The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Der kaukasische Kreidekreis) is one of Bertolt Brecht's most important plays and one of the most regularly performed German plays. It is one of a group of plays written by Brecht during his six-year stay in the United States, and was first staged in May 1948 by students at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. Jump to: navigation, search Bertolt Brecht (February 10, 1898 – August 14, 1956) was an influential German dramatist, stage director, and poet of the 20th century. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search Skinner Memorial Chapel, Carleton College Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, USA, was founded on November 14, 1866, by the Minnesota Conference of Congregational Churches as Northfield College. ... Jump to: navigation, search Northfield is a city in Rice County, Minnesota. ...

The play is often regarded as part of the epic theatre (episches Theater) tradition. The motives used in the play are taken from the Bible, Buddhist and Islamic narrations, and the 13th-century Chinese piece Hui Lan Ji by Li-Xing-dao. Epic theater, also known as theater of alienation or theater of politics, is a theater movement arising in the early to mid-20th century, inextricably linked to the German director Bertolt Brecht. ... Jump to: navigation, search Motive is a term that turns up both in the popular psychology of literature and cinema, and as term of art in law. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Bible (sometimes The Book, Good Book, Word of God, or Scripture), from Greek (τα) βιβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, plural of βιβλιον, biblion, book, originally a diminutive of βιβλος, biblos, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos, meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported this... Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ... Jump to: navigation, search Islam ▶(?) (Arabic: الإسلام al-islām) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ...

Summary Prolouge: The play begins with peasants finally resolving the ownership of a farm after Nazis almost destroy it. Afterwords, we meet the Singer Arkadi, who tells the peasants his story. The play begins

Act I: The Noble Child Here the story begins with Governor Georgi Abashwili and his wife Natella blantantly ignoring the citizens on the way to Easter Mass. The Singer show us the show's antagonist, Arsen Kabezki, the Fat Prince. He sucks up to the pair and remarks how thier new child Michael is "a govenor from head to toe." They enter the church, leaving the peasants behind. Then we meet our herione Grusha Vashnadze (Vash-NOD-zee) a maid to the governor's wife, carrying a goose for the Easter meal. She meets a soldier, Simon Shashava, who reveals he has watched her bathe in the rivers. She storms off enraged. As a soldier contacts two architects for the Governor's new mansion, the Ironshirts, gestapo-esque guards, turn on him. The Fat Prince has orchestrated a coup and is now in control. The Governor is quickly beheaded. Simon finds Grusha and reveals himself in a better light and proposes, giving her his silver cross. Grusha accepts. Simon runs off to fufill his duty to the Governor's wife. She herself has been foolishly packing clothing for the "trip", caring nothing of her loss. She is carried off, away from the flaming city of Nuka and inadvertedly leaves her son behind. Grusha is left with him and, after seeing the Governor's head nailed to the church door, takes him with her to the mountains.

Act II: Flight to the Northen Mountains Grusha finds a home for Michael to stay in. Abadoning him on the doorstep, he is adopted by a peasant woman. Grusha has mixed emotions about this, which change when she meets a demented Corporal bent on finding the child. He suspects something sabout her, and Grusha is forced to knock him out and save Michael. She wearily retreats to her brother's mountain farm, who fabricates a story to his zealous wife, who suspects Michael is Grusha's bastard. Grusha catches fever and lives there for quite some time. Rumors spread in the village, and Grusha's brother, Laverenti, convinces her to marry a dying peasant in order to quell them. she reluctantly agrees. Guests arrive at the wedding/funeral and gossip endlessly. It is revealed that the Grand Duke is overthrowing the Princes and the civil war has finally ended, and no one can be drafted anymore. At this, the supposed corpse returns to life and Grusha finds herself married. Years pass, and Grusha finds Simon again, only to tell him she has unwillingly married. Simon spots Michael, and Grusha convinces him they are not realted. However, Ironshirts arrive carrying him in, and ask her if she is his. She confirms, and Simon leaves distraught. It turns out the Governor's Widow wants the child back and she must go to court back in Nuka.

Act III: The Story of the Judge The Singer shows us another hero named Azdak. Azdak shelters a "peasant" and protects him from authorites by his twisted logic. Later, Azdak realizes he sheltered the Grand Duke, the Prince's greatest enemy. Azdak tries to turn himself in, but the Ironshirts laugh at him. The Fat prince enters and wishes the Ironshirts to appoint his nephew as a new judge. Azdak insists they hold a mock trial to test the little fellow, which results in Azdak being appointed as judge by the Iroshirts. Azdak uses his logic in favor of the poor and librerally fines the rich and unjust. Later, the Fat Prince is beheaded as the Grand Duke is reinstated in power. Azdak fear this is the end for him ,but the Governor's Wife informs him he may be needed for an upcoming trial. Azdak agrees out of fear.

Act IV: The Chalk Circle We meet Grusha in court, supported by a former cook of the Governor and, strangely enough, Simon Shashava, who will swear he is the father of the boy. Natella Abashwili comes in with two lawyers, who each reassure her things will be taken care of. Azdak in thrown on and beaten by Ironshirts, who are told he is an enemy of the state. A rider comes in with a proclamation, stating the Grand Duke has reappointed Azdak as judge. Azdak is cleaned up and the trial begins. The prosecution comes forth and liberally bribes Azdak in hopes of swinging the verdict. It is revealed that Natella only wants the child because all the estates and finances of the Governor are tied to her heir and cannot access them without him. Grusha's defense does not go over well, as it develops into her and Simon insulting Azdak for taking bribes and seemingly favoring the prosecution. Azdak fines them forty piasters (the currency of the time)and tells them he will resolve their case later. An old couple approaches and wishes for a divorce. Azdak says he'll think about it and goes back to our main trial. Azdak claims he can't find the true mother and says he'll make a test. A circle of chalk is drawn and Michael is placed in the center. The true mother, as Azdak states, will be able to pull the child from the center. Natella wins the first time, as Grusha cannot bear to hurt him. The test is done again and the result is the same. Grusha states she cannot "tear him to bits". Azdak declares that in this statement, Grusha is the true mother. The Governor's wife is told that the estates shall fall to the city and made to a garden for children. Simon pays Azdak his fine. Azdak tells the old couple he shall divorce them, but "accidentally" divorces Grusha and the peasant man, leaving her free to marry Simon. Everyone dances off happily as Azdak disappears. The Singer tells of his wisdom and remarks that in the end, everyone got what they deserved.