THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE BY BERTOLT BRECHT: LANGUAGE AND STYLE

Style in literature can be described as how the author uses literary elements such as words, sentence structure and figurative language to describe events, ideas and objects in their work.
Stylistic devices refer to a variety of techniques used by writers. 

PLAY WITHIN A PLAY

​Play within a play  involves having another play within the main play. It is important as it helps in plot development, bringing out various themes and character traits. The play “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” is three stories presented in one; The story of the Goat Herders and Fruit farmers,The story of Grusha and Michael and The story of Azdak as the judge.these are thus presented as plays within the main play.
The story of “The Caucasian Chalk Circle”, borrowed from a Chinese tale is presented as a play within a play. There is a meeting of the delegates who are trying to resolve the puzzle of who owns the piece of land between the fruit farmers and the goat keepers. When an agreement is reached, the peasant woman on the left invites Arkadi Tscheidse, the singer, to entertain them.
There is also a play within a play when Michael and other children enact the beheading of the Governor. It is used to show the extent of evil in society as the children who are so innocent clearly portray it. Michael refusing to be the one to be beheaded shows he is the chip off the old block-the Governor’s son. It is also a satire of criticism of the senseless and cruel behaviour in the society. The play within a play is used to bring out the self sacrificing nature of Grusha. As seen when she takes care of Michael as he own son, through it various stylistic techniques such as use of song, Irony and flash back are evident. Various themes such as hypocrisy, negligence of duty among others are also brought out.
The story of Azdak the judge is also a play within a play. It begins when Azdak helps the old beggar who late turns out to be the Grand Duke. It ends with Azdak judging Grusha’s and Natella’s case using “The Caucassian Chalk Circle.” This play within a play exemplifies the themes of justice, abuse of power and greed.
Another play within a play is when the Fat Prince wishes to appoint his nephew Bizergan Kazbeki, as the judge. He requests the drunken Iron shirts to vet him. They perform a mock trial which involves Azdak who poses as the Grand Duke and the nephew poses as the judge. The Iron shirts takes up the roles of the people who have come to listen to the proceedings of the case. Azdak is blames of running the war badly but he instead blames the princes rather than himself. He is able to make several successful attacks on the prince’s corruption. Here, we learn how the princes mismanaged the war and blamed it on the Grand Duke. The nephew fails to make a judgement since he is out-witted by Azdak and the ironshirts unanimously settle on Azdak as the judge. The first ironshirt tells him, “Go to the judge’s seat! Now sit in It! (pg 74) 

JUXTAPOSITION/CONTRAST
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​This is a stylistic feature used by writers to put people or things side by side in order to show the contrast or their differences. This style has been used to enhance dramatic effect.
The act of Governor George Abashwili entering the church is juxtaposed with the image of the soldiers pushing the common people out of the way. This contrast undermines the religious significance of going to church. This is exemplified when the soldier says, “Get back! Clear the church door.” (pg 14)
Grusha buys milk for Michael and pays two piasters. This is her week’s salary. This amount of money used is a sacrifice for Michael. This contrasts the 100,000 piasters offered to Azdak by the Duke for one night lodging ‘....persuasion! Pay hundred thousand piasters one night, I tell you...where are they?” (pg 64). This contrast is meant to bring to fore the glaring gap between the rich and the poor. This satirises the society that puts more value on money to show the difference in the levels of wealth in social classes. Consequently, Azdak uses his position to take from the rich and give the poor. Thus, he fines the rich invalid, The Blackmailer, the innkeeper, and the farmers all of whom are wealthy.
During the wedding of Jussup and Grusha, the monk says, “Dear wedding and funeral guests!” (pg 53). This depicts two contrasting life eventualities, one representing continuity and the other- end.
There is also an instance of juxtaposition where the goat and fruit farmers are placed side by side to establish the deserving owners of the valley.
Natella and Grusha are juxtaposed to establish the difference in level of love: true motherly love for a child and love for material wealth out of the peril of the child.
Other characters that have been contrasted are Lavrenti with his wife Aniko, Simon and Grusha, Grusha and other peasants working for the Governor, among others.

