themes

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is a parody. Brecht, exiled from his homeland, wrote this novel in 1941 with the theme of the rise of Nazi power. His version of Hitler can be found in a small time Chicago gangster who is looking to take over the grocery trade; while other parodies link him to Marc Antony, Al Capone, and Faust. Brecht writes ambiguously, quoting Shakespeare. Quotes that are closely followed by Chicago street talk popular at the time.