On lIe ExpevinenlaI TIealve

AulIov|s) BevloIl BvecIl and CavI BicIavd MueIIev

Souvce TIe TuIane Bvana Beviev, VoI. 6, No. 1 |Sep., 1961), pp. 2-17
FuIIisIed I TIe MIT Fvess
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On TIe
ExpevinenlaI
TIealve
B
BEBTOLT BBECHT
Fov al Ieasl lvo
genevalions
nov lIe sevious-ninded
Euvopean
lIealve
Ias exisled in an eva oJ
expevinenlalion.
TIe divevse
expevinenls
Iave
nol as
el pvoduced an unequivocaI, cIeavI
discevniIIe
vesuIls,
Iul lIe
eva is
I
no neans al an end. Il is
n opinion
lIal lIe
expevinenls
JoI-
Ioved lvo
sepavale
couvses, vIicI,
lIougI lIe occasionaII
inlevsecled,
can,
vIen
sepavaled,
Ie
individuaII puvsued.
TIese lvo couvses oJ
deveIopnenl
ave
dislinguisIed
Jvon one anolIev
I
neans oJ lIeiv indi-
viduaI Junclions enlevlainnenl and
inslvuclion,
lIal is lo
sa,
lIe lIe-
alve
ovganized expevinenls
vIicI veve lo incvease ils
povevs
oJ enlev-
laining,
and
expevinenls
vIicI veve lo incvease ils
povevs
oJ inslvuclion.
In a vovId as
Jasl-noving
and
dnanic
as ouvs lIe enlicenenls oJ en-
levlainnenl ave
quicI
lo veav oul. We nusl
aIvas
Ie
pvepaved
lo neel
lIe desive Jov
pvogvessive puIIic slupeJaclion
vilI nev eJJecls. In ovdev
lo dislvacl ils
aIvead
dislvacled
speclalovs
lIe lIealve nusl Jivsl oJ aII
naIe Iin concenlvale. Il nusl Iuve Iin vilI ils
speII
oul oJ Iis
nois
envivonnenl. TIe lIealve nusl deaI vilI a
speclalov
vIo is
lived,
ex-
Iausled vilI Iis valionaIized
da
IaIov,
and vexed vilI sociaI Jviclions
oJ aII sovls. He Ias JIed Iis ovn snaII
vovId,
Ie sils Ieve a
Jugilive.
He
is a
Jugilive,
Iul Ie is a cuslonev as veII. His
escape
can
Ie
Ieve ov
eIsevIeve. TIe
conpelilion
oJ one Jovn oJ lIealve vilI anolIev
Jovn,
and oJ lIe lIealve in
genevaI
vilI lIe
cinena, occasions
conlinuousI
nev
slvuggIes, slvuggIes
vIicI viII
aIvas
exisl anev.
In
vevieving
lIe
expevinenls
oJ
Anloine, BvaIn, SlaniIavsIi, Oovdon
Cvaig,
BeinIavdl,
Jessnev, MeevIoId, VacIlangov,
and
Fiscalov,
ve dis-
covev lIal
lIe quile venavIaII enIavged
lIe
possiIiIilies
oJ
expvession
in lIe lIealve. Ils
capacil
lo enlevlain Ias
gvovn
unqueslioningI.
TIe
avl oJ ensenIIe
pIaing
Ias cvealed an
unconnonI
sensilive and eIaslic
slage-Ieing.
A sociaI niIieu
na
Ie
depicled
in ils nosl suIlIe delaiI.
VacIlangov
and
MeevIoId
dvev cevlain danceIiIe Jovns Jvon lIe
Asialic lIealve and cvealed a
conpIele cIoveogvapI
Jov lIe dvana.
MeevIoId
veaIized a vadicaI
Conslvuclivisn,
and BeinIavdl lvansJovned
naluvaI, vouId-Ie
sIovpIaces
inlo
slages
Ie
pevJovned
Evevnan
and
Fausl in
puIIic pIaces. Open-aiv
lIealves sav
pvoduclions
oJ A Midsun-
nev
NigIls'
Bvean in lIe nidsl oJ a
Jovesl,
and in lIe Soviel Union an al-
lenpl
vas nade lo
vepeal
lIe
slovning
oJ lIe Winlev FaIace vilI lIe
use oJ lIe
IallIesIip Auvova.
TIe Iavvievs Ielveen
slage
and
speclalov
3
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/
J
q
*81
BevloIl BvecIl in Nev YovI aIoul 1942.
|SIelcI
I
EdilI
ScIIoss.)
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4
TIe TuIane Bvana Beviev
veve denoIisIed. Al BeinIavdl's
pvoduclion
oJ Banlon's BealI in lIe
Ovosses
ScIauspieIIaus
aclovs sal in lIe
audiloviun,
and in Moscov
OcIIopIov
sealed
speclalovs
on lIe
slage.
BeinIavdl uliIized lIe JIovev
va
oJ lIe CIinese lIealve and Iovvoved Jvon lIe civcus-avena lIe lecI-
nique
oJ
pIaing
in lIe nidsl oJ lIe audience. TIe diveclion oJ cvovds
vas
pevJecled I
SlanisIavsIi, BeinIavdl,
and
Jessnev,
and lIe Iallev
von a lIivd dinension Jov lIe
slage
vilI Iis slaiv conslvuclions. BevoIv-
ing slages
and doned
ccIovanas
veve
invenled,
and
IigIling
vas dis-
coveved. TIe veJIeclov nade
possiIIe
iIIuninalion on a
Iavge
scaIe. A
conpIele IigIl
Ioavd
pevnilled
us lo
conjuve up
lIe
alnospIeve
oJ a
BenIvandl
painling.
We
nigIl jusl
as
easiI
in lIe
Iislov
oJ lIealve
nane cevlain
IigIling
eJJecls
BeinIavdlian,
as in lIe
Iislov
oJ nedicine
ve Iave naned a cevlain Ieavl
opevalion
aJlev
TvendeIenIuvg.
TIeve
ave nev nelIods oJ
using
lIe
pvojeclov,
and lIeve is a nev
va
oJ nan-
aging
sound. As Jav as lIe avl oJ lIe lIealve vas
concevned,
lIe Iound-
avies Ielveen lIe caIavel and lIe lIealve and Ielveen lIe vevue and
lIe lIealve veve denoIisIed. TIeve veve
expevinenls
vilI
nasIs,
Ius-
Iins,
and
panlonine. Fav-veacIing expevinenls
veve undevlaIen vilI
lIe ancienl cIassicaI
vepevloive.
Tine and
again SIaIespeave
vas ve-
JasIioned and
cIanged.
We Iave exlvacled so
nan
Jaces Jvon lIe cIas-
sicaI aulIovs lIal
lIe
Iave
scavceI an
nove in vesevve. We Iave Iived
lo see HanIel in dinnev
jacIel
and Caesav in
uniJovn,
and al Ieasl
dinnev
jacIels
and uniJovns Iave
pvoJiled I
il and von lIeiv
va
lo
vespeclaIiIil. Expevinenls,
as
ou
can see,
ave
vev unequaI
in lIeiv
vovlI,
and lIe nosl
nolevovlI
ave nol
aIvas
lIe nosl
vaIuaIIe,
lIougI
even lIe nosl vovlIIess ave
scavceI
evev
conpIeleI
vovlIIess. As Jav
as HanIel in dinnev
jacIel
is
concevned,
il is
scavceI an
nove oJ a sac-
viIege
lo
SIaIespeave
lIan lIe convenlionaI HanIel in siII
ligIls.
One is
aIvas Iepl
vilIin lIe JvanevovI oJ a
coslune-pIa.
One can
genevaII sa
lIal lIe
expevinenls
lo
inpvove
lIe lIealve's
povevs
oJ
enlevlaining
Iave nol Ieen
IacIing
in vesuIls.
TIe
Iave in
pailicuIav
Ied lo lIe
deveIopnenl
oJ lIealve
nacIinev. TIe
ave,
Iov-
evev,
I
no neans al an end. In
Jacl,
lIe
Iave nevev
el
Ieen
pul
inlo
genevaI usage,
as Iave lIe
expevinenlaI
vesuIls oJ olIev inslilulions. A
nev nedicaI
opevalion pevJovned
in Nev YovI can vilIin a
vev
sIovl
line Ie
pevJovned
in
ToIo.