HUMOUR
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​Despite the occurrence of serious issues explored within the play, there are humorous incidents. We are presented with doctors; Mika Loladze and Mishiko Oboladze. They are in charge of Michael and quarrel over trivial issues.
“May I remind you.....that I was against the lukewarm bath ....more likely a sight draft during the night. Your Grace....no cause for concern, your Grace.”  (pg 15-16)
It is humorous that these two doctors described as dignified would quarrel over Michael’s coughing. In another comic episode, the two argue over whom will take charge of Natellla now that she has fainted after chaos and death erupt in the palace.
“Niko Mikadze, it is your duty as a doctor to attend Natella Abashwili....you neglect your duty........” (pg 21)
It is humorous to find the two going to an extent of fighting in the middle of a catastrophe. This humour serves to lessen the tension that is created when George is assassinated. It also brings out the character of the two doctors as incompetent and irresponsible characters.
When Simon encounters Grusha, there is humour when he says he watches over her as she washes linen by the willows, “There’s more. Your toes and more....your foot and a little more....(pg 18)
There is humour when a drunken peasant sings, “There was a young woman who said: I thought I’d be happier, wed but my husband is old and remarkably cold so I sleep with a candle instead” (pg 54)
When Shauwa knocks at the door, Azdak says that he is not in. Azdak explains himself to Shauwa possibly to escape the arrest. “....Shauwa don’t talk about things you don’t understand. The rabbit is dangerous and destructive beast. It feeds on plants especially on the species of plants known as weeds. It must therefore be exterminated, “he adds, “I........man is made in God’s image. Not So a rabbit....I’m a rabbit-eater, but you’re a man eater...go home and repent.” (pg 65)

SATIRE​

​Satire refers to the way a writer ridicules an individual or the society in a humorous way, with an aim of bringing desirable change.
The playwright exposes weakness of leaders who have been entrusted with power and fail to do what is expected of them. People are oppressed and live in misery. The beggars and petitioners are crying that they do not have enough to eat and they feel neglected.
The policing administration is criticized for the inhuman treatment of the suffering lot. They lash them with whips to keep them away from the Governor and his family instead of sympathizing with their plight.
The governor and his wife pretend to be religious yet they display their contempt for the lowly class. The governor is a political leader but surprisingly, lacks interest in political matters. He ignores the rider who has confidential papers from the capital in preference to personal matters. Instead, he meets the architects to discuss building plans. The governor is ignorant of serious issues such as a meeting held by princes in the capital in which a coup was planned, ironically, one of the architects is fully aware of the plan to overthrow the Grand Duke and his Governors. (pg 15). His political nature is being ridiculed because being in political position means he ought to accord political matters serious consideration.
The police administration’s brutality  is criticized for the inhuman treatment of the suffering lot. They lash them with whips to keep them away from the Governor and his family instead of sympathizing with their plight.
The Fat prince pretends to be so much pleased with the governor’s family that he even bows and remarks sarcastically that Michael  is a ‘governor from head to foot’ and yet he had planned to kill the Governor that very day. When he tells the Governor he loves a gay sky, he is not sincere.
Aniko, wife to Lavrenti and sister-in-law to Grusha claims to be religious, However, she is presented as mean, egocentric, selfish and inhospitable. She bullies around her husband and tries to throw Grusha out of the house as she fears what the neighbours will say for hosting an unmarried woman with a child.
The monk’s religious hypocrisy  is also satirized. He is expected to be religiously inclined but he has many weaknesses. He oversees Grusha’s marriage to Jussup while drank. He is actually paid to perform the ceremony but as a monk, he is expected to devote his life and time to religious matters, which he does not.
The Governor’s wife is satirized through her vain behaviour. She does not have time for the poor beggars and her servants and only identifies herself with people of class. After the coup her main concern is the clothes she is going to carry, “only essential!.......the green one! And of course, the one with far trimming.....”(pg 24) On the same page she adds, “........get my little saffron-coloured boots..... I need them for green dress.” In haste to save her dresses, she leaves her son Michael as she flees.When Michael coughs Natella’s attention is drawn to him and she wants to know what is up. She even asks her husband whether he had heard the baby cough. She then givens a stern warning and advises the two doctors in charge of the child to be more careful. When he sees Michael after he is brought in by the ironshirts, she remarks that “He’s in rags” (pg 97)
Natella has very low regard for the underprivileged. (pg 18), she says, ‘It’s impossible to live in such a slum,,,,” When she enters the court, she is relieved that there are no common people: “I can’t stand their smell. It always gives me migraine. (pg 88) From the onset, she dislikes Azdak and (pg 89) she says, “I disliked that man from the moment I first saw him.” This foreshadows the fact that she may not get a fair judgement from him.

