Mother Courage and Her Children

Mother Courage’s oldest son, Eilif, enlists in the war despite Mother Courage’s protestations. The son of a soldier, Eilif takes pride in this legacy. He is, however, arrogant and self-centered, more interested in obtaining accolades for his personal successes than motivated by religion. He prides himself on being brave and a skilled soldier, often bragging about his accomplishments. The narrative, however, gives no evidence of Eilif being skilled or virtuous in battle. Instead, his primary actions are pillaging from the poor. Eilif is unapologetic for this, insisting that his fellow soldiers are needier than the civilian peasants. He views himself as their hero for the way he slaughters innocent bystanders so that he can gift meat and other spoils to his peers. Moreover, the Commander applauds these immoral actions. Eilif’s actions parallel those of his mother, who is accused of profiting from the horrors of war. Mother Courage loves Eilif and does not want any harm to come to him, but once he enlists, she can no longer protect him and Eilif ultimately dies, just as Mother Courage predicted.

As she introduces him in the opening scene, Mother Courage explains that her younger son’s father was Swiss, but that she gave him the surname of the Hungarian man she was with when he was young. Swiss Cheese is foolish but principled, and despite his lack of intelligence, he obtains a job in the war as a paymaster, collecting payments and turning them over to the regiment. It is because he is honest and loyal—never considering stealing the money for himself—that Swiss Cheese receives and keeps the job. His foolishness, however, wins out when he first hides the money in Mother Courage’s wagon (where it could easily be found and stolen) and then again when he easily admits where the money is hidden. His honesty and virtuous nature contrast with that of Eilif, who is unapologetic for plundering during peacetime. In the end, Swiss Cheese’s inability to go against his morals costs him his life, suggesting such virtues are liabilities during times of war.

Mother Courage’s denial of knowing Swiss Cheese is reminiscent of the way the Christian disciple Peter denies knowing Jesus Christ upon the eve of his crucifixion. In this way, Swiss Cheese becomes a kind of martyr for integrity.

Mother Courage’s only daughter Kattrin doesn’t speak, a response to the trauma she has endured during the war. She works with Mother Courage, running the canteen and taking orders without complaint. Mother Courage appears to be the only character who can communicate with Kattrin, interpreting her gestures and manner. While her brothers are forced to be soldiers and thus become victims of the war, Kattrin is at risk in another way: As a young woman, she is constantly in danger of being assaulted and raped by soldiers. Mother Courage is keenly aware of this and seeks to protect her—she is also highly focused on ensuring that Kattrin marries when the war ends, though she indicates that this will be a difficult feat. Not only is Kattrin nonspeaking, but Mother Courage indicates that she is unattractive—a quality that only increases late in the play when Kattrin is injured. In her silence, Kattrin is sexualized and regarded as valuable only for the pleasure she can provide men. Her mimicking of Yvette, the local sex worker, underscores this and enrages Mother Courage, who wants Kattrin to remain moral and pure.

In the end, Kattrin sacrifices herself for others in a way that parallels the sacrifice a dying soldier makes for his country. By sounding the drum, Kattrin “speaks” in a way that she is unable to otherwise. Though the farmer and his wife fear that her drumming will reveal them to the enemy, Kattrin who pays the price by being shot. Her drumming is both an alert to the townspeople that the enemy is afoot and a means of voicing her frustration with the war and her circumstances.