Virtue=death

This play is startling to me because virtue becomes the downfall for players of war. Indeed, such idea permeates throughout the play, affecting the choices of several characters (e.g. Courage and Kattrin refusing to recognize Swiss Cheese’s corpse). Additionally, each of Courage’s children represents a virtue that plays a part in their deaths, virtues described (and foretold) by Courage. For example, bravery is attributed to Eilif who rushes off to war as a soldier for the Protestants; honesty is given to Swiss Cheese who is later captured by Catholics when attempting to return the pay box to the General. Finally, Kattrin exhibits kindness, banging the drums to warn the town, which leads to her death by gunfire. Another interesting observation is that each death relates back to Courage’s business—her children die because of her dealings, because of war. Overall, I actually enjoyed the play and its message against war. In addition, reading background information on when it was made, I found the idea springing from the rise of Nazism truly interesting, and that the play was set during the thirty years’ war. The character Courage is also another wonderful part of the story. She is one of the more complex characters that we have seen and I can’t wait to see the representation of her in production. Kattrin also is a favorite of mine and her final act, while resulting in her death, seems the most noble out of all the characters. Truly, I enjoyed this play, and I can see why some people consider it the greatest play of the 20th century.