Essay: Mother Courage: Aspirations

Mother Courage: Chapter 3: Aspirations...


At the beginning of the play Mother Courage is seen as a wise woman who wants to protect her children, but also have financial wealth. Mother Courage is seen as this supporting character through the motif of the wagon which carries all her families belongings. In scene three a change is seen in the characterization as Mother Courage denies knowing her son Swiss Cheese to save herself. This shows that Mother Courage is not able to achieve all her aspirations in life. Although she makes the decision to deny knowing her son, Mother Courage comes across to the audience as feeling guilty as "Mother Courage shakes her head". This speechlessness compares Mother Courage to Kattrin, who is helpless in saving her brothers, due to not speaking. This action explains that Mother Courage has to give up her motherly duties to help herself.

The only daughter of Mother Courage, Kattrin also changes throughout the first three scenes of the play. Firstly when Kattrin is mentioned on-stage she is spoken as Mother Courages "dumb daughter" who does not speak. This implies to the audience that she is not able to stand up for herself or express herself. In chapter three Kattrin meets Yvette the prostitute in one of the war camps. Kattrin is seen as trying on Yvettes "Red high-heeled boots" which imply that she wants to have an identity. Also, Kattrin is trying to express her sexuality and become something other than Mother Courages "dumb daughter".