Brecht vs. Naturalism

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how the theater of Brecht and Naturalist theater are very different approaches to performance. It looks at how Brecht's theater was centered on a political agenda and designed to convey messages on that agenda whereas Naturalism is about the art itself and bringing realism to acting, not much to do with politics at all. It studies the working conventions of both Naturalism and Brecht's Epic theater and considers whether Naturalism can fulfill some of the functions of Brecht's theater.

From the Paper:

"However, in a far more subtle way, Naturalism can also make points which promote comment on the social and political status of the time, and cause reaction within an audience fueled by these. For example, a great part of "A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen is a comment on the social status of the protagonist, Nora Helmer. In a contemporary society, her situation would be considered completely normal, in that she is portrayed as a housewife and mother with little or no rights independently of her husband, and before her marriage, her father. As a woman, she was a second class citizen; whilst having just as much intelligence and common sense as her male counterparts this is smothered and repressed so that she fits the mold of the "good little wife"."

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