Analysis of the First Two Acts of Brechts The Caucasian Chalk Circle :: The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Set shortly after World warfare two, the Prologue commences with twogroups of peasants seated in the ruins of a Caucasian village, makeis a delegate from the State Reconstruction Commission. We areintroduced to the two parties as they betoken the retrieval of a valleythe goat herders (on the right) originally owned the terra firma andtherefore believe that as they were there first they should hence come onthe landed estate, whereas the party on the left (the fruit farmers) argue thatthey could portion the land to better use by means of superior production.The delegate talk over the debate chooses the fruit farmers. Thisintroduction not only sets the plays structure further also possesses manycommunist undertones as in a capitalistic government the land would bereturned to its original owner, yet under communist supervision thelogical explanation is to give the land to whoever will put it tothe best use. In order to celebrate the peaceful resolution to the feud the peasants o n the left provide a singer named Arkadi to singa song entitled The Chalk Circle. The positioning of the two partieson the degree is very effective, as one immediately comprehends thepolitical significance. The party on the right representing right-wingbeliefs and that of the left conveying that of the communists, thefact that the delegate selects the Communists to buzz off the landsuggests the topic of the play and the eventual outcome of it,resulting in a foreboding and somewhat confusing atmosphere. Theprologue serves as a means for Brecht to present his ideas before theplay essentially commences thus allowing the audience to accept the deterrent example of the play and be inclined to acknowledge the Communist messagebefore the actual production begins. The singer appears to be symbolicof wisdom passim the play he narrates the fable in a lyrical and poetical fashion with metaphors that offers insight on the variouscharacters feelings and clarification of the various scenes.Th e prologue appears historically accurate yet the initiation of ActOne presents an entirely incompatible mood the singer causes his reputationto be perceived as a fairytale. By speaking in verse all realism isinterpreted away and the audience is transported to a fabled world createdby the singer. though not announced, the Acts having titles emphasizesthe storybook theme. The play commences with the singer seated on thefloor encircled by a group of listeners (the chorus) in his hand is abook, as he commences his tale he does not read from the book providedrather narrates from memory the manner of his recitation makes itclear that he has told his story over and over again.