Mr Puntila and His Man Matti

Historical Context and Significance

The play «Mr Puntila and His Man Matti» emerged at a turning point in European history, as the world was just beginning to recover from the upheavals of World War II. Brecht, a master of epic theatre, infused this work with deep reflection on the nature of power, class differences, and human duality. In the figure of Puntila, at times magnanimous, at times despotic, and his silent, thoughtful servant Matti, the author creates a living allegory of social relations, where the comic and the tragic are woven into a subtle satire of bourgeois society. This play became not only a vivid example of Brechtian theatrical aesthetics but also had a significant impact on the development of the European stage, inspiring directors and playwrights to seek new forms of social critique. «Mr Puntila and His Man Matti» has become firmly embedded in the cultural context as a work capable of exposing the contradictions of its era and inviting the audience to reflect on their own role in a changing world.