The play parallels the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party in the 1930s. Arturo Ui represents Hitler, and Brecht places on-stage projections of actual events that occurred in the 1930s and which inspire each portion of the play. While the play is a comedy, a mix of satire and farce, Brecht desires for the audience to leave the theatre more than just merely amused by what they've seen. He wants them to understand the reality of how Hitler rose to power. Yes, he was a monster, and there is nothing that takes this away. Brecht adds, though, the reality of the people who chose corrupt acts in order to benefit themselves as the culprits who opened the door for Hitler to come in and take power over them.
We all contribute to the rise of Arturo Ui, Brecht is revealing to us, when we stand by and make the choice to not see the corruption of businessmen. We must open our eyes and ears and choose to understand that our lives can be forever altered by choosing to be corrupted by greed. This is the meaning of the final line of the play, "The bitch that bore him is in heat again."
Brecht's play is a warning to all of us, that we have a responsibility to our very freedom to pay attention to what is happening in our lives, the cities and towns we live in, to hold those with power responsible. Otherwise. we create cities where fear holds power over people rather than human justice.