TIal, Iovevev,
is nol lIe case vilI ouv
nodevn
slage lecInoIog.
TIe avlisl is
conlinuousI
Iindeved
I
an evi-
denl velicence in
laIing
ovev
unIiasedI
lIe
expevinenlaI
vesuIls oJ
anolIev avlisl and
inpvoving
on lIen.
Fovgev
in avl is consideved a dis-
gvace.
TIis is one oJ lIe veasons
vI lecInoIogicaI pvogvess
Ias Jov a
Iong
vIiIe nol Ieen so
gveal
as il
nigIl
Ie. TIe lIealve in
genevaI
Ias nol Jov
a
Iong
vIiIe Ieen
IvougIl up
lo lIe slandavds oJ nodevn
lecInoIog.
Il
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BEBTOLT BBECHT
5
anuses ilseIJ vilI lIe
genevaII
avIvavd uliIizalion oJ a
pvinilive
luvn-
ing
necIanisn Jov lIe
slage,
vilI a
nicvopIone
and vilI lIe
inslaIIalion
oJ a Jev aulonoIiIe
IigIl
veJIeclovs. Even lIe
expevinenls
in lIe
pvovince
oJ
acling lecIniques
ave seIdon nade use oJ. Il is
onI vecenlI
lIal
lIis
ov lIal aclov in Nev YovI is
Ieconing
inlevesled in lIe nelIods oJ
lIe
SlanisIavsIi scIooI.
WIal ave ve lo
sa
oJ lIe
olIev,
lIe second
Junclion,
vIicI
aeslIelics
Iave Iesloved on lIe lIealve inslvuclion?
Heve, loo,
ve Jind
expevi-
nenls and lIe vesuIls oJ
expevinenls.
TIe dvana oJ
IIsen,
ToIslo,
SlvindIevg, OovI,
CIeIIov,
Hauplnann,
SIav, Kaisev,
and O'NeiII is
an
expevinenlaI
dvana. Il is an
inpovlanl expevinenl
vIicI
vesIapes
lIe
pvoIIens
oJ ouv line inlo lIealvicaI levns.'
We Iave lIe sociaI-cvilicaI dvana oJ envivonnenl Jvon IIsen lo Nov-
daII
Ovieg,
and lIe
SnIoIisl
dvana Jvon
SlvindIevg
lo
Faiv LagevIvisl.
We Iave a dvana
lpiJied, pevIaps, I n TIveepenn Opeva,
a
pava-
IIe
lpe
oJ dvana vIicI is deslvuclive oJ
ideoIogies,
and ve Iave
oviginaI
dvanalic
Jovns,
deveIoped I
sucI
poels
as Auden and
KjeId
AIeII,
and
vIicI,
seen Jvon a
puveI
lecInicaI
slandpoinl,
conlain eIenenls oJ
lIe vevue. Al lines lIe lIealve did veII in
endoving
sociaI novenenls
|lIe enancipalion
oJ
vonen,
pevIaps,
lIe adninislvalion oJ
juslice, I-
giene,
even,
in
Jacl,
lIe novenenl Jov lIe
enancipalion
oJ lIe
pvoIe-
lavial)
vilI deJinile
inpuIses.
SliII il cannol Ie secveled lIal lIe
insigIls
vIicI lIe lIealve
pevnilled
inlo lIe sociaI slilualion veve nol
pavlicuIavI
pvoJound.
Il vas nove ov
Iess,
as lIe
oIjeclions poinled
oul,
a neve
snplon
oJ lIe
supevJiciaI
cIavaclev oJ
sociel.
TIe inlvinsic sociaI Ie-
gaIilies
veve nol nade
pevcepliIIe. ConsequenlI
lIe
expevinenls
in lIe
pvovince
oJ lIe dvana Ied lo an aInosl
conpIele
deslvuclion oJ
pIol
and
lIe
inage oJ
nan in lIe lIealve. TIe lIealve
I pIacing
ilseIJ in lIe
sevvice oJ sociaI veJovn suJJeved lIe Ioss oJ
nan
oJ ils avlislic eJJicacies.
Nol
unjuslI, lIougI
oJlen vilI valIev duIious
avgunenls,
do ve Ianenl
lIe
pvoslilulion
oJ avlislic lasle and lIe
IIunling
oJ lIe
slIislic
sense. In
Jacl,
lIeve
pvevaiIs
ovev ouv lIealve
loda,
as a
consequence
oJ lIe
nan
divevse Iinds oJ
expevinenls,
a vivluaI
BaIIonian
conJusion oJ
slIes.
On one and lIe sane
slage,
in one and lIe sane
pIa,
aclovs
pevJovn
vilI
ullevI
dissiniIav
lecIniques,
and naluvaIislic
acling
is done vilIin
JanciJuI scenic
designs.
TIe
lecIniques
oJ
speecI
Iave JaIIen inlo a
IanenlaIIe
slale, ianIics ave
spoIen
as
lIe
veve connon
speecI,
lIe
pavIance
oJ lIe navIels is nade
vIlInicaI,
el
celeva,
el celeva. TIe
nodevn aclov Jinds IinseIJ
jusl
as
IeIpIess
vIen Jaced vilI lIe lecI-
niques
oJ novenenl. Il is neanl lo Ie individuaI Iul is
onI avIilvav,
il is neanl lo Ie naluvaI Iul is
onI
accidenlaI. One and lIe sane aclov
uliIizes an aclion vIicI is suilaIIe Jov lIe
civcus-avena, and lIe nexl
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6 TIe TuIane Bvana Beviev
nonenl a
piece
oJ nine vIicI is discevniIIe
onI
Jvon lIe Jivsl vovs oJ
lIe
ovcIeslva,
and al lIal
onI
vilI a
paiv
oJ
opeva gIasses.
Lel us Iave
a cIeavance saIe oJ aII lIe
slIes
oJ aII lIe
ages,
a
lolaII
unJaiv
conpeli-
lion Ielveen aII
possiIIe
and
inpossiIIe
eJJecls!
One
cevlainI
cannol
sa
lIal successes Iave Ieen
IacIing,
nov can one
sa
lIal
lIe
Iave cosl
Iin
nolIing.
I cone nov lo lIal
pIase
oJ lIe
expevinenlaI
lIealve in vIicI aII lIe
IilIevlo descviIed eJJovls acIieved lIeiv
IigIesl
slandavd and vilI il lIeiv
vavious
luvning-poinls
ov cvises. Il is in lIis
pIase
lIal aII lIe naniJesla-
lions oJ lIe
inpovlanl pvocess, posilive
as veII as
negalive, appeaved
al
lIeiv nosl
pvoninenl
lIus lIe incvease oJ lIe
povevs
oJ enlevlainnenl
aIong
vilI lIe
deveIopnenl
oJ lIe
lecIniques
oJ
slage
iIIusion,
and lIe
incvease oJ lIe
povevs
oJ inslvuclion
aIong
vilI lIe JaII oJ avlislic lasle.
TIe nosl vadicaI
allenpl
lo endov lIe lIealve vilI an inslvuclive
cIavaclev vas undevlaIen
I
Fiscalov. I looI
pavl
in eacI oJ Iis
expevi-
nenls,
and lIeve vas none oJ lIen vIicI did nol Iave as ils
oIjeclive
lIe
IeigIlening
oJ lIe
slage's povevs
oJ inslvuclion. Il vas a
queslion,
lIen,
oJ
nasleving
lIe
inpovlanl conlenpovav suIjecls
Jov lIe
slage
lIe
slvuggIe
Jov
pelvoIeun,
lIe
Wav,
lIe
BevoIulion,
juslice,
vace
pvoI-
Iens,
el celeva. Il seened
necessav
lo veIuiId lIe lIealve
conpIeleI.
Il
is
inpossiIIe
Jov ne lo enunevale Ieve aII lIe invenlions and innova-
lions vIicI Fiscalov uliIized
logelIev
vilI
vivluaII
aII oJ lIe nevev
lecInoIogicaI
advances in ovdev lo
Iving
lo lIe
slage inpovlanl
nodevn
suIjecls.
