Alfred Döblin vs. Bertolt Brecht: reception of the genre Lehrstück in A. Döblin’s drama

Abstract

The article is devoted to the drama of Bertolt Brecht and Alfred Döblin. On the material of A. Döblin’s play «The Marriage» analyzes the typological factors of the genre Lehrstück («learning» or «didactic» play), which became widespread as Brecht’s authorial innovation. The purpose of the article: on the basis of comparative analysis of Lehrstück by B. Brecht and the play «The Marriage» by A. Döblin to explore their formal and poetic factors and to conclude about the common and distinctive features of artistic and aesthetic intention of the genre Lehrstück in the works of both playwrights.
 The source base of the research is represented by literary studies of Günter Hartung, Jan Knopf, Klaus-Dieter Krabiel, Heiner Müller, Rainer Steinweg, Bernhard Klaus Tragelehn, Florian Vaßen, Oleksandr Chirkov. To achieve this goal, the following research methods were used: cultural-historical, comparative-historical, structuralsemantic, descriptive, literary analysis and synthesis. The study presents the main stages of the genre in the work of Brecht and focuses on the initial period of origin of the «learning» or «didactic» play, which is also relevant to the drama of A. Döblin. The play «The Marriage» contains three scenes, a prologue and an interlude. Thematically, all the scenes are united by a common plot core – showing the breakup of marriage and family due to external circumstances. Family and marital relationships fail regardless of social status or financial status. Results and conclusions: The article proves that A. Döblin’s play «The Marriage» has a number of aesthetic and typological features that make it related to Brecht’s «didactic» plays: rejection of theatrical scenery, props, that is, everything that creates a theatrical illusion; the presence of epic elements and music as components of drama; use of text and illustrative projections, songs, recitatives with musical accompaniment; presence of a speaker (commentator) and a choir; the inclusion of the author’s commentary, which states the theme and issues of the drama, as well as explains how the play is constructed, emphasizes the probable educational, educational, instructive influence; the presence of director’s remarks that explain the options for the stage embodiment of the play; the ability to improvise, modify the text of the play and release individual scenes according to the purpose and type of production. A generalized analysis of the existing typological characteristics gives grounds to consider the play «The Marriage» by A. Döblin as a conceptual imitation and / or continuation of the theory and practice of the author’s genre Lehrstück B. Brecht.