Poverty makes people trade their morals to meet their immediate needs because the consequences of not taking or taking actions are almost similar. For instance, if a poor, hungry person fails to steal, they are likely to starve to death, and if they are caught, they risk imprisonment or other forms of punishment depending on the societal settings. In this sense, it is alright for Woyzeck to claim that he cannot afford morality because he is wretchedly poor. The play makes an explicit connection between poverty and suffering in relation to Woyzeck’s emotional distress, physical pain, and his eventual downfall are primarily associated with poverty. According to Richards, Woyzeck is so poor that he has to sign himself over to participate in an unethical experiment to survive and achieve his financial needs (28). Therefore, in this context, Woyzeck’s assertion is true because morality is a luxury that poor people cannot afford; the needy prioritize basic needs for survival.

Naturally, a society evolves into power structures as people exercise their authority over others. People have power over others when they can instill fear through control over rewards, punishment or meet the immediate needs of their subjects (Bourne & Walker 655). In the play, sources of power are derived from the social class structure in which Woyzeck is at the bottom. The powerful are more respected in society due to their professions. For example, doctors and army officers were regarded as powerful individuals in the community because of their contributions. On the other hand, Woyzeck suffers severe power deficits during his interactions with the captain, the doctor, and the drum major, which led to his impulsive response during their talks. Consequently, he finds himself losing control of his life because of the dynamics of these unhealthy relationships particularly with males that hold positions of authority.

The play reveals that society is divided into social classes that are antagonistic. Power struggles characterize the antagonism between social classes where the powerful often manipulate weaker individuals to achieve their objectives. The power struggle is manifested when Woyzeck challenges a soldier who had wronged him, although he lost the challenge, Woyzeck maintained his self-respect for challenging the oppressor (the army officer) (Büchner 69). In another instance, Woyzeck is used by a powerful doctor as a test subject where his bodily fluid is the only important thing he can offer. In this case, the powerful manipulate him with the promise of meeting his financial needs. Though he rebelled at the end by not saving his urine, he had already jeopardized his health due to his powerlessness. Furthermore, society is also governed by male-female relationships where the male is regarded as more powerful than the female. The perception of superiority of men is manifested in the play when the drum major and his colleague objectify Marie. According to them, her body is fit for procreation, and she has no other contribution to society (Büchner 13). Not only do they view her through the chauvinistic lens, but also see her as a material and not from the perspective of her abilities, life struggles, and her way of thinking.

Woyzeck’s life mirrors the contemporary society that is characterized by power struggles, moral challenges, violence, and poverty. Humans can circumvent the ethical structures to ensure immediate gratification even though the consequences could be tragic. Subsequent decisions of wrong decisions resulted in Woyzeck’s physical and emotional suffering and eventually his destruction. However, given his financial position morality can be traded for survival.

Works Cited

Bourne, Lynda, and Derek H.T. Walker. “Visualizing and Mapping Stakeholder Influence.”

Management Decision, vol. 43, no. 5, 2005, pp. 649-660. doi: 10.1108/00251740510597680.

Büchner, Georg. Woyzeck. A & C Black Publishers Limited, 1979.

Richards, David G. Georg Büchners Woyzeck. Camden House, 2001.

 
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