You
undouIledI
Inov oJ sone oJ
lIen,
sucI as lIe use oJ
JiIn,
vIicI lvansJovned lIe
vigid IacIdvop
oJ lIe
slage
inlo a nev co-
pIaev, anaIogous
lo lIe OveeI
cIovus,
and lIe
conveov
IeIl vIicI en-
aIIed lIe
slage
JIoov lo nove so lIal
epic
scenes couId voII
pasl,
as in
lIe navcI oJ lIe
good
soIdiev ScIveiI lo lIe vavs. HilIevlo lIese inven-
lions Iave nol Ieen
adopled I
lIe inlevnalionaI
lIealve,
lIeiv nannevs
oJ
IigIling
lIe
slage
Iave Ieen aII Iul
Jovgollen,
lIeiv
ullevI ingenious
nacIinev
is
vusled,
and
gvass gvovs
ovev aII.
WI
is il?
Il is
necessav
in ovdev lo disconlinue lIis eninenl
poIilicaI
lIealve
lo veveaI ils
poIilicaI ovigins.
TIe incvease oJ lIe
poIilicaI povevs
oJ
Ieavning
coIIided vilI lIe
appvoacIing poIilicaI
veaclion.
Toda,
Iov-
evev,
ve vanl lo conJine ouvseIves lo
puvsuing
lIe
deveIopnenl
oJ lIe
luvning poinl
oJ lIe lIealve in lIe
pvovince
oJ aeslIelics.
TIe
expevinenls
oJ Fiscalov
caused,
aIove
aII,
conpIele
cIaos in lIe
lIealve. IJ lIe
slage
vas lvansJovned inlo a nacIine
sIop,
lIen lIe audi-
loviun vas lvansJovned inlo an
assenII
IaII. Fov Fiscalov lIe lIealve
vas a
pavIianenl,
lIe
puIIic
a
IegislIalive Iod.
To lIis
pavIianenl
vas
pvesenled
in
pIaslic
levns
inpovlanl,
decision-denanding, puIIic
aJ-
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BEBTOLT BBECHT
7
Jaivs. In
pIace
oJ an addvess
I
a nenIev oJ
pavIianenl concevning
cev-
lain unlenaIIe sociaI condilions lIeve
appeaved
an avlislic
vepvoduclion
oJ lIe silualion. TIe lIealve Iad lIe anIilion lo
pvepave
ils
pavIianenl,
lIe
puIIic,
lo cone lo
poIilicaI
decisions on lIe Iasis oJ lIe iIIuslvalions,
slalislics and
sIogans
sIovn on lIe
slage.
WIiIe Fiscalov's lIealve did
nol
vaive
appIause,
il desived discussion even nove. Il did nol vanl
neveI
lo
pvovide
ils
speclalovs
vilI an
expevience,
Iul in addilion lo vvesl Jvon
lIen a
pvaclicaI
vesoIve lo laIe an aclive IoId on IiJe. AII neans veve
jusliJied
lo acIieve lIis end. TIe lecInicaI
aspecls
oJ lIe lIealve
Iecane
inovdinaleI conpIicaled.
Fiscalov's
slage nanagev
Iad in Jvonl oJ Iin
a
pvonpl
IooI vIicI vas as diJJevenl Jvon lIe
pvonpl
IooI oJ Bein-
Iavdl's
slage nanagev
as lIe ovcIeslvaI scove oJ a
SlvavinsI opeva
is Jvon
lIe
nanuscvipl
oJ a Iule
singev.
TIe
nacIinev
on lIe
slage
vas so
Ieav
lIal il Iecane
necessav
lo
suppovl
lIe
slage
JIoov oJ lIe
NoIIendovJ
TIealev vilI ivon and cenenl
slvuls,
so nucI
nacIinev
vas
Iung
Jvon
lIe done lIal il once
coIIapsed.
AeslIelic
aspecls
veve
conpIeleI
suI-
ovdinaled in lIe
poIilicaI
lIealve.
Ava
vilI
painled
sels vIen one
couId sIov a JiIn vIicI vas sIol al lIe
vev pIace
oJ lIe
aclion,
and
vIicI
possessed
a
docunenlav, cevliJing
vovlI aIoul il. And veIcone
lIe cavloon vIen lIe
avlisl,
Jov
exanpIe Oeovge
Ovoss,
Iad
sonelIing
lo
sa
lo lIe
pavIianenl-puIIic.
WIen lIe Oevnan Kaisev JiIed a
pvolesl
lIvougI
Jive
allovnes
lIal Fiscalov inlended lo
pevsoniJ
Iin on lIe
slage I
neans oJ an aclov Fiscalov
neveI
asIed vIelIev lIe Kaisev Iin-
seIJ vouId IiIe lo naIe an
appeavance,
one
nigIl sa
lIal Fiscalov oJ-
Jeved Iin an
engagenenl.
In sIovl lIe
oIjeclive
vas oJ sucI
signiJicance
and
inpovlance
lIal aII neans seened
jusliJied.
TIe
pvepavalion
oJ lIe
pvoduclion
accovded vilI lIe
pvepavalion
oJ lIe
pIa.
A vIoIe slaJJ oJ
pIavvigIls
vovIed
logelIev
on lIe
pIa,
and lIeiv vovI vas aided and
conlvoIIed
I
a slaJJ oJ
expevls,
Iislovians, econonisls,
and slalislicians.
TIe
expevinenls
oJ Fiscalov veve lIe souvce oJ
vivluaII
aII conven-
lions.
TIe
looI IoId oJ and
cIanged
lIe cvealive
pvocess
oJ lIe
pIa-
vvigIl,
lIe
slIe
oJ
pvoduclion,
and lIe vovI oJ lIe lIealve avcIilecl.
AIlogelIev lIe
slvove
Jov
a
conpIeleI
nev sociaI
Junclion Jov
lIe
lIealve.
TIe
vevoIulionav Iouvgeois
aeslIelic,
Jounded
I
lIose
gveal enIigIl-
enevs, Bidevol and
Lessing,
deJined lIe lIealve as a
pIace
oJ enlevlain-
nenl and inslvuclion. TIe
Age
oJ
EnIigIlennenl,
vIicI usIeved in a
povevJuI upsuvge
oJ
Euvopean
lIealve,
vecognized
no
opposilion
Ielveen
enlevlainnenl and inslvuclion. Fuve
anusenenl,
even in
vegavd
lo
lvagic
suIjecls,
seened lo Bidevol lo Ie
quile enpl
and discvedilaIIe vIen il
JaiIed lo add lo lIe
InovIedge
oJ lIe
speclalov,
and eIenenls oJ in-
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8 TIe TuIane Bvana Beviev
slvuclion,
naluvaII
in
avlislic
Jovns,
seened in no
va
lo disluvI lIe
aspecl
oJ
anusenenl:
il vas aJlev lIis lIal anusenenl vas
given
nove
suIslance.
IJ ve oIsevve lIe lIealve oJ ouv line ve sIaII Jind lIal lIe lvo con-
sliluenl eIenenls oJ dvana and lIe
lIealve,
enlevlainnenl and inslvuc-
lion,
Iave cone nove and nove inlo
sIavp
conJIicl. TIis
opposilion
exisls
loda.
NaluvaIisn,
vilI ils inleIIecluaIizalion oJ lIe
avls,
vIicI
pvovided
il vilI sociaI
Ieaving,
Iad douIlIess
pavaIzed signiJicanl
aeslIelic
Jovces,
pavlicuIavI
lIal oJ
Janlas,
lIe aeslIelic
sense,
and lIe
genuineI poelic.
TIe inslvuclive eIenenls
pIainI
Iavned lIe avlislic eIenenls.
TIe
Expvessionisn
oJ lIe
posl-vav
eva Iad descviIed lIe vovId as viII
and
vepvesenlalion
and
IvougIl
a cIavaclevislic
soIipsisn.
Il vas lIe
lIealve's ansvev lo lIe
gveal
sociaI
cvisis,
jusl
as lIe
pIiIosopIicaI
Ma-
cIisnus vas
pIiIosopI's
ansvev lo il. Il vas a vevoIl oJ avl
againsl
IiJe,
and lIe vovId exisled Jov il
onI
as
vision,
slvangeI
sIalleved,
lIe oJJ-
spving
oJ
JvigIlened
ninds.
