Power to the people? Not so much. From the first scene to the last, military power is one of the main forces driving forward the chain of events in Mother Courage. We're not just talking about firepower, here. We also mean the power of prestige, influence, and rank, all of which the military seems to offer people in this world. And then there is the power (or lack of power) that leaders have to wage wars and draw them out indefinitely. On the other hand, military power is not alone. There is also the power of religion, which is intimately connected to the powerful influence war and the military exercises on the populace throughout Mother Courage. And finally, Kattrin's character suggests there is a final form of power: the power of a single voice to fight back.
Questions About Power
- Is Kattrin actually portrayed as a powerful character, or is she too idealistic for her own good?
- How is the chaplain's view of his own "talent" as a preacher connected to his view of political power?
- Could Mother Courage's observation that the "little folk" are the ones with all the power mean she perceives a revolutionary potential among the lower classes?
- Does Brecht's play suggest there is a difference between symbolic power and actual power? What might that difference be?
Chew on This
One of the main components of Kattrin's inscrutability is the way her character combines both innocence and power.
Mother Courage and the chaplain represent two divergent views of political power: the former locates power with the people, whereas the latter sees it in the hands of their leaders.