Why the rich also cry in 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle'

The playThe Caucasian Chalk Circleby Bertolt Bretch encompasses various characters. An earlier article dealt with Grusha, Azdak, and the Grand Duke.

This article will deal with Natella and the mother-in-law. The article will also include a sample essay question. These characters are important as they bring out the theme of greed and materialism in the play.

Natella is the wife of the governor and mother to the heir apparent Michael Abashwili. After the execution of her husband, she is forced to flee. She fusses with her fancy dresses and shoes and in the process leaves her son behind. Later when she claims the child back, she loses the case against Grusha.

Natella is vain. She says Georgi has decided to start building the east wing and all those wretched slums are to be torn down to make room for the garden. She later says it is impossible to live in such a slum.

When the governor is beheaded and she is forced to flee, she sends a servant to get her the little saffron-coloured boots from the bedroom, as she will need them for the green dress. She says she wouldn’t dream of going on horseback when she is told that they are not taking the carriage.

When she enters the law court in Nuka, she is glad there are no common people there. She says she can’t stand their smell as they give her a migraine. She says later Michael is in rags and must have been in a pigsty.

CONTEMPTUOUS ATTITUDE

Natella is abusive and contemptuous. As she prepares to flee from the palace, she tells the Young Woman …’I’ll kill you bitch!’…. She beats the young woman. Later she asks the First Woman …’ Where is that bitch Asja?’…. When she sees Grusha she asks …’is that the creature?’’…. Later she tells her 'I will show you, you vulgar creature.'

Mother-in-law is mother to Jussup and mother-in-law to Grusha. She organises with Lavrenti for Grusha to be married to Jussup who is dying.

Mother-in-law is materialistic. She agrees to be paid four hundred piasters for Grusha to marry her dying son. She uses the excuse of a child to bargain for more money. Lavrenti gives her another two hundred piasters.

For the wedding ceremony, she hires a cheap monk to save money instead of hiring the priest. She feigns forgetfulness by asking Lavrenti if they had agreed on seven hundred piasters. She says if Jussup doesn’t die on that day then she will be forced to bake more funeral cakes the following day.

When three more musicians enter, she tells the monk she has brought three more on her neck. She tells them to play as no one could stop them from eating cakes.

Mother-in-law is hypocritical. When she realises Grusha has a child, she begins to weep. She says she would never survive the shame, as they are honest people. She says Jussup doesn’t have to marry a girl with a child.

When the monk inquires about the child, she says she does not see any child and neither does the monk. During the wedding ceremony, she says yes on behalf of her son and asks the monk …’Didn’t you hear him say yes?’ …

To sum, the above is just a highlight of the character traits. Learners should delve further.

SAMPLE ESSAY QUESTION.

The rich also cry. Using evidence from the playCaucasian Chalk Circle, justify the appropriateness of the proverb.

Wealth is often associated with luxury, bliss and getting one’s heart desire. On the contrary, the rich have their share of misfortunes as well. Georgi Abashwili, Prince Kazbeki, Natella and Grand Duke illustrate this.

Governor Georgi Abashwili, though rich, suffers. He is as rich as Croesus; he has a beautiful wife, a healthy baby, many horses in his stable, many soldiers in his service and so many petitioners in his courtyard.

He enjoys his life and as he goes to church on Easter Sunday, he is expensively dressed. His child has two doctors and is driven in an ornate carriage.

However rich, Grusinia is at war and there are disquieting rumours that the war in Persia has taken a turn for the worse. The princes meet at the capital and plan to overthrow the Grand Duke and his governors.

On the Easter Sunday Prince Kazbeki overthrows the Governor. He is led away and beheaded.

Natella, though rich, suffers. She is married to a rich governor. She has expensive clothes: Brocade dresses, the green one, the wine-coloured one, the one with the fur trimming and a silver dress that cost a thousand piasters. She is always carried around in a carriage.

When war breaks out, she has to flee on horseback and leaves behind her material possessions and son. After the war, she fights to get her son back in order to claim the governor’s estate. She loses the custody of Michael and thus loses the estates.

The Grand Duke though rich suffers. He rules the province of Grusinia and has many people in his service. When his regime is overthrown, he becomes a fugitive. He disguises himself to evade arrest. His mannerisms and soft hands give him away.

He promises to pay Azdak a hundred thousand piasters per night for protection. He dresses like a beggar to escape notice and he is so fearful when he sees Shauwa. He waddles to the corner and starts trembling. He is also very hungry.

When Azdak gives him a piece of cheese, he eats greedily.

Prince Kazbeki, though rich, suffers. He overthrows the governor and rules Grusinia for a while. He embezzles the funds meant for the war. He is powerful and plans to replace the hanged judge with his nephew.

The Grand Duke carries out a counter coup and overthrows the Fat Prince. He is executed in the same way he killed Governor Georgi Abashwili.

From the above illustrations, it is evident that the rich also cry.

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The writer is a teacher at Alliance Girls High School.