Expvessionisn,
vIicI
gvealI
envicIed lIe
lIealve's neans oJ
expvession
and
IvougIl
aIoul a IilIevlo
unexpIoiled
aeslIelic
gain,
sIoved ilseIJ in no
posilion
lo
inlevpvel
lIe vovId as an
oIjecl
oJ Iunan
usage.
TIe lIealve's
povevs
oJ inslvuclion sIviveIed
ava.
TIe inslvuclionaI eIenenls oJ a Fiscalov
pvoduclion
ov oJ a
pvoduclion
IiIe
n TIveepenn Opeva
veve,
so lo
speaI,
inslaIIed:
lIe
did nol ve-
suIl
ovganicaII
Jvon lIe
vIoIe,
lIe
slood in
opposilion
lo lIe
vIoIe:
lIe inlevvupled
lIe JIov oJ lIe
pIa
and ils
evenls,
lIe
lIvavled
sn-
palIelic undevslanding, lIe
veve coId sIovevs Jov lIose vIo vanled
lo
snpalIize.
I
Iope
lIal lIe
novaIizing pavls
oJ lIe
TIveepenn Opeva
and ils didaclic
songs
ave lo sone exlenl
enlevlaining,
Iul
suveI
lIeve
can Ie no douIl lIal lIis enlevlainnenl is diJJevenl Jvon lIal vIicI one
expeviences
Jvon lIe scenes oJ lIe
pIa pvopev.
TIe cIavaclev oJ lIis
pIa
is
lvo-pvonged,
inslvuclion and enlevlainnenl sland
logelIev
in
open IosliIil.
In Fiscalov's
pvoduclions
lIe aclov and lIe
slage nacIinev
slood
logelIev
in
open IosliIil.
We
pevceive
Jvon lIe Jacl lIal
lIvougI
enlevlainnenl lIe
puIIic
is
spIil
inlo al Ieasl lvo IosliIe sociaI
canps,
so lIal lIe connon avl
expe-
vience JaIIs lo
pieces:
il is a
poIilicaI
Jacl. TIe
enjonenl
oJ
Ieavning
is
suIjecl
lo sociaI
posilion.
TIe avlislic lveal is
suIjecl
lo
poIilicaI
alli-
lude,
so lIal il can Ie
cIaIIenged
and Iecone
accepled.
Bul even iJ ve
considev
onI
lIal one
pavl
oJ lIe
puIIic
lIal is in
poIilicaI agveenenl,
ve ave aIIe lo see Iov lIe conJIicl Ielveen lIe
povevs
oJ enlevlainnenl
and lIe
povevs
oJ inslvuclion Iecones cvilicaI. Il is a
quile
deJinile,
nev
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BEBTOLT BBECHT
9
Iind oJ
Ieavning
vIicI cannol veconciIe ilseIJ lo a
deJinile,
oId Iind
oJ
seIJ-enlevlainnenl. In one oJ lIe
|Ialev) pIases
oJ lIe
expevinenls evev
nev incvease in lIe
povevs
oJ inslvuclion Ied lo an innediale
decvease
in lIe
povevs
oJ enlevlainnenl.
|TIis
isn'l lIealve
an
nove,
il's
an
aduIl educalion
cIass.)
In vevevse
ovdev,
lIe eJJecl
upon
lIe
nevvous
sslen,
vIicI is lIe vesuIl oJ enolionaI
acling, consislenlI
lIvealened
lIe
pevJovnance's povevs
oJ inslvuclion.
|Bad
aclovs veve oJlen
inlev-
esled in
uliIizing
lIe inslvuclionaI
aspecl
oJ lIe
lIealve.)
In olIev
vovds
lIe nove lIe
puIIic
vas
enolionaII
aJJecled lIe Iess
capaIIe
il vas
oJ
Ieavning.
TIal
is,
lIe nove ve
IvougIl
lIe
puIIic
lo vIeve il
agveed,
ex-
pevienced, snpalIized, jusl
lIal nucI Iess vas il
capaIIe
oJ
seeing
lIe
ins and ouls oJ lIe
nallev,
lIal nucI Iess did il
Ieavn,
and lIe nove lIeve
vas lo
Ieavn,
jusl
lIal nucI Iess vas lIe avlislic lveal
IvougIl
lo veaIiza-
lion.
TIe cvisis vas lIis lIe
expevinenls
oJ IaIJ a
cenluv, IvougIl
aIoul
in aInosl aII civiIized
counlvies,
Iad von Jov lIe lIealve an
ullevI
nev
vange
oJ
suIjecls,
a nev
spIeve
oJ
pvoIIens,
and
lIeveI
nade il a Jac-
lov oJ eninenl sociaI
signiJicance.
Bul
lIe
Iad
IvougIl
lIe lIealve lo
lIe
pIace
vIeve
an
JuvlIev
deveIopnenl
oJ lIe
vevdicl-Jinding,
sociaI
|poIilicaI) expevience
nusl
necessaviI deslvo
lIe avlislic
expevience.
On
lIe olIev
side, Iovevev,
lIe avlislic
expevience aIvas
cane aIoul Iess
oJlen vilIoul lIe JuvlIev
deveIopnenl
oJ lIe
vevdicl-Jinding expevience.
A lecInicaI
appavalus
and a
slIe
oJ
pvoduclion
vas
deveIoped
vIicI
veve aIIe lo
pvoduce
iIIusion valIev lIan
pvaclicaIil,
inloxicalion valIev
lIan
eIevalion,
and
deceplion
valIev
lIan
enIigIlennenl.
OJ vIal
pvoJil
vas a Conslvuclivisl
slage
vIen il vas nol
sociaII
con-
slvuclive,
vIal
pvoJil
vas lIeve in lIe Jinesl
IigIling pIanl
vIen il iIIu-
ninaled JaIse and cIiIdisI
vepvesenlalions
oJ lIe
vovId,
and vIal
pvoJil
vas lIeve in a
Suggeslivisl
avl oJ lIe lIealve vIen il sevved
onI
lo con-
vince us lIal an 7 vas a U? OJ vIal use vas lIe vIoIe Iox oJ
nagic
lvicIs vIen il couId
onI
oJJev us avliJiciaI suIslilules Jov acluaI
expe-
viences? WIal
puvpose
vas lIeve in lIis conslanl iIIuninalion oJ
pvoI-
Iens vIicI
aIvas
venained unvesoIved? Was aII lIis neanl lo
gvaliJ
nol
onI
lIe nevves Iul lIe
undevslanding
as veII? One couId nol
pos-
siII
Iave ended Ieve.
TIe
deveIopnenl pvessed
Jov a Jusion oJ lIe lvo
Junclions, enlevlain-
nenl and inslvuclion.
IJ lIese endeavovs ave lo allain a sociaI consciousness lIen
lIe
nusl
JinaII pvepave
lIe lIealve lo
deveIop
a viev oJ IiJe
lIvougI
avlislic
neans,
lo
deveIop
nodeIs oJ lIe sociaI IiJe oJ Iunan
Ieings,
in ovdev lo
IeIp
lIe
speclalov
lo undevsland Iis sociaI
suvvoundings
and lo
IeIp
Iin
conlvoI lIen
valionaII
and
enolionaII.
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10 TIe TuIane Bvana Beviev
Man
loda
Inovs IillIe aIoul lIe
IegaIilies
vIicI conlvoI Iis IiJe.
As
a sociaI
Ieing
Iis
genevaI
veaclion is
enolionaI,
Iul lIese enolionaI ve-
aclions ave
vague,
inexacl,
ineJJeclive. TIe souvces oJ Iis enolions
and
passions
ave
jusl
as
Iogged up
and
poIIuled
as lIe souvces oJ Iis InovI-
edge.
