Mother Courage and Her Children follows Mother Courage, a traveling saleswoman, through Europe over twelve years (1624-1636) of the Thirty Years War. Over this time, Courage travels throughout Europe as the scope of the war gets wider and the chaos seems perpetual, selling food, clothing, and other essentials to the soldiers and participants from her cart. The play has an episodic structure – zooming into Courage’s life in twelve different episodes over the years.

The play opens with an introduction to Courage, her task, her children, and the atmosphere of the war. Courage’s eldest son, Eilif, is taken by a military recruiter to fight in the war, and Courage continues on her journey. Years later, Courage and her remaining son and daughter are taken prisoner. Courage escapes with Kattrin, her mute daughter, but her honest son Swiss Cheese, is killed. Again, Courage carries on. Years later it seems that peacetime is coming, which would be bad for Courage’s business. Eilif returns, though must quickly leave as it is revealed that conflict has ensued again. This may be the last time Courage ever sees her son. In the final year of the play, Courage’s cook receives a letter informing him that he has inherited his mother’s inn. He invites Courage to retire with him, though tells her that she must leave Kattrin. Courage instead runs away with Kattrin and the cart, leaving the cook alone. The two women continue their journey and arrive in a Protestant Town that is under attack. Kattrin begins to drum loudly, climbing onto the roof and drawing too much attention to their hiding. The peasants of the town are forced to shoot her down to quiet her, killing her. Mother Courage leaves Kattrin’s body with the peasants for them to bury. She trudges on, now childless, into the face of the never-ending war.