Alienation Effect (Verfremdungseffekt): Brecht sought to create a critical distance between the audience and the performance to prevent them from becoming emotionally involved and to encourage a more analytical and reflective response. In Mother Courage, this is achieved through techniques such as direct address to the audience, interrupting action with songs, and the use of placards or projections that provide historical and social context.
Nonlinear Narrative: Epic theater often presents a fragmented or nonlinear narrative, breaking away from a linear plot structure. Mother Courage follows this pattern, jumping through time and space as it unfolds over a span of several years, depicting significant moments from the Thirty Years' War.
Episodic Structure: The play consists of a series of self-contained episodes that focus on different aspects of Mother Courage's journey and the broader historical events. These episodes allow for a more comprehensive examination of the characters and themes while maintaining a sense of fragmentation.
Brechtian Songs: Music is an integral part of epic theater, and Brecht incorporated songs that served various functions. In Mother Courage, songs are used to comment on the action, provide social commentary, and distance the audience from the events unfolding onstage.
Historical Contextualization: Epic theater aims to provide a historical and political understanding of society, and Mother Courage situates its narrative within the Thirty Years' War. The play explores the impact of war on ordinary individuals, particularly the hardships and moral compromises faced by Mother Courage and her family.
Brecht's epic theater style in Mother Courage encourages critical engagement with the play's themes and social commentary, prompting the audience to critically analyze the events and characters rather than simply becoming emotionally invested in the narrative.