Man
loda, Iiving
in a
vapidI cIanging
vovId and IinseIJ
vapidI
cIanging,
IacIs an
inage
oJ lIe vovId vIicI
agvees
vilI Iin and on lIe
Iasis oJ vIicI Ie can acl vilI a viev lo success. His
conceplions
oJ lIe
sociaI IiJe oJ Iunan
Ieings
ave
JaIse, inaccuvale,
and
conlvadiclov,
Iis
inage
is vIal one
nigIl
caII
inpvaclicaIIe,
lIal
is,
vilI Iis
inage
oJ
lIe
vovId,
lIe vovId oJ Iunan
Ieings,
Ie cannol conlvoI lIe vovId. He
does nol Inov on vIal Ie is
dependenl,
Ie IacIs a
gvasp
on sociaI na-
cIinev
vIicI is
necessav
lo cause lIe desived eJJecl. A
InovIedge
oJ
lIe naluve oJ
lIings,
so
gvealI
and so
ingeniousI
incveased and ex-
panded,
is
incapaIIe,
vilIoul a
InovIedge
oJ lIe naluve oJ
nan,
Iunan
sociel
in ils
lolaIil,
oJ
naIing
lIis conlvoI oJ naluve a souvce oJ
Iappi-
ness Jov nanIind. Il viII Jav soonev Iecone a souvce oJ
unIappiness.
So
il
Iappens
lIal ouv
gveal
discovevies and invenlions Iave Iecone an
evev
incveasing
lIveal lo
nanIind,
so lIal
loda neavI evev
invenlion
is veceived vilI a
cv
oJ
lviunpI
vIicI soon luvns inlo a
cv
oJ Jeav.
BeJove lIe vav I
expevienced
a
genuineI
Iislovic scene on lIe vadio
lIe inslilule oJ lIe
pIsicisl
NieIs BoIv in
CopenIagen
vas
Ieing
in-
levvieved
concevning
a
vevoIulionizing discovev
in lIe JieId oJ
nucIeav
Jission. TIe
pIsicisls vepovled
lIal a
nev,
lvenendous souvce oJ
enevg
Iad Ieen discoveved. WIen lIe Inlevvievev asIed vIelIev a
pvaclicaI
uliIizalion oJ lIe
expevinenl
veve
el possiIIe,
Ie veceived lIe ansvev
No,
nol
el.
In a lone oJ
gveal
veIieJ lIe Inlevvievev
vepIied
TIanI Ood
Jov
lIalI
I
JivnI
IeIieve lIal nanIind is nol
el
naluve
enougI
lo laIe
possession
oJ sucI a souvce oJ
enevgI
Il vas cIeav lIal Ie Iad
onI
lIe
vav induslvies in nind. TIe
pIsicisl
AIIevl Einslein does nol
go quile
so
Jav,
Iul Ie
goes
Jav
enougI,
vIen in a Jev sIovl
senlences,
vIicI ave
lo Ie Iuvied in a
capsuIe
al lIe Nev YovI WovId's
Faiv,
as a
vepovl
on
ouv line lo Juluve
genevalions,
Ie vviles lIe
JoIIoving
Ouv line is a nine oJ invenlive inleIIecls vIose invenlions couId
ease
ouv Iives
considevaII.
We cvoss lIe seas
I
neans oJ necIani-
caI
povev,
and. ve aIso use lIal
povev
lo Jvee nanIind Jvon aII
Jaliguing pIsicaI
IaIov. We Iave Ieavned lo
JI
and ave aIIe
I
neans oJ eIeclvic vaves lo disseninale nevs and
inJovnalion
lIvougIoul
lIe enlive vovId. Yel
pvoduclion
and dislviIulion oJ
nevcIandise is Jav Jvon
ovganized,
so lIal eacI oJ us nusl Iive in
Jeav oJ
Ieing
Jovced Jvon lIe econonic
spIeve.
Moveovev,
peopIe
Iiving
in diJJevenl Iands nuvdev one anolIev al
ivveguIav peviodic
inlevvaIs,
so lIal aII vIo
pondev
lIe Juluve nusl Iive in Jeav. TIis
cones Jvon lIe Jacl lIal lIe
inleIIigence
and cIavaclev oJ lIe nasses
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BEBTOLT BBECHT
11
ave
inconpavaII
Iovev lIan lIe
inleIIigence
and cIavaclev oJ
lIe
Jev,
lIose vIo
pvoduce lIings
oJ vovlI Jov lIe connon
good.
Einslein lIus
pvoves
lIe Jacl lIal lIe conlvoI oJ naluve, in so Jav as
ve
Iave conlvoI oJ
il,
conlviIules IillIe lo a
Iapp
IiJe Jov
nan,
and
JuvlIev
lIal nan in
genevaI
is
IacIing
in
InovIedge
Iov lo luvn lIese
discovevies
and invenlions lo Iis ovn
use.'
TIe
Inov loo IillIe aIoul lIeiv
ovn
naluve. TIe Jacl lIal nan Inovs so IillIe aIoul IinseIJ is lIe veason
vI
Iis
InovIedge
oJ naluve is oJ so IillIe
IeIp
lo Iin. In
poinl
oJ
Jacl,
lIe
nonslvous
oppvession
and
expIoilalion
oJ nan
I
nan,
lIe vavIiIe
IulcIevies and
peaceaIIe degvadalions
oJ aII Iinds acvoss lIe
enlive
pIanel
Iave aInosl Iecone naluvaI
I
nov,
Iul
nan,
Jaced vilI
lIese
naluvaI
naniJeslalions,
is
unJovlunaleI
nol so
ingenious
and
quaIiJied
as vIen Jaced vilI olIev naluvaI naniJeslalions. TIe
gveal
vavs,
Jov
ex-
anpIe,
seen as innunevaIIe as
eavlIlvenovs,
and lIeveJove as
seeningI
inevilaIIe as lIe
povev
oJ naluve
ilseIJ,
Iul vIeveas eavlIlvenovs cone
lo an
end,
nan's
inIunanil
lo nan seens nevev lo veacI an end. Il is
cIeav Iov nucI vouId Ie
gained,
iJ,
Jov
exanpIe,
lIe
lIealve,
iJ nol
avl
ilseIJ,
veve
capaIIe
oJ
pvoviding
us vilI a
pvaclicaIIe
viev oJ IiJe.
An avl
capaIIe
oJ lIis vouId Ie aIIe lo laIe Jivn IoId on sociaI
deveIop-
nenl,
il vouId nol
neveI
vadiale nove ov Iess
apalIelic inpuIses
Iul
deIivev ils
Jindings
lo sensilive and
inleIIigenl
nen oJ lIe
vovId,
lIe
vovId oJ Iunan
Ieings,
Jov lIeiv use.
Bul lIe
pvoIIen
is nol al aII
sinpIe.
TIe
vev
Jivsl
expevinenls
sIoved
lIal
avl,
in ovdev lo
pevJovn
ils
dul,
Iad lo slinuIale cevlain
enolions,
pvovide
cevlain
expeviences,
Iul
I
no neans covvecl vievs oJ IiJe ov
genuine
iIIuslvalions oJ
Iappenings
Ielveen nen. Il acIieved ils eJJecls
vilI
inconpIele,
deceilJuI ov oIsoIele vievs oJ IiJe.
TIvougI
avlislic
sug-
geslion,
vIicI il Inovs Iov lo
exevcise,
il invesls lIe nosl aIsuvd assev-
lions
concevning
Iunan veIalions vilI lIe
appeavance
oJ lvulI. TIe
nove
povevJuI
il
is,
lIe nove unveviJiaIIe ils
pvoduclion..
In
pIace
oJ
Iogic
ve Iave
JIigIls
oJ
Janc,
in
pIace
oJ
avgunenl
ve Iave vIelovic.
AeslIelics denand a
pavlicuIav
pIausiIiIil
Jov aII
Iappenings,
olIevvise
eJJecls viII eilIev nol occuv ov eIse Ie
inpaived.
Al lIe sane
line,
Iov-
evev, lIeve is aIso lIe
queslion
oJ a
puveI
aeslIelic
pIausiIiIil,
a so-
caIIed aeslIelic
Iogic. TIe
poel
is
gvanled
Iis ovn
vovId,
il Ias ils ovn
IegaIil.
IJ lIis ov lIal sel oJ eIenenls is
speciJied,
lIen aII olIev eIenenls
nusl Ie
siniIavI speciJied
and lIe
pvincipIe
oJ
speciJicalion
Ie in sone
degvee
uniJovn in ovdev lo save lIe vIoIe.