IRONY
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​Irony refers to an incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs or is. It is also the use of words that convey a meaning that is opposite of its literal meaning. There are different types of irony for example verbal irony where the speaker says direct opposite of what is meant. Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows facts in a text which a character in the text is ignorant of. Other types of irony are situational, comic and tragic irony.
The playwright has used this style in several areas in ‘The Caucasian Chalk Circle.’ The irony of situation is that George Abashwili, the Governor plans to remodel and enlarge his palace. “.....in the afternoon his Excellency will confer with prominent architects.” (pg 19) He even proposes to pull down the peasant shacks on the estate. Natella says, “All those wretched slums are to be torn down to make room for a garden.’ (pg 15). This is ironical in that this will be a garden for the privileged at the expense of the poor majority. Irony is further seen when this same estate is confiscated for the state at the court when Azdak declares it would be given to the people and made into a play ground for children. He says, “....your estates fall to the city...Azdak’s gardens.” (pg 98)
Also the Governor’s plans do not pull through because he is executed that afternoon. The Play Wright uses the noble child Michael, to bring out irony. Being the only son to the Governor, he has two doctors for his medical care. It is ironical when the coup takes place, the doctors Niko Mikadze and Nika Loladze abandon the child. Mika says, “......Do you really think ......little brat’s account?” (pg 21). The situational irony is that the child has two doctors while the common people are suffering. The Governor’s wife, who thinks that the Governor pays more attention to Michael than to her, is more concerned with her elegant dresses and forgets her baby. Ironically, Grusha a servant girl saves the child from being killed by the Fat Prince. She is more willing to be a guardian to the infant than her wealthy mistress. The biological mother of the child.
The incident when Grusha plans to abandon Michael at the doorstep of a peasant woman’s house has been developed through use of irony. Grusha’s plans are well intentioned since she thinks the peasant will be kind enough to give Michael milk and she assumes that are far enough from the city. This is exemplified when she says, “now you have wet yourself again...you can’t ask that can you?’ (pg 34). Irony is brought to the fore when her thoughts are displayed in the chorus, “because I am single....someone who’s newly poor.” (pg 35). When she meets the ironshirts she runs back to save Michael. Ironically, her plan with the peasant woman betrays Grusha, who hits the corporal over the head with a log of wood just to save Michael.
When Grusha manages to cross the rotten bridge, she laughs her way to freedom and shows the Ironshirts the child. Ironically, this freedom does not last for long as she suffers in her brother’s house because of Michael. She is too weak to walk and her sister-in-law who is portrayed to be religious ironically does not apply the religious principles but uses ‘religion’ as an excuse to kick Grusha out of her home. Lavrenti only allows Grusha to live in his house over winter. Due to the same reasons he has given to his ‘religious wife’ over Grusha’s marital status, Lavrenti forces Grusha to marry a ‘dying man’ from the other side of the mountains. This is especially because of the presence of the illegitimate child. The irony of the situation is that the brotherly love that Grusha had expected from Lavrenti is not forthcoming; he ends up complicating Grusha’s live when he organizes for the fake wedding.
Jussup, Grusha’s dying husband, illness is developed in an ironic manner. The peasants comment on Jussup’s health status. They initially thought Jussup was faking illness in order to avoid being drafted in to war. They regret having felt that way because Jussup really appears about to die. When the guests continue to talk and eat, one of them remarks that the army can no longer draft anyone as the war is over. Jussup suddenly sits up in bed; the most ironic possible scenario of his death is no more. He is alive and kicking.
Azdak’s judgement at the court is presented in an ironic manner. Brecht has used this style to point out that Azdak is a disappointed man and would not cause disappointment to others. The judgment pronounced on the cases in ironical. The doctor who operates a patient on the wrong leg is acquitted for perpetrating an unpardonable error on his practice. The farmer who accuses the old man for receiving his stolen animal is fined five hundred piasters and ironically the suspect is made to sit the same table with the judge “....you granny and you....and Azdak!” (pg 82)
Natella, the Governor’s wife, is using the child Michael as a means of acquiring inheritance. Her claim that she is the mother of Michael is not due to her motherly love. The Chalk Circle brings out an ironic twist when Grusha does not pull Michael. Ironically, Natella the real mother rushes to pull the child but Grusha says, ‘I brought him up! Shall I also tear him into bits? I can’t! (pg 98) This determined the deserving mother as the one who is motherly.

