The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Summary

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Der aufhaltsame Aufstieg des Arturo Ui) is a 1941 play written by German playwright Bertolt Brecht. The play tells the story of a gangster, Arturo Ui, who takes control of the vegetable trade in Chicago and nearby Cicero, Illinois. However, this story is not just about a gangster; it is a satire that allegorizes the rise of the Nazis and Adolf Hitler. Each character and event in the play has a parallel to real events and people in Nazi Germany. Brecht also includes projections or signs during the play to help the audience understand these connections.

Summary

The play begins with a prologue that introduces the plot. The prologue encourages the audience to focus on the political message rather than just the story itself.

A group of vegetable merchants, called the Cauliflower Trust, is trying to make more money during hard economic times. The Trust, which represents Prussian landowners from East Germany, is made up of four characters: Clark, Sheet, Butcher, and Bowl. They come up with a plan to bribe the Mayor of Chicago, Dogsborough, who represents von Hindenburg, the head of the Weimar government. In exchange for this bribe, Dogsborough gives Sheet’s company a contract to improve the docks. Even though he knows that the Trust won’t finish the project, Dogsborough agrees. In return, he gets Sheet’s shipping company, which ties him to the Trust’s illegal activities. This event in the play represents the Eastern Aid Scandal from German history.

When the gangster Arturo Ui hears about Dogsborough’s betrayal, he decides to blackmail the Mayor. Ui demands Dogsborough’s public support in exchange for keeping quiet about the corruption. Dogsborough refuses, but before Ui leaves, he threatens, saying, “One day/ the vegetable business shall be mine!”

As the city investigates the suspicious dealings with the docks, the Cauliflower Trust begins to panic. Sheet is called to City Hall to publicly confirm that he still owns his shipping company. However, Sheet never shows up, and a newspaper boy announces that Sheet has been found dead—he has been murdered. Clark comments that Sheet must have failed to make an agreement with the Trust’s agent, implying that the Trust had Sheet killed.

With Sheet out of the picture, Dogsborough needs someone to take his place and cover up his wrongdoings. He turns to Arturo Ui, who is willing to lie for him. O’Casey, the city clerk, accuses Dogsborough of abusing his power and calls Bowl as a witness. But before Bowl can speak, machine-gun fire is heard offstage, and Bowl’s body is brought in. O’Casey is forced to stop his inquiry, and Dogsborough becomes indebted to Ui.

Now that Dogsborough cannot oppose him, Ui takes control of the vegetable trade by demanding protection money from the greengrocers. He sends his men, Givola (who represents Hitler’s propagandist Josef Goebbels) and Giri (who represents Herman Göring), to ask the greengrocers, “What’s it gonna be, murder or protection?” One greengrocer, Jim Crockett, refuses to give in to the gangsters, and they burn down his warehouse. This event in the play is an allegory for the Reichstag fire.

Another investigation is launched into the warehouse fire, but Ui and his men threaten the judge. The judge refuses to convict Giri and Givola. Instead, Ui’s gang frames an innocent man, Fish, by drugging him so he cannot defend himself properly. Fish is found guilty of starting the fire, and Ui’s gangsters are acquitted.

Ui’s right-hand man, Roma (who represents Ernst Röhm), tries to convince Ui that Giri and Givola are plotting against him. Roma secures Ui’s approval to ambush his rivals. But when Roma waits for his rivals, Ui and Givola surprise him and kill him.

Ui announces that his gang will expand their criminal activities to the neighboring city of Cicero. He begins taking lessons in public speaking from an actor. Ui then invites Ignatius Dullfoot, a press baron in Cicero (who represents the Chancellor of Austria), and his wife Betty, who controls the vegetable trade in Cicero, to dinner. During the meal, Ui proposes introducing his protection racket to Cicero. Dullfoot is not eager to agree, so Giri murders him. At Dullfoot’s funeral, Betty confronts Ui, but it’s too late.

With Dullfoot out of the way, Ui, backed by the Cauliflower Trust, takes over the vegetable trade in Cicero. He tells the greengrocers that Betty Dullfoot’s company has “merged” with the Cauliflower Trust. Ui claims that it was Dullfoot who suggested bringing Ui’s protection system to Cicero after seeing its success in Chicago. Ui offers the greengrocers a vote on whether to accept his protection, but the grocers know that refusing could lead to dangerous consequences.

In the final scene, the actor playing Ui steps out of character and addresses the audience directly. He warns, “Let’s not drop our guard too quickly then:/ Although the world stood up and stopped the bastard/ The bitch that bore him is in heat again.”

