Introduction to Mother

Courage and Her Children

Lecture 2: Synopsis
 Plot and characters
• Mother Courage is the main character in
the play who is the breadwinner of her
family by trading with her canteen wagon.
Her main craft is to sell merchandise,
exploiting the miserable conditions of a
villagers and town dwellers under
bombardment.
• Courage works patiently and ambitiously
irrespective of the ruin caused by the war.
 Plot and characters
• Mother Courage’s real name is Anna
Fierling, but she has gained her name by
her courageous behavior during battleground.
• She has three children– Eilif, Swiss
Cheese and Kattrin.
• Eilif is Mother Courage’s eldest son and
the most approved. He behaves in an
immoral way which will cause his abrupt
death.
 Plot and characters
• Swiss Cheese is an inexpert but
straightforward and honest. When he is
trusted with the savings for the Finnish
division, he tries to save the cashbox for
the army. Yet he is brutally executed for
the troubles caused by his honesty.
• Kattrin is Mother Courage’s mute daughter
who is also killed when trying to warn
villagers of impending attack.
 Plot and Characters
• The play is set in Europe during the thirty-
years war from 1618 to 1648.
• Mother Courage follows the Protestant army,
trying to make much profit from the war.
• The play is divided into twelve scenes.
• Mother Courage departed Germany to gain
wealth out of war. Her son Eilif is recruited
by the Swedish Sergeant who has difficulty
in enlisting youth.
 Plot and Characters
• Eilif is praised by the general officer for
his skills at murdering some peasants and
stealing their cattle.
• We usually find Mother Courage disputing
and bargaining over prices despite the
danger to which her children are exposed.
• Three years later Swiss Cheese has taken
a job as the troop paymaster, but there is
a sudden Catholic attack.
 Plot and Characters
• Three days later Swiss Cheese tries to
return the paybox to the General, but
Catholic army manages to capture him.
• Mother Courage mortgages her cart and
tries to save her son, but she bargains for
too long and Swiss Cheese is therefore
shot. When she is encountered with his
corpse, she does not recognize him.
 Plot and Characters
• The next scene Mother Courage complains
at the loss of souls at warfare.
• Two years later Mother Courage still
serves in the army while most of her
shirts are taken for bandages, and Kattrin
rescues a baby from a house collapse.
• In Scene six, Mother Courage is informed
that the war will continue and she decides
to invest in more goods.
 Plot and Characters
• However, Mother Courage begins to curse
war and its atrocities when she finds
Kattrin retuning from the town severely
disfigured when she tries to collect some
stock for her mother.
• In scene seven Mother Courage gives a
song praising war for providing
opportunities for work and profit.
 Plot and Characters
• News comes that peace has been declared.
Mother Courage is depressed, deciding on
leaving for a town. Her older son Eilif is
executed for his criminal attacks.
• Mother Courage returns with the news that
war is back again. She resumes her work
with the Cook.
• The Cook inherits an inn, and invites
Mother Courage to run it with him but he
refuses to take Kattrin; therefore mother
Courage disapproves his offer.
 Plot and Characters
• The Catholic decides to besiege the
Protestant town where Mother Courage and
Kattrin go for commerce.
• Alarmed that the town will be attacked
by the Catholic, Kattrin ascends to the
rooftop and uses a drum for awakening the
townspeople. The soldiers shoot her dead.
 Plot and Characters
• The next morning Mother Courage sings a
sorrowful song for the death of her
daughter.
• She pays the peasant to bury her.
• She drags her wagon easily for more
commerce.
• The Wagon is now lighter since there is
so little left in it to sell.
 The End of the slides
• Let’s move to the discussion