A discussion occurs and Courage follows the conversation on by saying that the men at the top of the war are only in it for profit, just as she is. This highlights that she is in the war to make money, not because she believes in its cause. Meanwhile Kattrin has tried on Yvette’s red boots and hat and imitates her walk. Imperial forces (Catholics) suddenly burst in and take over the camp. There is havoc and people are concerned for their lives. This is seen when the Chaplain hides his faith. Yvette is excited about the new arrivals as she has new business, but she cannot find her boots, which Kattrin still has on her feet. Mother Courage tries to make Kattrin look dirty by rubbing ashes on her face so soldiers aren’t attracted to her. Swiss Cheese hides his cash box by sitting on it and Mother Courage hauls down her Finnish flag.
Three days later, when Mother Courage has been interrogated and is allowed to continue her business so is going to buy a new Catholic flag and new supplies. She is concerned about Swiss Cheese’s conscientiousness for his duties as the paymaster. When she returns, Swiss Cheese has been seen trying to hide the “Second Finnish Regiment’s cash box” and has been arrested. Her fears have been confirmed and as she haggles with Yvette and her newly acquainted rich old man to sell her cart, to pay for Swiss Cheese’s survival, Swiss Cheese is shot. Mother Courage hears that she is suspected of having connections with Swiss Cheese and when shown his dead body, she betrays all knowledge of him to save her and Kattrin’s life.
Scene four - 1624. Mother Courage waits outside the colonel’s tent to complain about damage to her cart. Courage sings the “Song of the Great Capitulation” to get a soldier, who was intending to complain about misfortunes to him, to realise that letting of steam in front of your superiors is pointless, and the soldier abandons his cause. This leads her to realise that her complaint isn’t worth much, so abandons her complaint too. Here, Courage is shown to hide her emotions for example anger, rebellion or disapproval to save her business. She will abide by following capitulation, as she thinks it will benefit her.
Scene five- Three years later. War has spread. Mother Courage’s wagon has travelled a lot and is now in Bavaria. She is in Saxony in a devastated village near Leipzig. The Chaplain rescues a peasant family and needs bandages to help save their lives. Mother Courage refuses to let him take her “officer’s shirts” for this cause. This shows Courage letting her human emotions get the better of her, and for them to rule her business values. The Chaplain moves Mother Courage by force out of the way of her cart and takes the shirts and begins to rip them. The noise of a baby still inside a burning house is heard and Kattrin runs in and rescues the baby. This is the first recognition of Kattrin’s pity and soft spot for children in particular. Mother Courage catches a soldier trying to steal liquor from her, and as he has no money, takes his fur coat for payment.
Scene six- 1932, outside of the Bavarian town of Ingolstadt. As the funeral of Imperial Commander Tilly takes place, a discussion occurs about war heroes and the duration of the war. Mother Courage is not convinced the war will continue so is speculating over buying new supplies. The Chaplain convinces her otherwise.
Kattrin is upset that the marriage she was promised after the war is not going ahead, so she runs off, only to be caught up with by Courage who sends her off to get some supplies. The Chaplain then hints to Mother Courage that he is interested in developing their relationship, but Courage dismisses it as she has no time and needs to concentrate on getting her children and her cart through the war.
Kattrin returns with a wound above her eye and is bleeding, but still clutching the supplies her mother asked for. This shows her loyalty to her mother. Courage tries to console her by offering Yvette’s boots, but she refuses and hides away. Mother Courage comments on how with her scar and her dumbness (she never spoke after she was molested as a child), there is little hope of her finding a husband.
There is a salute over Tilly’s grave as Mother Courage disparages the war.
Scene seven - Mother Courage is at the peak of her business career. Her cart is well stocked and she has regained confidence in the war. She celebrates by singing verse three of “Courage’s Song” which basically says that war is nothing but business.
Scene eight - Still 1632. Saxony. Bells ring to announce peace. The cook returns. The Chaplain tells Courage that she would not accept peace because she makes money out of the war. Courage sends him packing.
The cook convinces Courage to sell out of her business, before it falls through. Yvette arrives, now the rich colonel’s widow, and recognises the cook as “Puffing Pete”, the womaniser who was her first disgrace.
Courage goes to sell goods. Eilif is put under arrest for killing and robbing peasants at peacetime, for which the penalty is death. Courage returns and the cook merely tells her Eilif called in but had to go. She sings verse four of “Courage’s Song”.
Scene nine - 1634, Saxony in the Fichtel Mountains. Courage and the cook are begging. The cook receives a letter saying he has inherited the family inn at Utrecht. He invites Courage to join, but he makes it clear Kattrin is not welcome there as the business is too small to support all of them. He sings the “Song of Solomon”.
Upon hearing this, Kattrin is at the point of running away when Courage comes out and tells her she has rejected the cooks offer for her and makes a point that it is because of her cart and business also. The cook emerges to find them gone and his clothes left.
Scene ten - 1634. Courage and Kattrin stop from pulling the cart outside a peasant home from which the “Song of Home” on the theme of comfort and security can be heard.
Scene eleven- 1636 in Saxony. At a farmhouse outside Halle, that is held by Swedish troops, Imperial troops force a farmers son to lead them into the sleeping town below them. With much reluctance and after the convincing threat of killing the farmer’s cattle, the boy agrees.
The peasants talk and pray for those asleep in the town, especially their brother-in-law and his four children. Kattrin hears this and climbs on to the roof with a drum to wake the sleeping town. Her pity for the children leads to her death as the soldiers return and try to stop her, but she adamantly drums on, so they shoot her. As she dies the warning bells ring out in town and gunshots are heard. Her death, differing from her brothers’ deaths, has not been futile.
Scene twelve – Same day. Courage returns and cannot cope with Kattrin’s death. She sings her a lullaby. She pays the peasants to bury Kattrin.
Courage moves on, still thinking Eilif is alive, hauling the cart on her own. The irony of this is that Courage started the play four strong, and the play ends with unresolved problems, with Courage alone.