The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Grusha has all rights to Michael's motherhood. Discuss.

Drawing relevant illustrations from the play

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The Caucasian Chalk Circle is clearly a Communist play: whoever can make the best use of resources in order to provide for others deserves to get those resources. Implicit in this Communist moral is also a secularized version of the Biblical Christ story. With typical anti-religious fervor, Brecht parallels Christ's story through the life of the drunken judge Azdak. Furthermore, The Chalk Circle is itself a version of Solomonic Law, based on the Biblical story of Solomon and the baby. When two women came to Solomon, both of them claiming the same child, he ordered the child cut in half. The true mother chose to instead give the entire baby to the other woman, thereby revealing to S

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http://www.gradesaver.com/the-caucasian-chalk-circle/study-guide/about/

Brecht takes the religious connection even further by having Azdak represent Solomonic wisdom. This story is similar to the story of Solomon where he must choose the real mother of a baby. He says that he will cut the child in half and give each woman one part. The true mother chooses to give the other woman her child. Thus, Solomon knows who the real mother it. The same thing happens here, except that this time it is Grusha who would rather lose the child instead of the real mother. Azdak justifies his decision the same way King Solomon did, by choosing the mother who does not try to harm the child.

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http://www.gradesaver.com/the-caucasian-chalk-circle/study-guide/section6/