Master Thesis Defense: Saadet Bilge Coşkun
A gender-oriented approach toward Brecht's theory and ideology:
Functions, Performativity, and Affect in Mother Courage and The Good
Person of Szechwan
Saadet Bilge Coşkun
Conflict Analyses and Resolution, M.Sc. Thesis, 2015
Thesis Jury
Hülya Adak (Thesis Supervisor), Ayşe Gül Altınay, Başak Demirhan, Sibel Irzık (Substitute Jury)
Date &Time: August,2nd , 2015 – 11:00
Place: Karaköy Minerva Han
Abstract
In this thesis I will conduct a gender critique of Brecht’s theory and plays
taking into consideration of his epic techniques and his affiliation with Marxist
class politics. I will conduct such analysis through reading his theoretical works
and two plays by him: Mother Courage and Her Children and, The Good Person of
Szechwan. I will try to examine Brecht’s approach to women characters,
motherhood, prostitution, and cross-dressing within the framework of these two
plays. During the analysis of his narrative I will focus on the impact of his theory
based on his innovative epic techniques as well as his political affiliation with
Marxist ideology. I will argue that his theory’s tendency, together with the
impact of his political orientation, of materializing and functionalizing the issues
as well as the characters in most cases ends up with stereotyping and
dehumanizing of the women. I will also problematize that the lack of emotional
intensities or “affect” and manipulation of “gender performativities” in his plays
at some point leads to reproducing the gender stereotypes for the sake of
rationalization and alienation. Although Brecht does not calculate these
consequences on purpose since his political agenda is mostly focused on class
politics, elaborating on gender issues and discovering his stance on the matter
has some significance. Discovering the unique way that Brecht represents some
of his female characters within a Marxist framework and his ways of
empowering/disempowering these characters might open some space for
discussing the female’s representation in Marxist pieces of art and contributes a
lot to feminist manipulation of epic techniques.