How Did Bertolt Brecht Influence Greek Theatre

Rough Draft: Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht was born in 1898 in the town of Augsburg in Germany. He is considered one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. Through many of his works and theories, Brecht managed to influence dramaturgy and theatrical production that to this date continue to be portrayed within the theater and on stage. Brecht was influenced by political ideas associated with Marxism. These ideas soon inspired him to use his talents within the theater to alert the audience to the need for social change. For Brecht, it was significant that one did not attend the theater in a passive manner, but rather: "[O]ne must go to the theater as if attending a sports festival. Here, however, it is not about wrestling moves
Brecht was influenced by this political philosophy, he pursued equality in the world and the people that surrounded him. This principle remained stable through the rest of his life. In fact, Marxists influence is present in each of his plays and productions. Through his plays, Brecht intended to alert the audience to the need for social change. He incorporated the concept of Epic Theater to provoke self- reflection and a critical view of the action on stage. Brecht employed the use of techniques to remind the spectator that the play is a representation of reality and not reality itself. One of Brecht’s key aesthetic notions was the concept of Gestus. Gestus is a clear character gesture or movement that is used by the actor that captures a moment or attitude rather than delving into emotion. Brecht “insisted on regarding poetic and theatrical language as "gestic" and even on requiring gestic music. It was the "gestic material" that the actor must interpret in order to convey the plot. He considered the narrative line to be the main business of any theatrical event” (Fiebach). Brecht wanted for the audience to tell what was happening in the scene based solely on the actor’s gesture and it was up to the audience to interpret that