1
of
1
The Caucasian Chalk Circle
Series: Modern Classics
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 9,197 ratings, 359 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still
learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Summary
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
Unit price
/
Unavailable
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER
Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks
Found a better price? Request a price match
The Caucasian Chalk Circle
$2799
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Inspired by the Chinese play Chalk Circle, and written at the close of World War II, this parable is set in the Caucasus Mountains of Georgia. It re-tells the tale of King Solomon and a child claimed and fought over by two women.
Inspired by the Chinese play Chalk Circle, and written at the close of World War II, this parable is set in the Caucasus Mountains of Georgia. It re-tells the tale of King Solomon and a child claimed and fought over by two women.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
Written in exile during the Second World War, the story of Brecht's classic play, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, subverts an ancient Chinese tale—echoed in the Judgement of Solomon—in which two women claim the same child. The message of Brecht's parable is that resources should go to those who will make the best use of them. Thanks to the rascally judge, Azdak, one of Brecht's most vivid creations, this story has a happy outcome: the child is entrusted to the peasant Grusha, who has loved and nurtured it.
Published in Methuen Drama's Modern Classics series, this edition features an extensive introduction, Brecht's own notes on the play, and a full appendix of textual variants. It is the standard critical edition of the work, in an acclaimed translation by James and Tania Stern with W. H. Auden.
Series: Modern Classics
View all-
I am David
You must get away tonight, the man had told him. David escapes from the concentration camp where he has spent his entire life and flees across Europe. He is utterly alone – who can he trust? What will await him? And all the while, how can he be sure that they won’t catch up with him... This is the remarkable...Paperback$1999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
A Raisin in the Sun
“Come to A Raisin in the Sun as you would to any classic. It speaks to us today as it did almost half a century ago.” – Bonnie Greer In South Side Chicago, Walter Lee, a Black chauffeur, dreams of a better life and hopes to use his father's life insurance money to open a liquor store. His mother, who...Paperback$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Blood Brothers
A Liverpudlian West Side Story: twin brothers are separated at birth because their mother cannot afford to keep them both. She gives one of them away to wealthy Mrs Lyons, and they grow up as friends, unaware of their fraternity until the inevitable quarrel unleashes a bloodbath. Willy Russell is less concerned with political tub-thumping than with weaving a close-knit...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Accidental Death of an Anarchist
In its first two years of production in Italy, Dario Fo's notorious Accidental Death of an Anarchist was seen by over half a million people. It has since been performed all over the world, and has become a classic of twentieth-century drama. A sharp and hilarious satire on police corruption, it concerns the case of an anarchist railway worker who,...Paperback$2699Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Educating Rita
Educating Rita, about a working-class Liverpool girl's hunger for education, is simply a marvellous play, painfully funny and passionately serious; a hilarious social documentary; a fairy-tale with a quizzical, half-happy ending. Sunday Times Educating Rita premiered at the RSC Warehouse, London, in June 1980. Voted Best Comedy of 1980, it was subsequently made into a highly successful film with Michael...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Wee Thomas was a friendly cat. He would always say hello to you were you to see him sitting on a wall. (Pause.) He won't be saying hello no more, God bless him. Not with that lump of a brain gone. Who knocked Wee Thomas over on the lonely road on the island of Inishmore, and was it an accident?...Paperback$2499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Mother Courage and Her Children
In this chronicle of the European Thirty Years War, taking place between the years 1624 and 1636, Mother Courage follows the armies back and forth across Europe, selling provisions and liquor from her canteen wagon to whomever she can. One by one she loses her children to the war but will not part with her livelihood—the wagon. The Berlin production...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Photograph 51
Ziegler’s thoughtful, empathetic play brings home with bitter comedy the unlovely male-domination of this world in the 1950s ... glorious." Independent London 1953. Scientists are on the verge of discovering what they call the secret of life: the DNA double helix. Providing the key is driven young physicist Rosalind Franklin. But if the double helix was the breakthrough of the...Paperback$2499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?