Avl acIieves lIis
pviviIege
oJ
Ieing
aIIe lo conslvucl ils ovn
vovId,
vIicI need nol conJovn lo
an
olIev,
lIvougI
a
pavlicuIav pIenonenon
vIicI,
on lIe Iasis oJ lIe
Suggeslivisl
lecInique,
assevls lIal vilIin lIe
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12 TIe TuIane Bvana Beviev
avlisl lIeve exisls lIe eslaIIisIed
snpalIelic undevslanding
oJ lIe
spec-
lalov,
and vIicI
passes
Jvon lIe avlisl inlo lIe cIavaclevs and evenls on
lIe
slage.
Il is lIis
pvincipIe
oJ
snpalIelic undevslanding
vIicI ve Iave
nov lo considev.
SnpalIelic undevslanding
is a nain
suppovl
oJ lIe
pvevaiIing
aes-
lIelic. In lIe
inposing
Foelics oJ AvislolIe ve Iave a
descviplion
oJ Iov
CalIavsis,
lIal
is,
lIe
spiviluaI puviJicalion
oJ lIe
speclalov,
vas
IvougIl
aIoul
lIvougI
Minesis. TIe aclov inilales lIe Ievo
|Oedipus
ov Fvone-
lIeus),
and Ie does so vilI sucI
suggeslion
and
povev
oJ convevsion
lIal lIe
speclalov
inilales Iin in lIe voIe and lIus
possesses
IinseIJ oJ
lIe Ievo's
expevience. HegeI,
vIo,
lo
n InovIedge,
dvev
up
lIe Iasl
oJ lIe
inpovlanl sslens
oJ
aeslIelics,
veJevs lo lIe
aIiIil
oJ nan lo
expevience
lIe sane enolions vIen Jaced vilI sinuIaled
veaIil
as Ie
does vIen Jaced vilI
veaIil
ilseIJ. WIal I vanl lo
acquainl ou
vilI
nov is lIal a sevies oJ
expevinenls
lo eslaIIisI a
pvaclicaIIe
viev oJ IiJe
I
neans oJ lIe lIealve's vesouvces Ias Ied lo lIe
slaggeving queslion
vIelIev lo acIieve lIis end il is
necessav,
nove ov
Iess,
lo suvvendev
snpalIelic undevslanding.
UnIess one
pevceives Iunanil,
vilI aII ils
condilions,
pvoceedings,
nannevs oJ IeIaviov and
inslilulions,
as sone-
lIing
slaIIe and
uncIangeaIIe,
and unIess one
accepls
lIe alliludes oJ
Iunanil,
as one Ias
accepled
lIen oJ naluve vilI sucI success Jov
sevevaI
cenluvies,
lIose cvilicaI
alliludes,
concevning cIange
and lIe
naslev
oJ
naluve,
lIen one is unaIIe lo uliIize lIe
lecInique
oJ
sn-
palIelic undevslanding. SnpalIelic undevslanding
in
cIangeaIIe
Iu-
nan
Ieings,
in avoidaIIe
acls,
and in
supevJIuous pain,
el
celeva,
is nol
possiIIe.
As
Iong
as lIe slavs oJ Iis Jale
Iang
ovev
King
Leav,
as
Iong
as
ve considev Iin as
Ieing uncIangeaIIe,
Iis deeds
suIjecl
lo naluve vilI-
oul
veslviclion,
even
pvesenled
as
Ieing
Jaled,
so
Iong
can ve Ie
sn-
palIelicaII undevslanding
lovavds Iin. To discuss Iis IeIaviov is as in-
possiIIe
as a discussion oJ lIe
spIilling
oJ lIe alon vouId Iave Ieen in
lIe lenlI
cenluv.
IJ lIe inlevcouvse Ielveen
slage
and
puIIic
veve lo occuv on lIe Iasis
oJ
snpalIelic undevslanding,
lIen al
an given
nonenl lIe
speclalov
couId Iave seen
onI
as nucI as lIe Ievo sav vilI vIon Ie vas
joined
in
snpalIelic undevslanding.
And lovavds
pavlicuIav
silualions on lIe
slage opposile
Iin Ie couId
onI
Iave sucI enolionaI
vesponses
as lIe
nood on
slage pevnilled.
TIe
oIsevvalions, enolions,
and
pevceplions
oJ lIe
speclalovs
veve lIe sane as lIose vIicI
IvougIl
lIe cIavaclevs
on
slage
inlo Iine. TIe
slage
couId
scavceI genevale
enolions,
pevnil
oIsevvalions and JaciIilale
undevslanding,
vIicI ave nol
suggesliveI
vepvesenled
on il. Leav's vvalI ovev Iis
daugIlevs
inJecls lIe
speclalov,
lIal
is,
lIe
speclalov, valcIing
Iin,
couId
onI expevience
vvalI, nol
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BEBTOLT BBECHT 13
pevIaps
anazenenl ov
uneasiness,
and lIe sane IoIds Jov olIev
possiIIe
enolions. TIe vvalI oJ Leav, lIeveJove, couId nol Ie lesled
againsl ils
jusliJicalion
nov couId il Ie
pvovided
vilI a
pvopIes
oJ ils
possiIIe
consequences.
Il vas nol lo Ie
discussed,
onI
lo Ie sIaved in. In lIis
va
sociaI
pIenonena appeaved
elevnaI, naluvaI,
uncIangeaIIe,
unIislovicaI,
and did nol IoId Jov discussion.
M
use oJ lIe levn discussion Ieve does
nol
inpI
a
dispassionale
lvealnenl oJ a
lIene,
a
puveI
inleIIecluaI
pvocess.
We ave nol concevned vilI
sinpI naIing
lIe
speclalov
innune
lo lIe vvalI oJ Leav. Il is
onI
lIe divecl
lvanspIanlalion
oJ lIis vvalI
lIal nusl Ie
slopped.
An
exanpIe
TIe vvalI oJ Leav is sIaved in
I
Iis
JailIJuI sevvanl Kenl. Kenl
soundI
lIvasIes a sevvanl oJ lIe lIanIIess
daugIlevs,
vIo is inslvucled lo
disoIe
one oJ Leav's visIes. SIaII lIe
speclalov
oJ ouv line sIave Leav's vvalI and
appvove
oJ
il,
vIiIe in
essence
snpalIizing
vilI lIe
lIvasIing
oJ lIe
sevvanl,
cavvied oul on
Leav's ovdevs? TIe
queslion
is lIis Hov can lIis scene Ie
pIaed
so
lIal lIe
speclalov,
on lIe
conlvav,
JIies inlo a
passion
Iecause oJ Leav's
vvalI?
OnI
an enolion oJ lIis Iind vIicI can
den
lIe
speclalov sn-
palIelic undevslanding,
vIicI
genevaII onI
Ie can
expevience,
and
vIicI
genevaII
couId occuv
onI
lo
Iin,
and lIen
onI
iJ Ie IveaIs
lIvougI
lIe lIealve's
povev
oJ
suggeslion,
can Ie
sociaII jusliJied.
ToI-
slo
Iad exceIIenl
lIings
lo
sa
on lIis
vev
nallev.
SnpalIelic undevslanding
is lIe
inpovlanl
avliJiciaI neans oJ an
age
in vIicI nan is lIe vaviaIIe and Iis
suvvoundings
lIe conslanl. One can
Ie
snpalIelicaII undevslanding onI
lovavds a
pevson
vIo,
unIiIe
ouvseIves,
Ieavs lIe slavs oJ Iis
deslin
vilIin Iin.
Hunan
Ieings go
lo lIe lIealve in ovdev lo Ie
svepl ava, caplivaled,
inpvessed, upIiJled,
IovviJied, noved,
Iepl
in
suspense,
veIeased,
di-
vevled,
sel
Jvee,
sel
going, lvanspIanled
Jvon lIeiv ovn
line,
and
sup-
pIied
vilI iIIusions. AII oJ lIis
goes
so nucI vilIoul
saing
lIal lIe avl
oJ lIe lIealve is
candidI
deJined as
Iaving
lIe
povev
lo
veIease,
sveep
ava, upIiJl,
el celeva. Il is nol an avl al aII unIess il does so.
