ABSTRACT
It is a commonplace that the development of Brecht's concept of alienation is steeped in resonances of a Marxist-Hegelian tradition of thinking, a legacy that has been widely acknowledged and discussed. This chapter presents a brief overview of some of the major scholarly positions that have provided different interpretational models linked to the Marxist and Hegelian background. The purpose is firstly to clarify different nuances in Brecht's sociological and philosophical conception of alienation, nuances that also cause self-contradiction, and secondly to prepare a comparative framework with respect to Diderot. Korsch Kernpunkte holds an important key for interpreting the way in which Brecht brings into relation the issue of social alienation, and aesthetic. Theatre as the cultural institution par excellence that masters the craft of illusion, therefore, can play a crucial role in transforming the spectator's false consciousness into a more critical, alert and constructive mindset. And yet, Brecht's conclusion-a categorical ban on 'anything' pertaining to illusion-is problematic.
