IndexMarxist IdeasMarxism in the Caucasian Chalk CircleConclusionBertolt Brecht is considered one of the most important figures of the twentieth century. He was born in Bavaria in 1898. Through his "epic theatre" he brought a great transformation to the traditional literary and theatrical form. He attempted to bring about a revolutionary change in society and the introduction of epic theater and other revolutionary transformations were actually an effort to bring about the advent of the Marxist revolution. He hated Hitler and his dramaturgy centered on Marxism. As a result, his works were banned in Germany in the 1930s. He writes with the idea that war is not good for anyone. He never believed in joining any political party to contribute as a Marxist. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Brecht's life is classified into three distinct phases marked by his forced exile from Germany during Hitler's reign. He was in Germany from 1898 to 1933, was in exile from 1933 to 1947 and then returned to Europe in 1947, mainly to Switzerland and then to Berlin. From the beginning of his literary career, he became an enemy of the established bourgeois society. Marxism was a significant and complex part of Brecht's life as well as his works. He found his inclination towards Marxism when he returned from Germany after World War II. He wrote: "it was only when I read Lenin's State and Revolution and Marx's Capital that I understood, philosophically, where I was." He was deeply influenced by many Marxist followers, especially Karl Korsch, in whose discussion groups and lectures Brecht always attended. He had spent about fifteen years in exile, fearful of the Nazis and their tactics to eradicate Marxism. Marxist Ideas Marxism is a type of economic system given by Karl Marx that examines the effect of capitalism on work, productivity and economic development, where there is no class existence. To ensure equality, the government can control various resources and their means of production. It works like the opposite of capitalism. In communism, every action is collectively owned and everyone works for and benefits from the good of the group. Marx believed that capitalism leads to an unfair imbalance between capitalists and the workers whose labor they exploit for their own profit. As a result, this exploitation results in workers viewing their employment as nothing more than a means of survival. “As a playwright/philosopher of historical consciousness, Brecht somehow always falls between the cracks of theater and philosophy, of Marx and the Frankfurt School…”. Brecht's early works such as Baal, Drums in the Night, The Wedding and The Threepenny Opera was an exposition of bourgeois society. Marxism helped Brecht develop clear ideas and sensibilities to criticize bourgeois society. His works clearly showed his discontent with bourgeois society and his need to change it. Mainly he showed his revolt through choice and experimentation with theatre. It made use of songs, dances, lights, instruments etc. radically. Brecht had remained invincible in his way of representing realistic society. His plays served as factual data for the audience. His attempt to bring a new kind of thinking, through his "epic theatre", provided a space for the audience to come to conclusions. Marxism in the Caucasian Chalk CircleBrecht's take on property, injustice and class are all presented through his famous play The Caucasian Chalk Circle, played for the first timein 1944, features a variety of characters ranging from materialistic nobles and courtiers to humble servants. It tells the story of a struggle for the possession of a child between the mother of noble lineage, who abandons him, and the servant who abandons him and takes care of him. This play finds its source in a Chinese opera and challenges the concept of blood ties. This play was written when he was in exile. This postmodern comedy is a blend of historical events and Chinese oral culture. He wanted theater to be a brilliant blend of intellectual and entertainment. It should force you to think and analyze what will lead to social change. He attempted to do this through his art of storytelling where the smooth flow of playback breaks down through songs, etc. Its endings are the most notable, the abrupt and strange endings help convey the underlying message. He also believed that the episodic nature also broke the flow of the game. He used dialectical materialism in his works. Dialectical materialism is a philosophical approach to reality based on the teachings of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. For both, materialism meant that the material world has an objective reality devoid of mind and spirit. They understood materialism as opposed to idealism. Marxism rejects the idea that any supernatural force shapes and provides structure to human lives. History thus becomes a struggle between classes for the means of production and distribution of goods. Marx condemned capitalism because it exploited workers and wanted to create a just society. This exploitation is presented in the work through the characters of Grusha and the other farmers and workers. The elite class i.e. the governor and his wife do not contribute anything to the society. The scene where the Governor's wife cares about her son, Michael only for the inheritance and not considering any emotional relationship, shows the love and inclination of the upper class towards materialistic things like her expensive clothes which show the their self-centered nature. She became so oblivious to her son that she left him alone thinking of herself first. The ruling class appears selfish and concerned only with material pleasures. This is also seen through Kazbeki's conspiracy to execute his brother who only desires power and blood relatives blindfold the sight of a clear vision. While Grusha, despite having no connection with the boy, tried to take care of him until the end, at the cost of losing relationships and character in society. He did everything to protect him from the two-year period of mercenary warfare until things returned to normal. Brecht's characterization is based on his theory that all upper class people are evil and lower class people are good. Grusha's goodness is demonstrated through his class. In Brechtian works there are no individual conflicts, there are conflicts on a social level. When he talks about characters and desires he only shows the incompatibility between the individual's desires and socio-economic conditions. The characters in this play do not have free will, but the external situation, that is, the socioeconomic conditions decide their behavior and their destiny. The play within a play serves as a backdrop to present the aftermath of World War II, in which farmers argued about the best use of their land. This comedy attacked the cornerstone of Nazi ideologies. He stressed that for a better world the rules must change. The character of Grusha symbolizes the working class who have to pay continuously without receiving anything in return since in the play the child didn't even belong to her. She is the true figure of the proletariat who does not earn.