USE OF IMAGERY

​Imagery refers to the use of figurative language to represent ideas, objects or actions. It can also be defined as the use of descriptive language that appeals to our senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. This is mainly done through metaphors and similes.
A. Metaphors
A metaphor is a figure of speech in which an expression (word or phrase) which ordinarily refers to one thing is used to denote another in order to suggest a similarity. It suggests the likeness between the two.
The girls Tractorist says, ‘I started the fire myself,” This means she started the onslaught herself against the Nazis. (pg 97)
There is also reference to ‘a bloody time’ (pg 13). This denotes time of war characterized by violence and death.
In the chorus (pg 32), the ironshirts pursuing Grusha are likened to ‘bloodhounds’, dogs that are known for their powerful sense of smell.
On page 65, Azdak likens the old man (grand prince) to a bedbug to suggest he is a ‘pest’
Azdak thinks it is Ludovika who assaults the stable man with a ‘dangerous weapon’ which means she is provocative.
The Fat prince refers to his nephew ‘my little fox’ (pg 71) to hint at his traits and to show how confident he is that he will be made the judge.
B. Similes
This is a figure of speech that directly compares two things that are related using connective words such as –“like”, “as” or “resembles”
The Governor Georgi Abashwili is described thus: ‘He was rich as Croesus,” (pg 7) this compares him to the king of Lydia who was defeated by Persians and was known for his immense wealth, his name is synonymous with wealth.
The singer castigates the insensitive leaders thus: “O blindness of the great! They go their way like gods.....’ (pg 20)
After the coup, the servants say among themselves, ‘we’ll be slaughtered like chickens, as always’ (pg 21) . This suggests they are not safe.
Simon asks Grusha, ‘Is the lady as healthy as a fish in water? (pg 22). Grusha is compared to a thief, probably for the reader to pass judgement on whether she is justifies to take Michael, we are told: ‘As if she was a thief she crept away!” (pg 29)
When Grusha is sheltered at her brother’s house, she tells Michael that they should make themselves ‘as small as cockroaches’ (pg 47) to escape the wrath of her sister-in-law. Indeed, Lavrenti remarks, “why are you sitting there muffled up like coachmen....” (pg 48)
To suggest that she cannot run away from Michael, Grusha tells him, “I came by you as the peat trees comes by sparrows’ (pg 49)
Azdak says law is a sensitive organ, ‘.....like the spleen, in delivering justice, we are told by the singer he, “Broke law like bread he gave them.’ (pg 82)

