Media literacy and Theatre (The Study of Basic Concepts of Media Literacy in the Perspectives and Techniques of Brecht's Playwriting)

The meaning of literacy in different times and periods was varied and special, because of different indicators and branches of human sciences. Because of the plenty of resources, the advancement of technology and the impacts of cyberspace on communications, there are various definitions of literacy. In current century one of the most important indicators for measuring of literacy rates of people, is Media Literacy; The Media Literacy is an ability for receive and understanding the information and data which transmitted by all kinds of media. This process can change the concepts and definitions by multiple complicated methods to improve the ability of the audiences, for understanding to learn and analyze this type of literacy -Media Literacy. Fine Arts as a media can help us in this process. Among this kind of arts, the Theatre -as a mass media- must be analyze by the newest method and index. Based on this essential introduction, this study tries to compare the techniques of Bertolt Brechet’s playwriting with key concepts of media͏͏ literacy, with a focus on dramatic and social aspects and then analyze them. To achieve this goal, in the first step, by offering nine features of Brecht`s playwriting-rationalism, history, removal of anticipation and apprehension, building something, use of repetition, emphasis on story content, role Language, rewriting and dialectical vision in building of Drama -in some of his plays- Baal, Drums in the night, Driving out a Devil, Lux in Tenebris, Mysteries of barbershop, The life of Edward II of England, man equals man, little Mahagonny, The Baden-baden lesson on consent, Happy end, The decision, The mother, Kuhle Wampe, Round Heads and Pointed Heads, Fear and Mysery of the Third Reich, Mother Courage and Her Children, Mr Puntila and his Man Matti, The Good person Szechwan, The days of the Commune, The tutor, Trumpets and Drums- and the most important views and definitions of the concept of Media Literacy, the analysis roadmap was drawn and after that, these items were analyzed. The final results of this research, confirm the hypothesis-matching the Brechtian techniques with the principles of Media Literacy, and the beginnings of the practical form of media literacy by Brecht`s theatre- and another finding of this study is to introduce Brecht as a leader in the field of media literacy noted.