Brecht's Life of Galileo and the need for hero

Question

Regarding Brecht's Play 'The life of Galileo'

There is a part where Andrea says 'unhappy the land that has no heroes'

and Galileo says 'No, unhappy the land that needs heroes'

Can you make reference to the play and explain which one of these statements does Brecht himself side with?

Answer 1

Hi Jack,

I can't reference the play directly as I don't have it with me, and it's been a while since I read / saw it. But I always loved that exchange, and have always assumed it's clear that Brecht is taking Galileo's part. Andrea is expressing a tempting but (Brecht would say) naive and typically bourgeois sentimentality; he thinks you need heroes to fight enemies and make everyone else feel good about e.g. their country - but from B's point of view the "enemies" are often of the same class as the home fighters and the real enemy is the "patriotic" ideology that makes them fight each other.

Having said that, I can imagine someone arguing that Brecht kind of has a foot in both camps - he really does feel the appeal of the heroes.

An incomplete answer, written on the fly, but I hope it helps a little. All the best, Richard