، و یک کشیش تشکیل میدهند. زمانی که نمایشنامه نوشته شد، و نیز زمانی که در پاریس روی سن آمد، موضوع آن مسئله روز بود، بدین معنا که در همان ایام، جنگهای خونی
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Mar 26, 2007
علی
rated it:
اغلب اثار "برتولد برشت" به فارسی برگردانده شده است؛ "سقراط مجروح" / کیکاووس جهانداری، "در انبوه شهرها"/ عبدالرحمن صدریه، "استثناء و قاعده"/ محمود اعتماد زاده(م. به آذین)، "ان که گفت آری و آن که گفت نه"/ مصطفی رحیمی، زندگانی گالیله(گالیله ئو گالیله ئی)/ عبدالرحیم احمدی، "ترس و نکبت رایش سوم"/ شریف لنکرانی، "ننه دلاور و فرزندان او"/ مصطفی رحیمی، "آدم، آدم است"/ دو ترجمه از شریف لنکرانی و امین موید، "بچه فیل"
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Apr 08, 2009
Gabrielr
rated it:
This book was not that bad you actually can get into the story a little bit. Brecht wrote this book with the hope that we would all blame society for his character's deaths. However in the end I just developed a haterd of a large sum of his characters and blame them for their own fate. However this book teaches the read many lessons/incites about how the world works and because of that I suggust this book to anyone who wonders about how war affects the indivduals.
Jan 29, 2009
Benewaa
rated it: 
Brecht used his classic alienation effect to convey the situation of woman during the 30 year war. This book portrays Mother courage as a cold hearted person who only care about making money and surviving through the war. Brecht's goal for this book is to just read the story and not get emotionally connected to any character.
He feels that in a story, we should just read the entire story with out feeling sympathy or empathy for any of the characters because that can distract you from More...
He feels that in a story, we should just read the entire story with out feeling sympathy or empathy for any of the characters because that can distract you from More...
Apr 06, 2009
this book is about mother courage and her children living in a time during war. this book talks about the challenges mother courage has with her children and the reason for the people naming her mother courage. throughout the play, her children dies one by one. i thought that this play was pretty interesting and i thought that it was kind of sad when it came to the end when her last child dies trying to warn the sleeping people of the city of the danger.
Jan 19, 2009
John
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An interesting commentary on war and the business of war, and how people fool themselves into a comfortable cynical acceptance of the futility of opposing the world. This edition includes a good introductory essay and notes on changes Brecht made after the play was staged in Zurich in 1941. The notes show how Brecht made Mother Courage less sympathetic and her daughter, Kattrin, more sympathetic, which changes the tone of the play.
Feb 08, 2009
Greg
rated it:
Mother Courage is a nickname given to a woman who earns a living during the religious wars of the early 1600's selling supplies to the troops out of her wagon. She has three grown children, each of who's life comes to a tragic end during the war while Mother Courage continues on peddling her wares despite the horrors of war.
Oct 21, 2009
Sheryl
rated it:
Powerful play - and it's great to read the Penguin Classics Edition with Brecht's notes on how he staged each scene. Set during the Thirty Years War, yet written the first month WWII began, its message is as relevant today: beware of our addiction to the business of war. For with it, the best of society will be consumed.
May 20, 2008
Forest
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This story takes places during a war (typical German lit) presumably WWI. It is a war character story where Mother Courage looks after a myriad of "her children." Brecht comically names the honest son "Swiss Cheese." Brecht perhaps points to the reason Germany is in a constant state of war: "You know what the trouble with peace is? No organization. And when do you get organization? In war? Peace is one big waste of equipment." (p.23) "War feeds its people b
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Aug 03, 2011
Its an enjoyable book. You must like Brechtian Theatre to enjoy this book, because the entire plot is deconstructed and the suspense and emotion removed to transmit only the political message and remove the storytelling!
Apr 23, 2009
Brian
rated it:
Healthily challenging, intensely sad. I was lost at first, wondering whether I even cared. By the end, my heart was broken and my brain-gears working overtime. Highly recommended. One of the best plays I've read.
Jul 13, 2011
Allison
rated it:
Eh, what can you say about this one. Was forced to read it for my German major, but it was decent. All German literature seems to be a little...sad. If you can think of a happy german book, you let me know!
Jan 11, 2009
Ilze
rated it:
The things we had to study at 'varsity!
I couldn't get into this book. It could be that I hated the lecturer, it could be that I was put off by the German ... either way, very little of it sunk in!
I couldn't get into this book. It could be that I hated the lecturer, it could be that I was put off by the German ... either way, very little of it sunk in!
Jun 05, 2009
Valerie
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timeless anti-war play...I would love to see it performed. I'm waiting to see "Theater of War" a John Walter documentary about the performance of this play inCentral Park during the summer of 2006.
Jan 28, 2011
Mariel
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I actually can't remember why I rated this so low, so I'm bumping it up a bit. There was a war, right? And a mother and her children? Sounds good enough for me.
Sep 29, 2010
Joshua
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Welp, it's sort of funny in a really dark way. I've been told Brecht's work broke from theater's traditions in significant ways and this is a perfect example.
Feb 26, 2010
Jane
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Have just finished this and now want to see it performed. Incredibly powerful and the notes in my edition (Methuen) clarify Brecht's vision of the theatre.