Albee’s perversely funny sendup of a standard mid-life crisis drama … dares to suggest that even the most flawed and confused human beings deserve compassionate understanding, and the failure to proffer it is a species of bestiality far more abhorrent than the sexual kind. Variety On his 50th birthday, Martin, a world-famous architect, prepares for a recorded interview by an...Paperback$2499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Fear and Misery of the Third Reich
Also known as The Private Life of the Master Race, this is a sequence of twenty-four realistic sketches showing how "ordinary" life under the Nazis was subtly permeated by suspicion and anxiety. Written in exile in Denmark and first staged in 1938, it was inspired in part by Brecht's recent trip to Moscow where he had been researching tasks for...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Caucasian Chalk Circle
Written in exile during the Second World War, the story of Brecht's classic play, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, subverts an ancient Chinese tale—echoed in the Judgement of Solomon—in which two women claim the same child. The message of Brecht's parable is that resources should go to those who will make the best use of them. Thanks to the rascally judge,...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
A Taste Of Honey
A Taste of Honey became a sensational theatrical success when first produced in London by Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop company. It was made into a highly acclaimed film in 1961. The play is about the adolescent Jo and her relationships with those around her—her irresponsible, roving mother Helen and her mum's newly acquired drunken husband, the black sailor who leaves...Paperback$2699Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht is praised for its poetic and dramatic qualities, marking Brecht as a prominent figure in 20th-century literature. The Observer highlights him as one of the greatest poets and dramatists of the era, underscoring the play's enduring impact in arts and culture.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780413308504
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 01 June 1963
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Methuen Drama
Edition: New edition
Contributors:
- Translated by James Stern
- Edited by John Willett
- Edited by Ralph Manheim
- Translated by Tania Stern
- Translated by W. H. Auden
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 9.0mm
Width: 122.0mm
Height: 202.0mm
Weight: 176g
Pages: 144
About the Author
Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) is acknowledged as one of the great dramatists whose work has had a considerable influence on the theatre. His landmark plays include Mother Courage and Her Children, The Threepenny Opera, The Life of Galileo, and The Caucasian Chalk Circle. His plays and dramatic theory are central to the study of modern theatre.
Also by Bertolt Brecht
View all-
Aesthetics and Politics
Delve into the profound and influential Marxist aesthetic debates that shaped the course of 20th-century intellectual history with Aesthetics and Politics. This seminal work assembles the pivotal texts of the great Marxist controversies over literature and art that took place between the 1930s and 1950s in German culture—an era that witnessed an unparalleled tradition of major aesthetic discourse. The book...Paperback$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Collected Short Stories of Bertolt Brecht
Everyone knows that Bertolt Brecht was one of the great 20th-century innovators in theatre - the literary-theatrical equivalent of a Picasso or Stravinsky - and Germany's greatest poet of the last century, but the playwright was also a dazzling writer of stories. Storytelling permeated his art as a dramatist; fundamentally, in his plays, he was a storyteller. Collected Short Stories...Paperback$5899Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Tales of Mr. Keuner
From the 1920s through the 1950s, Bertolt Brecht wrote a number of short, fictionalised comments on contemporary life, politics, and thought. Through the dramatic events of the first half of the twentieth century, Brecht’s Mr. Keuner offered up aphorisms, stray thoughts, and fragments of anecdote that punctured contemporary self-regard about religion, politics, business, and more. Deceptively light in tone, and...Paperback$4099Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks -
Mother Courage and Her Children
In this chronicle of the European Thirty Years War, taking place between the years 1624 and 1636, Mother Courage follows the armies back and forth across Europe, selling provisions and liquor from her canteen wagon to whomever she can. One by one she loses her children to the war but will not part with her livelihood—the wagon. The Berlin production...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Mother Courage and Her Children
Mother Courage and Her Children was first performed in Zurich in 1941 and is usually seen as Brecht's greatest work. Remaining a powerful indictment of war and social injustice, it is an epic drama set in the seventeenth century during the Thirty Years' War. The plot follows the resilient Mother Courage, who survives by running a commissary business that profits...Paperback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Fear and Misery of the Third Reich
Also known as The Private Life of the Master Race, this is a sequence of twenty-four realistic sketches showing how "ordinary" life under the Nazis was subtly permeated by suspicion and anxiety. Written in exile in Denmark and first staged in 1938, it was inspired in part by Brecht's recent trip to Moscow where he had been researching tasks for...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Mother Courage and Her Children
This new Student Edition, featuring the classic John Willett translation of the play, includes an introduction by Katherine Hollander, which explores the following: Contexts: Thirty Years War (1618-1648); World War II and exile; sources; influential figures such as Brecht, Margarete Steffin, Helene Weigel, and Karin Michaelis. Themes: War, nature, capitalism. Dramatic devices: Epic theatre. Production history and critical reception. Academic...Paperback$2499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Caucasian Chalk Circle
Brecht projects an ancient Chinese story onto a realistic setting in Soviet Georgia. In a theme that echoes the Judgment of Solomon, two women argue over the possession of a child. Thanks to the unruly judge, Azdak (one of Brecht's most vivid creations), natural justice is done and the peasant Grusha keeps the child she loves, even though she is...Paperback$2499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Fear and Misery of the Third Reich
Brecht's series of twenty-four interconnected playlets describe events which took place in ordinary German households in the 1930s. They dramatise with clinical precision the suspicion and anxiety experienced by ordinary people, particularly Jewish citizens, as the power of Hitler grew. Written in exile in Denmark and first staged in 1938, it was inspired in part by his recent trip to...Paperback$3299Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Mother Courage and Her Children
This version of Brecht's great anti-war play by playwright David Hare was premiered by the National Theatre, London, in November 1995. It adopts a freer approach to the text than many editions, adapting the original rather than offering a close translation. In this chronicle of the Thirty Years War, Mother Courage follows the armies back and forth across Europe, selling...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
Described by Brecht as 'a gangster play that would recall certain events familiar to us all', Arturo Ui is a witty and savage satire of the rise of Hitler. Brecht recasts it into a fictional, small-time Chicago gangster's takeover of the city's greengrocery trade in the 1930s. The satirical allegory combines Brecht's Epic style of theatre with black comedy and...Paperback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
This Student Edition of Brecht's classic satire on the rise of Hitler features an extensive introduction and commentary that includes a plot summary, discussion of the context, themes, characters, style and language as well as questions for further study and notes on words and phrases in the text. It is the perfect edition for students of theatre and literature. Described...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks
More from Arts & Culture
View all-
Dylan's PickBold Types
A tribute to 32 truly independent bookshops throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, from north of Auckland down to Dunedin, and coast to coast. Jane Ussher's photographs show every bookstore in its unique nature - including behind the counter, smoko rooms, the mess which tells the hardworking story behind the joy of matching books with customers. Jemma Moreira's careful editing has crafted...Hardback$5500Elsewhere:$7000Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 1 week -
New ReleaseDisney Moana: The Official Cookbook
Embark on a culinary adventure with Moana of Motunui with Pacific recipes inspired by Moana and Moana 2! After a long day of sailing to see how far you’ll go or keeping the demigod Maui out of trouble with Te Fiti, catch a break with the delicious dishes in Moana: The Official Cookbook! Featuring more than 50 recipes spanning the...Hardback$4499Elsewhere:$5299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
This Angry Pen of Mine
This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...Hardback$7299Elsewhere:$8999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
They Bloom Because of You
Bestselling author and Instagram sensation Jessica Urlichs returns with a new collection of beautifully observed poems about the ever-evolving journey of motherhood - the hard, the magic and the fleeting. ‘A raw and honest read that makes you feel seen and understood in a way that will bring you to tears.’ - Hilary Swank ‘A book to keep close and...Paperback$3000Elsewhere:$3600Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Leaves of Grass
A collectible new Penguin Classics series offers beautiful, slim, clothbound editions of ten favourite poets. In 1855, Walt Whitman published his first collection of poetry, Leaves of Grass. The volume received great praise from leading Transcendentalist poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. This encouragement led to what would become a lifelong project, as Whitman expanded and rewrote the volume until his death...Hardback$2200Elsewhere:$2400Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Great Writers and the Cats who Owned Them
Throughout history, cats and writers have bonded together in a magical combination of comfort, companionship and inspiration. The famous authors featured here range from Samuel Johnson, whose cat Hodge dined on oysters, and Edward Lear, whose charismatic cat Foss was missing half his tail, to Margaret Mitchell, L. M. Montgomery and Dorothy L. Sayers, who rescued her kitten Blitz from...Hardback$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Beautiful Chaos
The Instant Sunday Times Bestseller Selected poems from bestselling author and Instagram poet, Jessica Urlichs. 'These words awaken the magic of life by celebrating the ordinary.' - Giovanna Fletcher Motherhood is messy and beautiful, and hard and humbling. We adore our children and sometimes we miss ourselves. Beautiful Chaos is a collection of raw, honest poems about motherhood, capturing everything...Paperback$2900Elsewhere:$3500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
To the Women - The New Collection of Wise Words Every Woman Needs
THE COMPLETELY UPDATED COLLECTION WITH OVER 70 BRAND NEW POEMS, FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES NO.1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF WILD HOPE AND WORDS TO LIVE BY 'Amazing . . . Donna's words speak to my heart' Davina McCall To the Women is a celebration of the beauty, strength, and joy of being a woman. A love letter to our deep capacity...Hardback$2999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Wreck This Journal: Now in Colour
The creative journey continues with Wreck This Journal: Now in Colour by Keri Smith, the latest and most vibrant edition of the groundbreaking series that redefined journaling. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, this edition brings the playful destructiveness of the original to life in dazzling full colour, adding a dynamic new dimension to the beloved prompts. Whether you're a seasoned Wreck-er,...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
A Thousand Feasts
THE INSTANT #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER From award-winning writer Nigel Slater, comes a new and exquisitely written collection of notes, memoir, stories and small moments of joy. 'Nigel Slater’s prose is the rarest delicacy of all: exquisite yet effortless, filled with heart, tenderness, yearning and humour' ELIZABETH DAY For years, Nigel Slater has kept notebooks of curiosities and wonderings, penned...Paperback$2999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Odyssey
The Odyssey by Homer is a monumental epic that has enthralled readers for centuries with its rich tapestry of adventure and human struggle. It chronicles the perilous journey of Odysseus, the cunning King of Ithaca, as he strives to return home after the fall of Troy. During this ten-year odyssey, Odysseus confronts myriad dangers, both natural and supernatural, that test...Paperback$2499Elsewhere:$2800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Deliver Me from Nowhere (Movie Tie-In)
An updated movie tie-in edition of the fascinating story behind the making of Bruce Springsteen's most surprising album, Nebraska, and its pivotal role in the rock legend's career. The inspiration for the major motion picture starring Jeremy Allen White and Jeremy Strong. The fascinating story behind the making of Bruce Springsteen's most surprising album, Nebraska, revealing its pivotal role in...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
