Ideology in Bertolt Brecht’s Life of Galileo

Abstract

Life of Galileo by Bertolt Brecht is a  reflection on the concept/relation of  freedom with ‘truth/s’.  The play depicts the representation of ‘truth’ and how it sets free the oppressed (at least in ideological sense if not regarding the control of power system/state) and how an unjust social structure is supported by a "false ideology”, (ideas believed to be true but are not). The play focusses on the struggle of Galileo to establish the Heliocentric theory proposed by Copernican, as well as the struggle between science and dogmatism during that era. It also explores important themes of courage, religion, science, betrayal, and truth. In terms of viewpoints, the play can be analyzed through different focal points, like for example: a Marxist scholarly hypothesis can be utilized to look at how the play studies capitalism and its effect on society. The researcher in this paper has worked on the concept of belief system, after that explained, and pointed out important points from the play Life of Galileo to get it the specificities and subtleties. The paper is implied to get it how belief system works both obviously and latently inside a structure whether recognized or obviously worked for. Life of Galileo is a thought-provoking play that invites investigations regarding different topics such as truth, flexibility, science, religion etc. Here in this paper, it has been analyzed through a general philosophical point of view and Marxist theory for a profound understanding of its meaning and centrality, which is not constrained to the Marxist tradition only.