SONGS
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​Many songs have been sung by Arkadi and other characters in the play. Some are at the beginning of the scene, others within the scene and at the end of the scene.
The governor is introduced through a song. Before we meet him, we are told about what king of a person he is as follows:-
‘He was rich as Croesus
He had a beautiful wife
He had a healthy baby’ (pg 13)
We learn that he has many beggars and petitioners whom he ignores. This song juxtaposes the rich governor with the majority poor folks who wait for hand outs in form of coins which are distributed by a servant.
Simon Shashava, the soldier, and Grusha, a kitchen maid are also introduced to us before we meet them. We learn of their relationship. The song on (pg 18) is summative. It summarizes the action. The Governor’s palace foreshadows restlessness. The palace is said to be a fortress but is surrounded by soldiers. We anticipate the death of the Governor. “.....Noon was the hour to die.” These words are followed by the appearance of the Fat Prince.
The stage is set for the execution of the Governor by the Fat Prince. The tension surrounding the Governor’s execution is found in the song on (pg 20), in the song, stage directions are given e.g.  “....look about you once more blind man!’
Grusha’s action of taking the abandoned Michael is brought out through a song. She is drawn to Michael and decides to save him though this is risky. In the song, she does what the singer says. Grusha’s flight into the mountains with Michael is captures in a song. She sang a song and bought milk on the way, The song pre-empts the action of bargaining for milk with the old man.
The risky flight with iron shirts following Grusha is underscored (pg 32). They hunt for the fleeing due, never tire and sleep a little. Iron shirts feelings are captured in their song. They go into war leaving behind their lovers (pg 33). The song on pg 35 reveals Grusha mixed feelings of happiness and sadness after she abandons Michael at the peasant’s doorstep.
Azdak sings the song of injustice in Persia which was sang to him by his grandfather. It shows instances of injustice and the effects of the war: ‘why don’t our sons breed anymore?....Our men are carried to the ends of the earth, so that the great ones can eat at home.....The battle was lost, the helmets were paid for.” (pg 68)
The song of the chaos in Egypt pg 83 finally brings out the emancipation of the masses from the oppression and misrule of the ruling class. For instance it says, “...who had no bread at all have full granaries...” pg 84