Through this play, Brecht not only illustrates how Hitler came to power but also shows how fascist takeovers can happen anywhere. He emphasizes that these takeovers are “resistible,” meaning that people have the power to stop them if they stand up against them.

Now let’s have a look into the analysis

Political Allegory:

At its core, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is a satire of the political landscape of Weimar Germany and the conditions that allowed Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime to come to power. Brecht’s use of the gangster Arturo Ui, who rises to control the vegetable trade in Chicago by employing violence, blackmail, and manipulation, directly parallels Hitler’s rise to power. Ui's tactics mirror the manipulation of political systems, the use of violence and terror, and the collusion between corrupt business interests and political figures, which were key elements of the Nazi regime’s ascent.

The characters in the play, such as Dogsborough (representing von Hindenburg) and the Cauliflower Trust (representing Prussian landowners), illustrate the way powerful elites can enable fascism for their own economic and political gain. Brecht suggests that fascism is not inevitable or natural but is the result of opportunistic alliances between corrupt politicians and business interests, and this process can happen anywhere, not just in Germany.

Brechtian Techniques:

Brecht employs his signature techniques of Epic Theatre, which include the use of alienation (Verfremdungseffekt) to prevent the audience from becoming emotionally absorbed in the play, encouraging critical reflection instead. For instance, the actor playing Ui stepping out of character at the end of the play to directly address the audience serves as a reminder that the events of the play are a constructed performance and not reality. This reminds the audience that fascism is not inevitable but resistible.

Brecht’s decision to make the events of the play a political allegory rather than a direct historical recounting allows him to emphasize the wider applicability of his critique. His play is not just about the rise of Hitler but about how similar dynamics can occur in any society.

Character Development and Symbolism:

The characters in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui are symbolic of historical figures or archetypes from both the political and social worlds of the 1930s. For example:

Arturo Ui: The protagonist is a clear representation of Adolf Hitler. His rise to power through manipulation and violence mimics Hitler's use of propaganda, violence, and the backing of business elites to gain control over Germany.

Givola and Giri: These characters represent figures like Goebbels and Göring, who were key figures in Hitler’s rise to power. Givola is an unscrupulous propagandist (like Goebbels), and Giri is a brutal enforcer (like Göring). Their roles demonstrate how fascism relies on a network of loyal followers who engage in manipulation and violence to maintain control.

Roma: The character of Roma represents Ernst Röhm, the head of the SA (the Nazi Brownshirts), who was initially an ally of Hitler before falling out of favor and being purged in the Night of the Long Knives. Roma's plot to eliminate Ui shows the internal power struggles that can occur in fascist movements.

The Cauliflower Trust: Representing business interests, the Trust's involvement in illegal activities and corruption showcases how fascism is often enabled by economic elites who ally themselves with fascist leaders for financial and political gain.

Social Critique:

Through the events in the play, Brecht critiques the complacency of ordinary people in the face of rising fascism. The greengrocers in the play, who are forced to accept Ui’s protection or face violence, represent the average citizen who is coerced into compliance by authoritarian regimes. The fact that the greengrocers do not openly resist Ui's gang is a powerful commentary on how fascism can become entrenched through the fear and passivity of the general populace.

Additionally, the way the judicial system and political authorities are either corrupted or intimidated by Ui’s gang highlights the fragility of democratic institutions under the threat of fascism. The murder of Sheet and Bowl, and the framing of an innocent man like Fish, show how totalitarian regimes use violence and manipulation to eliminate opposition and maintain control.

The Final Message:

Brecht’s conclusion, where the actor playing Ui steps out of character to address the audience, is a crucial moment in the play. This speech suggests that while Ui’s rise to power may be stopped in the fictional world of the play, the forces that enabled his rise (symbolized by the “bitch that bore him”) are still present and dangerous. The message is clear: fascism is a recurring danger, and societies must remain vigilant and resist it. The suggestion that fascism is “resistible” serves as both a cautionary tale and a call to action.

In conclusion, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is a powerful critique of the conditions that allow fascism to take root. Through the use of allegory, Brecht demonstrates how fascist movements gain power not through inevitability, but through the collaboration of corrupt political, business, and social forces. He warns that such a rise is not unique to Germany in the 1930s but can occur anywhere, and urges people to recognize and resist the forces that allow such totalitarian regimes to thrive. The play is both a historical commentary and a timely reminder of the ongoing threats posed by fascism in any society.