Extent Did The Weimar Republic Government Influence The Creation Of Epic Theatre?

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To what extent did the Weimar Republic government influence the creation of epic theatre?
Section A
The purpose of this investigation is to examine the factors within Weimar Germany that allowed for Bertolt Brecht’s epic theatre to form. To understand what factors influenced this form of theatre, the content of plays written and produced during this time period in this style will be discussed. These forms of theatre will then be discussed in relation to events surrounding the rule of the Weimar Republic in Germany.
Section B
After the fall of Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1918, and before the rise of Adolf Hitler as Chancellor in 1933, Germany experienced a great freedom in arts (Cummings). Artists came forward with presentations representing the turmoil and strife caused by the uncertain Weimar Republic that held power in between these two oppressive regimes.
The Weimar Republic was formed after the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1918 (“Weimar Republic”). This government followed an intense period of German nationalism during World War One, as the Germans sought to establish themselves as a major power. The Weimar government was unpopular from the start, being associated with the loss of the First World War, and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. The ruling of the Republic was unstable at best, with fifteen different governments …show more content…

The popularity of his “Threepenny Opera” shows that audiences also felt this unrest, and felt it important to face these truths and seek real solutions to them (Liu). Felix Gilbert discusses how other young people of his time were enraged and disillusioned with the government, and so wanted an escape from the system. Brecht did not offer this escape; he offered a stark, real look at the issues in this system, and encouraged discussion about ways to change this system. Youth rallied around the ideas Brecht presented, as they varied from those that had failed the youth as they grew

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