TIe
queslion,
lIen,
is lIis Is lIe avlislic lveal al aII
possiIIe
vilIoul
snpalIelic undevslanding,
ov,
in
an
case,
is il
possiIIe
on a Iasis olIev
lIan
snpalIelic undevslanding?
WIal couId a nev Iasis sucI as lIis oJJev us?
WIal can Ie suIsliluled Jov
pil
and
levvov,
lIe
lvin-oIed
cIassicaI
cause oJ AvislolIe's CalIavsis? WIen one venounces
Ipnosis
lo vIal can
one
appeaI?
WIal allilude sIouId a
speclalov pavlaIe
oJ in lIis nev
lIealve,
vIen Ie is denied lIe
iIIusionav, passive, vesigned-lo-Jale
alli-
lude? He sIouId no
Iongev
Ie aIducled Jvon Iis ovn vovId inlo lIe
vovId
oJ
avl,
no
Iongev
Ie
Iidnapped:
on lIe
conlvav,
Ie sIouId Ie
usIeved inlo Iis ovn veaI
vovId,
vilI allenlive JacuIlies. WouId il Ie
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14 TIe TuIane Bvana Beviev
possiIIe, pevIaps,
lo suIslilule Jov
pil, IeIpJuI
coIIaIovalion? Is il
pos-
siIIe lIevevilI lo cveale a nev conlacl Ielveen lIe
slage
and lIe
spec-
lalov,
nigIl
lIis oJJev a nev Iasis Jov lIe avlislic lveal? I cannol descviIe
Ieve lIe nev
lecInoIog
oJ
pIavviling,
oJ lIealve conslvuclion and oJ
acling lecIniques, lIvougI
vIicI ouv
expevinenls
veve cavvied oul. TIe
pvincipIe
consisls in
inlvoducing
in
pIace
oJ
snpalIelic undevslanding
vIal ve viII caII AIienalion.
WIal is AIienalion?
To aIienale an evenl ov a cIavaclev is
sinpI
lo laIe vIal lo lIe evenl
ov cIavaclev is
oIvious, Inovn,
evidenl and
pvoduce suvpvise
and cuvios-
il
oul oJ il. Lel us considev
again
lIe vvalI oJ Leav ovev lIe lIanIIess-
ness oJ Iis
daugIlevs. TIvougI
lIe
lecInique
oJ
snpalIelic
undevsland-
ing
lIe aclov is aIIe lo
pvesenl
lIis vvalI in sucI a
va
lIal lIe
speclalov
sees il as lIe nosl naluvaI
lIing
in lIe
vovId,
so lIal Ie cannol
inagine
Iov Leav couId nol Iecone
vvalIJuI,
so lIal Ie is in
conpIele agvee-
nenl vilI
Leav,
snpalIizing
vilI Iin
conpIeleI, Iaving
IinseIJ JaIIen
inlo lIe sane vvalI.
TIvougI
lIe
lecInique
oJ
aIienalion,
on lIe olIev
Iand,
lIe aclov
pvesenls
lIe vvalI oJ Leav in sucI a
va
lIal lIe
speclalov
can
Ie
suvpvised
al
il,
so lIal Ie can conceive oJ sliII olIev veaclions
Jvon Leav as veII as lIal oJ vvalI. TIe allilude oJ Leav is
aIienaled,
lIal
is,
il
is
pvesenled
as
IeIonging speciJicaII
lo
Leav,
as
sonelIing sIocIing,
venavIaIIe,
as a sociaI
pIenonenon
vIicI is nol seIJ-evidenl. TIis eno-
lion oJ vvalI is
Iunan,
Iul il is nol
univevsaII appIicaIIe,
lIeve ave
Iunan
Ieings
vIo do nol
expevience
il.
TIe
expeviences
oJ Leav need
nol
pvoduce
in aII
peopIe
oJ aII lines lIe enolion oJ vvalI. WvalI
na
Ie an
elevnaII possiIIe
veaclion
oJ
lIe Iunan
Ieing,
Iul lIis Iind oJ
vvalI,
lIe Iind oJ vvalI vIicI naniJesls ilseIJ in lIis
va
and vIicI
Ias
sucI ovigins
as lIose oJ
Leav,
is an
epIenevaI lIing.
TIe
pvocess
oJ
aIienalion, lIen,
is lIe
pvocess
oJ
IisloviJing,
oJ
pvesenling
evenls and
pevsons
as
IislovicaI,
and lIeveJove as
epIenevaI
TIe
sane,
oJ
couvse,
na Iappen
vilI
conlenpovavies,
lIeiv alliludes
na
aIso Ie
pvesenled
as
epIenevaI,
IislovicaI,
and evanescenl.
WIal do ve acIieve
I
lIis? We
acIieve
lIe Jacl
lIal
lIe
speclalov
need no
Iongev
see lIe Iunan
Ieings pvesenled
on lIe
slage
as
Ieing
uncIangeaIIe, unadaplaIIe,
and
Ianded
ovev
IeIpIess
lo Jale. WIal Ie
sees is lIal lIis Iunan
Ieing
is lIus and so Iecause condilions ave lIus
and so. And
condilions
ave lIus and so Iecause Iunan
Ieings
ave lIus
and so. TIis Iunan
Ieing,
Iovevev,
is
capaIIe
oJ
Ieing pvesenled
nol
onI
in
lIis
va,
as Ie
is,
Iul in olIev
vas
aIso,
as Ie
nigIl
Ie:
condi-
lions, loo,
ave
capaIIe
oJ
Ieing pvesenled
in olIev
vas
lIan as
lIe
ave.
As a
vesuIl
oJ lIis lIe
speclalov
Ias a nev allilude in lIe lIealve. He Ias
lIe sane allilude lovavds lIe
inages
oJ lIe Iunan vovId
opposile
Iin
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BEBTOLT BBECHT
15
on lIe
slage
vIicI
Ie,
as a Iunan
Ieing,
Ias Iad lovavds naluve
duving
lIis
cenluv.
He is aIso veIconed inlo lIe lIealve as lIe
gveal
veJovnev,
one vIo is
capaIIe
oJ
coning
lo
gvips
vilI lIe naluvaI and sociaI
pvoc-
esses,
one vIo no
Iongev neveI accepls
lIe vovId
passiveI
Iul vIo
naslevs il. TIe lIealve no
Iongev
seeIs lo inloxicale
Iin,
suppI
Iin
vilI
iIIusions,
naIe Iin
Jovgel
lIe
vovId,
lo veconciIe Iin vilI Iis Jale.
TIe
lIealve nov
spveads
lIe vovId in Jvonl oJ Iin lo laIe IoId oJ and
use
Jov Iis ovn
good.
TIe
lecInique
oJ aIienalion vas
deveIoped
in
Oevnan lIvougI
a
nev
sevies oJ
expevinenls.
Al lIe TIealev an ScIiJJIauevdann in BevIin
ve
allenpled
lo
deveIop
a nev
slIe
oJ
pvoduclion.
TIe nosl
giJled
oJ lIe
oungev genevalion
oJ aclovs vovIed vilI us. TIeve veve HeIene
WeigeI,
Felev
Lovve,
OsIav
HonoIIa, NeIev,
and BuscI. Ouv
expevinenls
couId
nol Ie cavvied
lIvougI
so
nelIodicaII
as lIose oJ lIe
Joveign
scIooIs oJ
SlanisIavsIi,
MeevIoId,
and
VacIlangov
Iecause ve Iad no slale
sup-
povl,
Iul ouv
expevinenls
veve, lIeveJove,
puvsued
nove
videI
and nol
neveI
in lIe
pvoJessionaI
lIealve. Avlisls
pavlicipaled
in
expevinenls
oJ
scIooIs,
vovIevs'
cIovuses,
analeuv
gvoups,
el celeva. Fvon lIe
Ieginning
analeuv
gvoups
veve
deveIoped aIong
vilI lIe
pvoJessionaI.
TIe
expevi-
nenls Ied lo a vasl
sinpIiJicalion
oJ
appavalus, slIe
oJ
pvoduclion
and
suIjecl
nallev.
Il vas a
queslion lIvougIoul
oJ
conlinuing
lIe eavIiev
expevinenls,
and lIose oJ Fiscalov's lIealve in
pavlicuIav.
