The Jewish Wife and Other Short Plays: The Jewish Wife / In Search of Justice / The Informer / The Elephant Calf / The Measures Taken / The Exception and the Rule / Salzburg Dance of Death
by Bertolt Brecht
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Description
These six plays represent the best and most humorous of Brecht's shorter works. The Jewish Wife is from the Fear and Misery in the Third Reich cycle of one-act plays, which, along with In Search of Justice and The Informer, chromicles the hardships of life in Nazi Germany. The Exception and the Rule, one of Brecht's most popular short works, grimly depicts the consequences of the mutually dependent -- yet inevitable inequitable -- relationship between the priviledged and the poor; it is show more included here with The Measures Taken and The Elephant Calf. Though all of these ales of horror, ad Eric Bentley calls them, have tragic undertones, they are also infused with farcical absurdities and cosmic irony so characteristic of Brecht's work. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
While this book may contain the shortest of Brecht (not known for his brevity), it definitely does not include the best of Brecht. The pieces are all interesting and compelling in their way, but more as political polemic than story, since most of these contain only the barest bones of a story. It brings back forcefully the blackness of a time when the world was in a great turmoil, and a great evil was creeping over the earth. The problem is, the plays focus heavily on Communist propaganda, and come across more as pedantic preaching than theatre. This isn't unusual in Brecht, but there are places where he manages to pull it off much better than here. Definitely read it; the look inside the mind of the time is worthwhile. Just don't show more expect it to live up to theatrical expectations. show less
The first three plays (The Jewish Wife, In Search of Justice, The Informer) - 4 stars
The last three plays (Measures Taken, Exception and the Rule, Salzburg Dance of Death) - 3 stars
Undecided about Elephant Calf.
The last three plays (Measures Taken, Exception and the Rule, Salzburg Dance of Death) - 3 stars
Undecided about Elephant Calf.
#589 in our old book database. Not rated.
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Author Information
Bertolt Brecht was born on February 10, 1898 in Augsburg, Bavaria, and died on August 14, 1956. He was a German playwright, theatre director and Marxist. The modest house where he was born is today preserved as a Brecht Museum. Brecht formed a writing collective which became prolific and very influential. He wrote many lyrics for musicals and show more collaborated with Kurt Weill to create Die Dregroschenoper -- the biggest hit in 1920s Berlin. Brecht experimented with his own theater and company -- the Berliner Ensemble -- which put on his plays under his direction and which continued after his death with the assistance of his wife. Brecht aspired to create political theater, and it is difficult to evaluate his work in purely aesthetic terms. Brecht died in 1956. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Some Editions
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Jewish Wife and Other Short Plays: The Jewish Wife / In Search of Justice / The Informer / The Elephant Calf / The Measures Taken / The Exception and the Rule / Salzburg Dance of Death
- Alternate titles
- The Jewish Wife, and Other Short Plays
- Original publication date
- 1965
- People/Characters
- Judith Keith
- Important places
- Germany
- First words
- The short plays in this book have been chosen, not as treatments of a common theme or examples of a common method – they exhibit neither – , but for convenience in reading and in producing. [Foreword by Eric Bentley]
It is evening. A woman is packing. [The Jewish Wife] - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)And where you have recognized an abuse
Provide a remedy!
[The Exception and the Rule]
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Thus from this point of view Strong Measures is in the long run a revolutionary gesture, and one which the proletariat must defend against its bourgeois detractors. [Appendix: What Was He Killed For?] - Original language
- German
- Disambiguation notice
- Contents: Foreword -- The Jewish Wife -- In Search of Justice -- The Informer -- The Elephant Calf -- The Measures Taken -- The Exception and the Rule -- Appendix: Salzburg Dance of Death -- Appendix: What Was He Killed For? ... (show all)-- Bibliographical Notes
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 214
- Popularity
- 153,011
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.15)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 2
- ASINs
- 7
