In the Caucasic Chalk Circle, the Governor has a kid who is called Michael and his married woman is called Natella. The Governor ‘s brother, the Fat Prince, triggers an rebellion on Easter Sunday. He kills the Governor and forces the Governor ‘s married woman to fly. In her hastiness, she leaves behind her kid. On the other manus, during the putsch, Grusha, a kitchen amah has Michael handed to her. She hides the kid from the Fat Prince and his soldiers and so fly together, thereby salvaging the kid ‘s life. Grusha brings him up and does non go forth him although they have many troubles. One twenty-four hours, Grusha and Michael are found by the soldiers and they are forced to endorse to the metropolis. Both of Natella and Grusha want Michael back. Natella is Michael ‘s existent female parent while Grusha brings Michael up. After listening all the statements and cognizing about what Grusha has done to take attention of Michael, Azdak, the justice, gives Michael to Grusha and orders Natella to go forth by utilizing a Chalk Circle trial.
How does Azdak do a determination by utilizing a Chalk Circle? What things are they based on judging it? In this essay, I am traveling to province the grounds that why Grusha can be the “ female parent ” of Michael no affair they are the existent female parent of a kid or non.
The relationship between Natella and Michael
Natella is the married woman of the Governor and is besides the existent female parent of Michael. However, she is improbably covetous of Michael and she is despairing for attending from her hubby. “ But Georgi, of class, will merely construct for his small Michael. Never for me! Michael is all! All for Michael! ” ( The Caucasian Chalk Cirle, P18 ) Besides, when the Fat Prince has committed a putsch, Natella has to run away before she is captured. She arrives with her things and her kid Michael. She tells another adult female to keep Michael while she packs her apparels. She realizes that she needs aid so she makes the other adult female put Michael on the land in order to assist her battalion. She leaves her kid and in order to salvage her frocks. “ Then put him down a minute and acquire my small saffron-colored boots from the sleeping room. I need them for the green frock. ” “ I ‘ve got to take this Ag frock – it cost a 1000 piastres. And that one there, and where ‘s the wine-colored 1? ” “ Maro, conveying the babe! Go and expression for Masha. No, foremost take the frocks to the passenger car. ” ( The Caucasian Chalk Cirle, P24-25 )
It seems that Natella loves her apparels more than her boy. It is nonsensical for a female parent to go forth her boy because of desiring to salvage her apparels. Besides, she orders her amahs to assist me take attention of Michael but non herself. In that state of affairs, it is really easy to be found by the Fat Prince and his ground forcess. If they are found, they will be killed. By go forthing Michael behind, we can state that Natella does non care about his boy and does non worry about if his boy will be killed.
The relationship between Grusha and Michael
Grusha and other amahs discover that Michael is left on the land. Although Grusha is told by others that it would be safer to merely go forth the kid, she places value on human life and to take Michael with her. She knows she will be in danger if she does so, but she insists non to give up Michael. An old adult female says, “ I tell you, if he had the pestilence he could n’t be more unsafe. ” Grusha answers, “ He has n’t got the pestilence. He looks at me! He ‘s human! ” ( The Caucasian Chalk Circle, P27 )
When Grusha flees with Michael, they face a batch of rough state of affairs. First, Grusha gives up her money in order to pay two piastres which is a hebdomad ‘s wage for the milk to feed Michael. Second, she decides to travel back for Michael after puting in the peasant adult female ‘s house. Third, she hits the Ironshirt over the caput when they are found. Four, the chorus sings “ The incapacitated miss adopted the incapacitated kid. ” ( The Caucasian Chalk Circle, P39 ) when she eventually decides to follow Michael. Five, she can go forth Michael with the merchandiser adult female so that she can across the span and salvage herself, but she does non make so. She crosses the span with Michael and she says, “ We belong together. Populate together, decease together. ” ( The Caucasian Chalk Circle, P41 ) Six, she comforts Michael in winter. “ And the snow is n’t so bad, either, Michael. It covers the small fir trees so they wo n’t decease in winter. ” ( The Caucasian Chalk Circle, P42 ) Seven, she denies to Lavrenti that she is non cold because it can do them to remain in her brother ‘s house for a longer clip. Eight, she marries to a adult male which breaks her promise with Simon who has an battle with her. Nine, she has sex with Jussup. It makes her loses her virginity and she completes her “ wifely responsibility ” . Ten, when she is found by Ironshirts, she is forced to take between Michael and Simon. At the terminal, she chooses Michael and loses Simon.
