I recently saw an updated, contemporary version of Bertolt Brecht’s dramatic play “The Life of Galileo”, performed by the Performing Arts Academy of Ocean County, New Jersey. As a result of his observations with the use of the recently invented telescope, Galileo embraces the heliocentric theory advanced by Nicolaus Copernicus which states that the Earth and other planets revolved around the Sun, rather than the long-established and widely accepted geocentric theory that the Sun and other planets revolved around the Earth. This provided a direct challenge to teachings of the Roman Catholic Church which were based on biblical passages consistent with a geocentric view of the Solar System. To complicate matters further Galileo published his conclusions in Italian, rather than Latin, so that his work became more available. Fearful that Galileo’s widely published observations would undermine traditional Catholic teaching, the Vatican summons him to Rome where he is interrogated by the Inquisition. Galileo finally recants his teachings when he is threatened with torture, disappointing his students and supporters who are shocked at his surrender to the authorities. He then remained under house arrest for the rest of his life under the supervision of a priest.
Brecht was a practitioner of “epic theater” which suggested that a play should not cause the spectator to identify emotionally with the characters or action before them, but should instead provoke rational self-reflection and a critical view of the action on the stage. He wanted his audiences to adopt a critical perspective in order to recognize social injustice and exploitation and to be moved to go forth from the theatre and effect change in the world outside. To do this Brecht used various unconventional techniques to remind the audience that the play is a representation of reality and not reality itself. Stage crew were visible as were props, placards, graphics, etc. all designed to reinforce that the play was just for show to get people to think about reality and how to change that reality.
Fearing political persecution for his Marxist beliefs, Brecht fled Nazi Germany in 1933 and spent several years living in Denmark, Sweden and the Soviet Union. One of his reasons for writing the play in 1939 was to demonstrate the impact of intolerance against free speech and scientific expression which was taking place at the time in his homeland. He was also fearful of ways science would be applied to destruction rather than the betterment of man. After war broke out in Europe Brecht moved to the United States and between 1945 and 1947, in collaboration with noted actor Charles Laughton, rewrote the play in English. It was performed in Los Angeles in 1947, with Charles Laughton in the lead role.
Ironically, like the subject of his play, Brecht himself was called to account by civil authorities for his beliefs and political associations. With the advent of the Cold War and “Red Scare“, he was blacklisted by movie studio bosses and interrogated by the House Un-American Activities Committee. Along with 41 other Hollywood writers, directors, actors and producers, he was subpoenaed to appear before the Committee in September 1947 shortly after “Galileo” was first performed. Although he was one of 19 witnesses who declared that they would refuse to appear, Brecht eventually decided to testify. He later explained that he had followed the advice of attorneys and had not wanted to delay a planned trip to Europe. On the 30th of October 1947 Brecht testified that he had never been a member of the Communist Party, but warned the Committee of the dangers imposing restrictions on free expression and art. Like the main character in his play “Life of Galileo” he also expressed apprehension about the ways science was being used to make war instead of improving living conditions.
Brecht believed that art should be used for the betterment of man. With regard to developments in science and technology he told the Committee, “We are living in a dangerous world. Our state of civilization is such that mankind already is capable of becoming enormously wealthy but, as a whole, is still poverty-ridden. Great wars have been suffered, greater ones are imminent, we are told. One of them might well wipe out mankind as a whole. We might be the last generation of the specimen man on this earth. The ideas about how to make use of the new capabilities of production have not been developed much since the days when the horse had to do what man could not do. Do you not think that, in such a predicament, every new idea should be examined carefully and freely? Art can present clear and even make nobler such ideas.”
As with Galileo who disappointed his supporters when he “recanted” his teachings, Brecht’s decision to appear before the Committee led to criticism, including accusations of betrayal. However, unlike Galileo, Brecht was not placed under house arrest and the very next day after his testimony he left the United States for Europe and never came back. Ten of his colleagues who refused to testify, known as the “Hollywood Ten”, went to jail.
ZNetwork is funded solely through the generosity of its readers.
Donate