Verified Document

Brechts Impact On The Work Of Boal Term Paper

Brecht’s Influence on Boal: An Examination Attempting to trace the influence on a particular artist can always pose a host of problems, given the fact that in the lifetime of an artist, they have been impacted by a host of artistic influences. However, the work of Boal has a very evident debt to Bertolt Brecht, most notably in Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed (Babbage, 6). This work make constant reference to Brecht’s thoughts on Epic Theatre, and orbits around many of Brecht’s motifs on politics and anti-illusionism, along with a critical production aesthetic (Babbage, 6). This paper will examine how the work of Augusto Boal via his Theatre of the Oppressed, was undeniably influenced by the work of Bertolt Brecht.

One aspect of Brecht’s profound influence on the work of Boal, and arguably on so many artists of the era, was that he encouraged a new means of thinking about theatre and about the world at large. “Brecht was revolutionary in that he drew the audience into his works and encouraged them to think in a whole new way -- about theater but also about the society they were living in” (Bowen). This goal meant that Brecht’s entire approach to theatre was innovative, in order to match his subversive goals. This was not a playwright who believed in art for art’s sake, rather he believed that there was change that needed to occur in the world, and art was a way for this change to occur. “Brecht wanted his audiences' critical stance toward the theater to translate into a critical stance toward society itself” (Bowen). Thus, with the work of Brecht, there are two levels of enjoyment: one can enjoy it on purely the aesthetic level, and one can enjoy it as a signal for change as it needs to happen, in places such as third world countries. This influence is readily seen...

Boal’s plays would often revolve around a pervasive social issue, except that he would portray it in such a manner that the audience would understand the underlying message that he was getting out. He would demonstrate the relationship between the oppressor and the oppressed in a manner that would resonate with the audience.
Brecht appeared to value the more practical aspect of theatre and the work of transferring a message to the audience. His primary objective was to “unwrap the packing” so that the audience would not be so swept away by the performance but rather by struck by the essence of the play in its entirety. Brecht’s influence on Boal is demonstrated via Boal’s mirrored belief that the goal of theatre would be to provide a message, but to even go further and assist people in understanding the answer to their oppression. Boal in certain respects goes one step further than Brecht, in that he provides a forum so that the audience can express what they feel and gives them a medium to communicate those feelings.

Brecht’s Spartan approach to theatre was one of his trademark approaches. In some of the plays of Brecht, he would not even have a backdrop on the stage and would not even permit the lights in the theatre to be turned off. In this manner the spectator felt more removed from the process of theatre, and felt more as though he was bearing witness to an overall message. This unraveling of the norms of the theatre no doubt influenced Boal. After a performance of one of his plays, he would ask the audience to complete it or suggest different endings to it. This is a clear deconstruction of the typical and established norms of theatre, something that was no doubt inspired by Brecht’s heavy legacy of constantly subverting the rules and expectations of…

Sources used in this document:

Works Cited

Babbage, F. Augusto Boal. Routledge, 2004.

Bowen, Kate. "?Bertolt Brecht?s Influence Cannot Be Overestimated? | Culture | DW | 11.08.2006." DW.COM, 8 Nov. 2006, www.dw.com/en/bertolt-brechts-influence- cannot-be-overestimated/a-2127719. Accessed 8 Oct. 2017.

Robinson, Andrew. "Augusto Boal: Brecht and Beyond – The Boal Method." Ceasefire Magazine, 20 Aug. 2016, ceasefiremagazine.co.uk/augusto-boal-brecht-boal- method/. Accessed 8 Oct. 2017.



 


Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Artists Biography of Pablo Picasso Is Not
Words: 907 Length: 3 Document Type: Research Paper

Artists Biography of Pablo Picasso Picasso is not just a man and his work. Picasso is always a legend, indeed almost a myth. In the public view he has long since been the personification of genius in modern art. Picasso is an idol, one of those rare creatures who act as crucibles in which the diverse and often chaotic phenomena of culture are focused, who seem to body forth the artistic life

Artist in Cultural Phenomenon in Science Fiction
Words: 810 Length: 3 Document Type: Term Paper

Artist in cultural phenomenon in science fiction that have been influenced by a topic in mathematics including pure, applied mathematics, artificial languages and the philosophy of mathematics Darren Aronofsky's Pi Mathematics has long inspired individuals concerned in science fiction, as its logics influenced them to believe that it would be extremely important for mankind as a whole to be able to process a series of difficult mathematical calculation with the purpose of

Artist Interview a Case Study
Words: 624 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

One time, when she was sketching the necklace of her aunt, an idea stumbled in her mind. It was at this very moment that she realized that she might actually be able to make a good business out of her jewelry designs. She started this business at her house in 2007. She made jewelries and souvenirs using mixed media such as silk, cotton, paper, thread, lacquer, stone, bead, and glass.

Artist Comparison the Rise of a Leisure
Words: 760 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Artist Comparison The rise of a leisure class that demanded regular entertainment during the mid to late 19th century contributed to the need for illustrators and illustrations for those magazines, books, and other materials. This contributed to what is called the "Golden Age of Illustration." Essentially, there was a significant increase in both literacy and the desire for entertainment in print during the 19th century; particularly in American urban centers. This

Artist Peter Paul Rubens the
Words: 379 Length: 1 Document Type: Essay

Rubens's personal contribution to the over 2,000 works produced by this studio varied considerably from work to work" (Pioch 2002). The studio acted as a kind of de facto academy for many young artists who served as Reuben's assistants, including Anthony van Dyck. Rubens has been called, in contrast to the inward-looking Dutch depicters of scenes of private, interior life, a 'public' painter, a status underlined by his equally impressive

Artist Statement
Words: 709 Length: 2 Document Type: Application Essay

Artist's Statement Brief Life History I come from the town of Ahvaz, in the south of Iran, and was born during the time of the Iran-Iraq War. I was four when the war ended, so I did not experience the conflict directly, but the events of that era were a strong influence on the history of both my family and of the Iranian people. War is a relevant subject to work with,

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now