Separation of the elements is an aesthetic principle formulated by the German modernist theatre practitioner Bertolt Brecht. The principle bears primarily on the theatrical register, though it has implications for the dramatic and performative as well. The principle of the "separation of the elements" stands in diametric opposition to that of the "integrated work of art" proposed by Wagner, which refers to a work of art that enables the use of various other visual forms. Brecht utilises the "separation of elements" in conjunction with his other "Epic Theatre" techniques to educate his audience of the social and political context of 20th century Germany.