The Glass Menagerie: Scene 5-6 and Mother Courage Comparison

Scene 5 and 6 of The Glass Menagerie shows the introduction of the gentleman into the play, who is coming for dinner with the Wingfield family. These scenes equate with Mother Courage in the way in which the Mother figure in both plays continue to not learn from their previous mistakes.

Firstly, in Mother Courage the audience sees the death of all Mother Courage's three children, and after each death she fails to register the significance of the situation and the consequences of actions. This shows Mother Courages naive nature she struggles to come to terms with reality. Also in Mother Courage the feature of the rotating stage illustrates the non-progress of Mother Courage, as she continues to move forward with her cart on her journey, yet she is not going anywhere.

The Glass Menagerie shows Amanda Wingfield trying to relive her past through her children, as she attempts to find her daughter a suitable gentleman caller, that she wished she had for herself. Earlier in the play Amanda realizes that her daughter is not attending typing school, but she fails to register the unhappiness and discontent that her daughter has with being forced into public situations. Now in scenes 5 and 6 the audience sees Amanda making the same mistake, enforcing a gentleman caller onto her daughter that she does not want. This is also seen through her son Tom as she tries to control him, making him work at a warehouse when he dreams of adventure and greater experiences. Amanda's oblivious nature means that see cannot understand that Tom has greater dreams than the confines of their apartment.

The main reason that Amanda has this oblivious nature is due to her need for financial comfort, and hopes for a brighter future. When Tom first talks about the gentleman caller she insists she knows what he is studying, and is delighted when she concludes that "he has visions of being advanced in the world". This importance of reputation and recognition to Amanda block her vision of her children's needs and wants. Through the gentleman caller Amanda can relive her past and hope for a brighter future for herself.

The Glass Menagerie and Mother Courage Comparison

In both the Glass Menagerie and Mother Courage there are several parallels between the texts which aid the analysis and interpretation of the characterization of the main characters in the two plays. Scene one in the Glass Menagerie is set in the lower middle class America in the 1930's, while Mother Courage is also set in a lower middle class society with both protagonists Mother Courage and Amanda Wingfield wanting the best for their children and trying to have as much material wealth as possible. Mother Courage does this by living off the war, and Amanda Wingfield does this by living off her son Tom, who works to support her family.

Both family groups are incomplete, the family in Mother Courage is led by Mother Courage, with her three children who each have a different father, who is not present throughout the text. While in the Glass Menagerie we see Amanda Wingfield and her two children. Her husband is a distant figure in the play, but his portrait continues to loom over the family throughout the play.

Both the mothers in the plays and the children in the plays are trapped inside the lower middle class world that they live in. Mother Courage aims to live off the war so she can make a profit and come out wealthy, while she drags her children along with her. While in the Glass Menagerie Amanda Wingfield takes control of her children, while she is still trapped in the lower middle class.

Both mothers feel the importance of money and material wealth. Amanda Wingfield likes to make herself feel wealthy by wearing clothes from her past, when she was in a wealthier class. Amanda makes her son work doing something he doesn't enjoy due to her want for material wealth.

Both Female protagonists are depicted by Brecht and Williams in a manner that ties them to their houses, which prevent them from escaping from their lives which they aren't content with.

Mother Courage: Scene 11. Thoughts...

In scene eleven of Mother Courage we see a peasant family who is trying to look out for their family in the town below, which is about to be attacked by the Catholic Regiment. At this point of the scene Kattrin climbs up onto the peasants roof and begins beating her drum. This drum is a symbol for Kattrin's voice, as she uses it to try and save the other people in the town below. Being disabled, Kattrin is observed as the physically weaker character as she is described as 'poor creature' which dehumanizes her.
However, we see throughout the scene that in fact, Kattrin is the strongest character in the play as her compassion for others is more important than her own life. This is seen as the peasant family try to stop Kattrin from playing the drum to save themselves, and they threaten to kill her. This risk of death illustrates that idea that surrounds the scene, the threat of death. In this moment "Kattrin starts to cry, but she goes on drumming". This shows that although Kattrin knows she is risking her life, she is prepared to die as she knows that her one life is less valuable than a entire town. This compassion and care shows that audience that even though Kattrin does not speak, she has the loudest and most influential voice, which is the irony of the play.

Throughout the scene the peasant man and his wife are seen onlooking at the town below where their family are, but they have no desire to go and save them and believe that their fate has been made. This shows the destruction of war, as people think of self, and not of others. They are willing to kill one person, or observe a towns killing in order to save themselves.
On page 82 the peasant wife says a long speech to Kattrin, ordering her to pray for the town to be saved. In the speech she says a parody of the Lord's prayer, "Our Father, which art in Heaven, hear Thou our prayer, let not the town be destroyed" This parody signifies what is real in the world has been distorted. People thinking only of oneself, rather than for others.

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".