PROVERBS AND WISE SAYINGS
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Many proverbs have been used by the playwright. The capability to use proverbs in one’s conversation is interpreted as a sign of wisdom. It also shows masterly of one’s own language since proverbs and wise sayings require comprehension of metaphors, similes and symbols in one’s community.
When Grusha points out to Simon that it must be dangerous for him to accompany Natella Abashwili as her guard on her flight, he replies with a wise saying-‘in Tiflis, they say: Isn’t the stabbing dangerous for the knife?” (pg 21) means as the knife stabs what it is supposed to, it is also in danger of breaking or bending but it still stabs anyway. Likewise, a soldier protects others despite the danger despite the danger he exposes himself.
When they meet in the courtyard and Grusha is rushing to collect her personal effects, She accepts Simon’s proposal long before he even proposes. Simon feels embarrassed and responds, “haste, they say is the wind that blows down the scaffold (a temporary building) built for workers round a building that is being constructed, If they are blown away then the builders will not be able to build the permanent structure as they will have no where to stay just like Grusha and Simon will not have a marriage if she is not patient enough to listen to the information that will cement that relationship.
When Michael and other boys are playing the game of cutting off the Governor’s head, the other children want Michael to play the Governor’s role of just bending and his head is cut off but Michael adamantly refuses and says he wants to be the person to cut off. The other children disagree but Michael is adamant so when they shout to Grusha that Michael won’t play his part, Grusha laughs and says, ‘Even the little duck is a swimmer, they say.’(pg 58) Meaning even though Michael is young, you cannot command him since he is the son of a Governor and so others do what he demands and not vice versa.
When Azdak discovers that the fleeing duke is not a peasant but a land owner he orders him out but the Duke make him a proposition. Azdak finds this to be the height of insolence and responds, ‘The bitten man scratches his fingers bloody, and the leech that’s biting him makes him a proposition!’ (pg 64). This implies that the landowners have been exploiting the peasants and the low class and when a chance comes up for the exploited to free themselves; the exploiters make a proposition so that they can go on exploiting the masses and maintain their status quo.
When waiting for trial, the cook asks Grusha why she is holding on to the child at any price yet the child is not hers. She explains how she first just expected to give the child away but later thought that Natella, the mother, wouldn’t come back and the cook responds, ‘An even borrowed coat keeps a man warm hm?’ (pg 87). This implies that, even if Grusha knows the child was not hers, the feeling that the child belonged to her is fulfilling.
After Azdak is reinstated as a judge and openly demands for a bribe, the prosecutors who have been worried smile with relief. The cook is worried but Simon comments ‘A well can’t be filled with dew, they say’ (pg 90). In his argument to prove that Natella abashwili deservers to be given the child instead of Grusha who claims to have brought him up, he quotes ,’Blood, as a popular saying goes is thicker than water.’ (pg 60)
There is a heated exchange of proverbs between Azdak and Simon when Grusha thinks Azdak enacts to give Natella the child simply because she is too poor to pay legal fees. Azdak argues that the poor are able to give the butcher his dues but not the judge, Simon quotes- “When the horse was shod, the horsefly held out its leg.’ (pg 94). This means Azdak who is poor as they are or in the same class, is now counting himself among the ruling class.
Azdak replies, Better a treasure in manure that a stone in a mountain stream’ (pg 94). Although a mountain stream has very clean water an ordinary stone in it is worthless but a treasure in a manure can be retrieved and utilized. When one is poor, no matter how morally upright one is, one is worse off than a rich, corrupt person. Simon replies by saying, ‘Let’s go fishing said the angler to the worm, (pg 94) meaning that just like the angler would benefit, Azdak would just be used by the rulers to oppress the poor and Azdak might as well end up being devoured just like the worm.
By Azdak replying that, ‘I’m my own master, said the servant; and cut off his foot, means one does not have to do outrageous activities to prove that one is independent minded. Simon replies by showing that, people are able to see through their tormentors’ hypocrisy when the latter professes to love the farmer and therefore still give them their due. This is proved when he says, ‘I love you as a father said the Czar to the peasants, and had the Czarevitch’s head chopped off.
Azdak knows that despite the appearance, he is still on the poor people’s side yet Simon does not realize this, so that is why he concludes the discussion by saying, ‘A fool’s worst enemy is himself.’ (pg 94)
From all the above, it is important to note that, the cook, Grusha, Azdak and Simon are the only people who portray positive traits in the society. They portray a sense of wisom as seen when they are highlighted as the only characters that employ proverbs and wise sayings.

