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Bertolt Brecht And The Bible, Clara Martha Baker

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis presents evidence which supports Bertolt Brecht's oft-quoted statement that the Bible was the book which exerted the greatest influence upon his writings. While Brecht's early works, Die Bibel (1913), and Die Dreigroschenoper (1928), serve as the main examples, there are also references to biblical allusions from a number of his other writings and some of his poetry. There is general information on Brecht's religious background and on his extensive biblical knowledge which enabled him to use the Bible as one of his principal sources. Brecht's manner of usage and adaptation of religious and biblical material to suit his …