Brecht explores the corruption of society

Brecht explores the corruption of society

Human society adores good societal ethics and views them as the pillar of good inter-human relationships and existence. However, societies may fail to adhere to societal values. It is at such a moment of failure that it becomes vital for artists to come up and portray the societal vices for their audience to make judgments. Brecht’s epic theatre describes the writing, which takes a dramatic form. Majorly, the play intends to stimulate its audience such that they assess and make a judgment on the things that occur in society. Among the things that the play portrays are the vices of society. According to the play, corruption is a societal vice fueled by the seemingly lawless system; it has rendered human brutal for survival all this as a result of the capitalist system.

Corruption in society

In Brecht’s Three Penny Opera, he explores corruption as a societal vice and means of survival. Corrupt deeds develop into a status quo where the leadership benefits from the suffering of the disadvantaged. In the play, Brecht has used several characters and painted them as corrupt individuals. The corruption essence built on these individuals sprouts out in both corporate and moral societal obligations. According to the play, the primary cause of the corrupt nature in this society is the availability of a capitalist society that is run by greedy people whose main aim is to satisfy their selfish wants. This kind of leadership tends to form a system from which the new breed of leaders borrows from. Under the formation of corrupt led society, there tends to be the breeding of new greedy and equally corrupt individuals to lead. This recurring existence of a corrupt society facilitates the normalization of corruption acts, such as they tend to be one of the societal norms. In other words, as Brecht insinuates, corruption normalization in this society creates a status quo in which every generation of leaders does not seem to defy but rather adhere to it. A great deal of corrupt a greedy society showcases in the creation of begging as a form of survival (Brecht 39).

The act of begging goes to the extent of creating a begging place that requires licensing and outfits that are out for sale. Peachum profits from the licenses he sells to allow beggars in the establishment. Peachum even goes to the extent of formulating false stumps that seeks to elicit pity from the wealthier individuals. His portray of emotion and empathy to the beggars is nothing but a means of benefitting from them financially. Here he represents a selfish deed that seems to encourage the act of begging as a means of survival (Brecht 42). In a nutshell, the leadership fails to provide a just society that encourages economic activities but rather the creation of begging as a means of survival. The leaders such as Peachum, in turn, benefit financially from the sufferings of the disadvantaged in the society. These acts portray many corruption acts in the society.

Brutality against humanity

Brecht showcases corruption as a crime that results from society’s seemingly lawlessness form and leads to brutality against humanity. According to the portrayal that Brecht gives about his society, the corruption deeds that has escalated has led to a seemingly lawless society (Brecht 38). This form of lawlessness has been encouraged by the corrupt leadership and has consequently led to the development of criminal gangs. The gangs, in this case, have targeted the working class in the society; they attack and deprive them of their properties with the aim of gaining profit- a form of brutality against humanity. For instance, Brecht describes a gang in which he was a member. The group used to kill, steal as well as commit arson, all to enrich themselves. According to Brecht, it is the corrupt nature of the society that somehow led to its members turning to corrupt deeds to survive (57). By making corruption a norm, the gangs do not find a reason to worry about the law that protects people from vulnerable groups. The groups establish themselves by creating fear in the masses and successfully bargaining with the law enforcers. Here Brecht and his group seem to commit corruption within an already corrupt society and use the corrupt system leadership to advocate for and further their corrupt deeds.

The relationship between capitalism and societal vices

Brecht’s corrupt society thrives in a capitalist economic system where individuals are keen to survive, and others have the urge to get wealthy. In a way, the capitalist nature of Brecht’s society seems to fuel the corrupt deeds of the individuals, both in leadership and in the public domain. The capitalist system renders every individual to have the strife for gaining wealth and others for survival. For instance, the fact that Brecht and his gang join hands against the working class showcases that they target the individuals who have a constant supply of funds in the form of salaries to enrich themselves (Brecht 49). On the other hand, the poor have turned to beg as a source of survival. In a nutshell, the corrupt nature of society has made human endeavors futile, rendering them unsuccessful and therefore turns to corrupt deeds to survive and gain wealth.

Conclusively, corruption is a major vice that characterizes Brecht’s society. The corrupt nature of this society is much fueled by the seemingly lawless system which has everybody struggling for survival and gaining of wealth. In this case, capitalism seems to blame as the people’s struggle for riches and survival in a seemingly lawless society has led to corrupt deeds. This society is based on individualism rather than the collective benefit of the people. It would be recommended for the people to embrace communism and have a government free of corruption-one that works for the mutual progress.