ALLUSION
Allusion refers to a passing reference or indirect mention of something or someone the reader is expected to know.
The playwright alludes to the king of Lydia (560 BC-547BC) who was defeated by Persians and was known for his immense wealth on pg 7. We are told that the Governor Georgi Abashwili was,....’rich as Croesus.’
The girls tractorist also quotes the poet (Vladimir) Mayakovsy, pg 10, a Georgian born in 1883. He wrote the poems, ‘The Cloud’ and ‘I’ which are among the most popular during his time. Singer alludes to Jesus when he remarks, “And now you don’t need an architect, a carpenter will do, “ (pg 20). The Governor needs Jesus to save him from his predicament.
The play infers from both a Chinese play (Circle of chalk written in 1300 AD) and a biblical story (The judgement of Solomon- 1 Kings 3: 16-28)
In the Chinese story, a young girl, Hai-tang, bears a child as the second wife of a wealthy man. His first wife claims the child is her own. However, the second wife is judged the true mother when she refuses to pull the child apart in the test of the Chalk Circle.
In the biblical story, two women live in the same house and both bear a child. One baby dies in the night and its mother swaps him for the living baby. Both claim the living child is their own. Solomon orders that the child be cut in two and each half be given to each mother. The real mother of the child gives up the child rather than see him harmed and is judged to be the true mother.
SARCASM
This is the use of humorous language to ridicule or to convey scorn, especially saying one thing but implying the opposite.
The Fat Prince is sarcastic when he says, ‘And little Michael is a governor from head to foot! Tititi!” (pg 15). Simon is sarcastic when he tells Grusha: ‘Why shouldn’t I wash the linen by the willows!’ That’s good, really good!’ (pg 17). On pg 18, the singer says, ‘And the goose was plucked and roasted/But the goose was not eaten this time.’ This refers to the killing of the Governor and draws an analogy to the goose Grusha kills for the Governor’s family.
When the singer says,’And now you don’t need an architect, a carpenter will do,’ (pg 20), the playwright is sarcastic towards religion as this alludes to the fact that the Governor needs Jesus, who was a carpenter to intervene on this Easter Sunday. This will of course not happen.
The ‘dying’ man refers to Grusha as, ‘A nice thing you’ve saddled me with! A simpleton for a wife! (pg 57)
When Grusha is fined ten pisters for using ‘indecent language’ in court, she sarcastically lambasts Azdak and his corrupt ways by saying,’A fine kind of Justice! You play fat and loose with us because we don’t talk as refined as that crowd with their lawyers’ (pg 94)
SYMBOLISM
Symbolism refers to the use of symbols to represent ideas. The silver chain Simon gives Grusha is symbolic (pg 28). It is a symbol of the bondage between the two. When Grusha hears that the war is over and the soldiers are back, she kneels down in prayer and kisses the chain. Later, Simon suspects that Grusha is married to another man and he asks for the chain.
On pg 81, Azdak, enacts the old woman as granny Grusinia. She is a symbol of a nation that has fallen prey of the greedy citizens (the three farmers) who deprives it all that it owns (her sons). She symbolises a nation that seeks justice.
The Chalk Circle drawn to help Azdak, the judge, comes up with as a rational decision on who should have the child is a symbol of truth. Ironically, his methods of justice are not by the Book of Statutes he sits on. Therefore, he lets justice reveal itself. Similarly, the play opens with another circle of justice, when members of the two communes sit together to decide who should have the valley. The Delegate, like Azdak, announces the outcome without pushing. Within this friendly circle where the communes have equal social status, they can impartially decide the best use of the valley, and it is peacefully and mutually decided for the fruit growers.
The playwright has also used the Christian symbolism. The Christian church has been used as a tool to support the upper class and keep the lower classes in their places. The historical church subverts the original teaching of Christ who treated all humans with respect.
The garden that Governor Abashwili want to establish for his son by knocking down slums for the poor symbolises oppression and insensitivity of the rich towards the poor. Ironically, Azdak later rules that the Governor’s estate should revert to the poor
FORESHADOWING
Foreshadowing is a situation where a writer gives a sign of something that will come later on a work of art, that which is important or appalling.
When the Fat Prince greets his brother Governor Georgi Abashwili, this is quite unusual until the Governor remarks, ‘.....But did you hear Brother Kazbeki wish me a happy Easter? Which is all very well, but I don’t believe it did rain last night.’ (pg 16). The relationship between the brothers’ is thus foreshadowed by the Governor’s comment, in which he expresses surprise at being greeted by his brother. The brother later executes him.
Natella, the governor’s wife, seems to have an unstable mind and poses, ‘I hardly know if my head’s still on. Where’s Michael? ..........(pg 24). Later she forgets to carry his as she flees.
Another important moment is when Natella, the governor’s wife, tells, her adjutant how jealous of Michael she really is, She is desperate for attention from her husband. ‘But Georgi, of course, will only build for his little Michael, Never for me! Michael is all! All for Michael!’ This jealousy of her child is important since she abandons him later in the act.
Shortly before Azdak makes the ruling on who should take Michael between Natella and Grusha, the boy smiles at the latter. This foreshadows the ruling made by the judge as Grusha is finally given child.
Azdak tells the old man (Grand Duke) to ‘encircle the cheese on the plate like it might be snatched from him (pg 65) This foreshadows the chalk circle that is drawn to choose a mother for the child, Michael. (pg 97)

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