Saint Joan of the Stockyards

Style and Technique

In «Saint Joan of the Stockyards», Bertolt Brecht masterfully combines elements of epic theatre with satirical sharpness, creating a work in which form becomes an integral part of content. The language of the play is deliberately simple and laconic, at times even coarse, emphasizing the harsh reality of the world depicted and exposing the social wounds of society. Brecht employs ironic dialogues, sharp contrasts, allusions to biblical stories, as well as techniques of alienation that force the audience not to empathize, but to reflect. The structure of the work is built on alternating short, dynamic scenes, each like a separate episode snatched from life, giving the narrative a jagged, nervous rhythm. The author skillfully weaves songs and choral interludes into the fabric of the play, turning the action into a kind of parable where tragedy and farce are inextricably linked. Brecht creates a multilayered composition in which every artistic device serves to expose social injustice and search for truth, and language becomes a tool for the relentless analysis of human nature and social mechanisms.