Even in Fiscalov's Iasl
expevi-
nenls lIe
consequenl deveIopnenl
oJ lIe lecInicaI
appavalus
Ied lo lIe
veaIizalion lIal lIe
nacIinev
vIicI lIen doninaled
evevlIing nigIl
aIso
pevnil
a IeauliJuI
sinpIicil
oJ
pvoduclion.
TIe so-caIIed
epic slIe
oJ
pvoduclion,
vIicI ve
deveIoped
al lIe TIealev an
ScIiJJIauevdann,
veveaIed ils avlislic
quaIilies veIaliveI quicII
and lIe
non-AvisloleIian
lecInique oJ
dvana sel aIoul
vovIing inpovlanlI
vilI
inpovlanl
so-
ciaI
suIjecls.
FossiIiIilies
appeaved
Jov
lvansJovning
lIe danceIiIe eIe-
nenls and lIe eIenenls oJ
gvoup conposilion
oJ
MeevIoId's
scIooI
Jvon
sonelIing
avliJiciaI inlo
sonelIing
avlislic,
and lIe naluvaIislic
eIenenls oJ SlanisIavsIi's inlo veaIislic eIenenls. TIe avl oJ
speecI
vas
joined
vilI lIe avl oJ
novenenl,
vIiIe
vovIada speecI
and lIe vecila-
lion oJ vevse veve
lIovougII
JasIioned Jvon lIe so-caIIed novenenl
pvincipIe.
TIealve conslvuclion vas
conpIeleI
vevoIulionized. Fiscalov's
pvincipIes, JveeI enpIoed, pevnilled
nol
onI
an
inslvuclive
lIealve
Iul a IeauliJuI one as veII.
SnIoIisn
and IIIusionisn
nigIl
Ie
Iiqui-
daled in IiIe
nannev,
and lIe
NeIev
pvincipIe
Jov lIe
deveIopnenl
oJ
scenic
design pevnilled
lIe scenic
designev, accovding
lo lIe needs de-
levnined in
veIeavsaI,
lo
gain
pvoJil
Jvon lIe
acling
oJ lIe
pevJovnevs
and lo inJIuence lIe
acling
in Iis ovn
va.
TIe
pIavvigIl
vas aIIe
lo
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16 TIe TuIane Bvana Beviev
pvopose
Iis
pIa
lo lIe aclovs and lIe scenic
designev
in
uninlevvupled
coIIaIovalion,
lo inJIuence as veII as Ie inJIuenced. Fainlevs and nusi-
cians al once
vegained
lIeiv
independence
and veve aIIe
lIvougI
lIeiv
ovn avliJiciaI neans lo naIe lIeiv
pvesence
JeIl on lIe
suIjecl
nallev
lIe coIIeclive avl
pvojecl appeaved
IeJove lIe
speclalov
as a sevies oJ dis-
socialed eIenenls.
Fvon lIe slavl lIe cIassicaI
vepevloive ovganized
ilseIJ on lIe Iasis oJ
nan
sucI
expevinenls.
TIe avliJiciaI neans oJ aIienalion
opened
a
Ivoad
palI
oJ
appvoacI
lo lIe vilaI
inpovlance
oJ lIe dvanalic vovIs
oJ olIev
ages. TIvougI
aIienalion il Iecane
possiIIe
lo
pvoduce
enlev-
lainingI
and
inslvucliveI
lIe vovlIvIiIe oId
pIas
vilIoul
disluvIing
eIenenls oJ ovev-acluaIizalion and nuseunIiIe lvealnenl.
LiIevalion Jvon lIe
conpuIsion
lo
pvaclice Ipnosis
is noled lo Ie
pavlicuIavI advanlageous
lo lIe
conlenpovav
analeuv lIealve
|vovIev,
sludenl,
and cIiId
aclovs).
Il is
Ieconing
conceiveaIIe lo dvav Iound-
avies Ielveen lIe
pevJovnances
oJ analeuv and
pvoJessionaI
aclovs
vilIoul lIe need lo
veIinquisI
one oJ lIe Iasic Junclions oJ lIe lIealve.
On lIe Iasis oJ lIe nev
Joundalion,
Jov
exanpIe,
sucI
divevgenl
acl-
ing lecIniques
as
pevIaps
lIose oJ lIe
VacIlangov
ov lIe
OcIIopIov
lvoops
and lIe WovIevs'
lvoop
couId Ie
joined.
TIe
Ielevogeneous
ex-
pevinenls
oJ IaIJ a
cenluv appeav
lo Iave Jound a Iasis Jov lIeiv uliIiza-
lion.
NevevlIeIess,
lIese
expevinenls
ave nol so
easiI
descviIed,
and I
Iave
sinpI
lo assevl Ieve lIal vIal ve inlend is lo naIe lIe veaI avlis-
lic lveal
possiIIe
on lIe Iasis oJ
aIienalion.
TIis is nol loo
levviII
suv-
pvising
since,
seen Jvon a
puveI
lecInicaI
poinl
oJ
viev,
even lIe lIe-
alves oJ
pasl ages pvoduced
vesuIls
lIvougI
lIe use oJ aIienalion
eJJecls,
lIe CIinese
lIealve,
Jov
exanpIe,
lIe cIassicaI
SpanisI
lIealve,
lIe
popu-
Iav lIealve oJ
BvudgIeI's
line and lIe EIizaIelIan lIealve.
Is lIis nev
slIe
oJ
pvoduclion
lIe nev
slIe,
is il a
lecInique
vIicI
is
conpIele
and vIicI can Ie
suvveed
as
sucI,
lIe deJinilive vesuIl oJ
aII lIe
expevinenls?
TIe
ansvev
is No. Il is one
va,
lIe
va
vIicI ve
Iave
gone. Expevinenls
nusl conlinue. TIe sane
pvoIIen
exisls Jov aII
avl,
and il is a
giganlic
one. TIe soIulion vIicI ve ave
slviving
lovavds
is
onI
one oJ lIe
pevIaps possiIIe
soIulions lo lIe
pvoIIen
vIicI is
lIis Hov can lIe lIealve Ie IolI
enlevlaining
and inslvucliive al lIe
sane line? Hov can il
Ie
dvavn
ava
Jvon lIis inleIIecluaI navcolics-
lvaJJic and Ie
cIanged
Jvon a
pIace
oJ iIIusion lo a
pIace
oJ
pvaclicaI
ex-
pevience?
Hov can lIe
sIacIIed,
ignovanl,
Jveedon- and
InovIedge-
seeIing
Iunan
Ieing
oJ ouv
cenluv,
lIe lovnenled and
Ievoic,
aIused
and
ingenious,
lIe
cIangeaIIe
and lIe
vovId-cIanging
Iunan
Ieing
oJ
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BEBTOLT BBECHT
17
lIis
JvigIlJuI
and
inpovlanl cenluv
acIieve Iis ovn lIealve vIicI viII
IeIp
Iin lo naslev nol
onI
IinseIJ Iul aIso lIe vovId?
TvansIaled
I
CABL BICHABB MUELLEB
NOTES
1TIe
inpovlanl
lIealves ave
naluvaII pvoninenl
Jov lIe sIave
lIe
Iad in
lIe
expevinenls aIong
lIis Iine. CIeIIov Iad Iis
SlanisIavsIi,
IIsen Iis
BvaIn,
el celeva.
Hovevev,
lIe inilialive
aIong
lIe Iine oJ
incveasing
lIe
povevs
oJ in-
slvuclion
pvoceeded
nexl nosl
signiJicanlI
Jvon lIe dvana ilseIJ.
2We
need nol Ieve enlev inlo a
painslaIing cvilique
oJ lIe lecInocvalic
poinl
oJ viev oJ lIe
IigII
educaled.
NovnaII
lIal vIicI is oJ use lo
sociel
viII
pvoceed conpIeleI
Jvon lIe
nasses,
and lIe Jev invenlive inleIIecls ave
vev IeIpIess
vIeve lIe
spIeve
oJ econonics is concevned. We ave salisJied Ieve
vilI lIe Jacl lIal Einslein conJivns lIe
ignovance concevning
co6pevalive
in-
levesls,
diveclI
and
indiveclI.
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All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions