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The Caucasian Chalk Circle

By Bertolt Brecht
Series: Modern Classics
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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
The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht is a thought-provoking play set during a time of civil war and political upheaval. It follows the story of a servant girl who rescues an abandoned baby and raises him with love while a dispute arises around his rightful parentage. Through a unique storytelling style, the play explores themes of justice, sacrifice, and the question of rightful ownership, all framed within a rich narrative that intertwines folk tales and parables.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
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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?

This play may appeal to you if you enjoy thought-provoking theatre that combines elements of humour, politics, and social commentary. With its compelling narrative and memorable characters, it explores themes of justice, power, and morality, set against a backdrop of revolutionary conflict. If you're intrigued by plays that challenge societal norms and feature inventive storytelling, this dramatic work will likely captivate you.

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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

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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.

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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

Collections

Arts & Culture Bertolt Brecht Non-Fiction Series: Modern Classics

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.

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