From the above experiences of Grusha, we can state that Grusha cares about Michael so much although she is non his existent female parent. She can give her money, her lover, her virginity, her matrimony, her hereafter and even her life for Michael and protect Michael. As Michael ‘s existent female parent, she can non make that much for her boy. It is a shame for Natella to handle her boy like that while it is really altruistic for Grusha to make so.
Before the judgement of Azdak
Found by the Ironshirts, Michael and Grusha are forced to endorse to the metropolis as Natella is demanding his return. Grusha and Natella want to hold Michael. They have different statement stating that they should merit to hold Michael. In the tribunal, Natella says, “ at least there are no common people here, thank God. I ca n’t stand their odor. It ever gives me megrim ” and she is looking at Grusha and says, “ Is that the animal? ” ( The Caucasian Chalk Circle, P88 ) These lines show her impoliteness. As a married woman of a Governor, she should non make this to others. If Michael is given to Natella, what would he be in the hereafter? At that clip, no 1 knows who should judge the instance until the Grand Duke appoints Azdak to be the new justice.
The ground of both sides to desire Michael
For Natella, she wants Michael back because without Michael she can non take over the former Governor ‘s estates. Her attorneies say that “ It ‘s important that the miss herself does n’t claim any tie of blood between her and the kid. ” and “ The gross of her estates is blocked, and she is cold-bloodedly told that ‘s it ‘s tied to the inheritor. She ca n’t make a thing without that kid. She canit even pay her attorneies! ! ” ( The Caucasian Chalk Circle, P91-92 ) It seems that the ground for Natella to acquire back her boy is merely for her ain benefits. She merely cares about if she can acquire back the estates and money from the former Governor. Does she truly care about her boy? Does she truly miss her boy in the past few old ages? The reply seems to be NO.
For Grusha, she wants to maintain Michael who she has brought him up for the past few old ages. Besides, Simon supports her to hold Michael. She says, “ I brought him up like the priest says “ harmonizing to my best cognition and scruples. ” I ever found him something to eat. Most of the clip he had a roof over his caput. And I went to such problem for him. I had disbursals excessively. I did n’t look out for my ain comfort. I brought the kid up to be friendly with everyone, and from the get downing taught him to work. Equally good as he could, that is. He ‘s still really small. ” ( The Caucasian Chalk Circle, P91 ) Simon supports what she said by stating he is the male parent of Michael. We can mention to the former portion of my essay. There are many things turn outing Grusha did make a batch for Michael which are because she cares about Michael and protect him. She did non make it for benefits. If a female parent should non believe about taking advantages of her kid, which Natella did but Grusha did non. And Grusha has the support from Simon. It is really unsafe for Simon to state he is the male parent of Michael but he did that to demo he still loves Grusha and attentions about Michael. If Michael can turn up with Grusha and Simon, he may hold a good instruction and have a better life. Although they are non really rich, they love each other so much. I believe they can hold a happy life if Michael lives with them.
The judgement of Azdak
After listening to both sides ‘ statement, Azdak decides to utilize a Chalk Circle to prove who should hold the right to acquire Michael. He orders Shauwa to pull a circle on the floor by utilizing a chalk. Michael is put in the Centre of the circle and both Natella and Grusha have to keep an arm. Azdak tells them the 1 who can draw the kid out of the circle will acquire him. When it acquire started, Natella draw really hard while Grusha chooses to allow travel of him. Azdak determines the true female parent of Michael to be Grusha as she can non draw Michael. Grusha says, “ I brought him up! Shall I tear him to bits? I ca n’t! ” ( The Caucasian Chalk Circle, P98 ) Like Solomon and the original Chinese version of Chalk Circle, the female parent is the adult female who will non ache her kid and see her kid get hurt.
Why a existent female parent can non acquire her boy? Harmonizing to the judgement of Azdak, it is because Natella did non move as a good female parent, she does non care of her boy. She wants his boy as he can do her rich. But Grusha who is non the existent female parent of Michael cares about Michael and she is willing to give a batch for Michael. She does non desire to take any advantages of Michael. Azdak has got the point. The vocalists sing, “ Hear now what the angry miss thought but did non state: Had he aureate places to have on he ‘d be cruel as a bear immorality would his life shame. He ‘d express joy in my face. Transporting a bosom of flint is excessively troublesome a stretch. Bing powerful and bad is difficult on a chap. Then allow hungriness be his enemy! Hungry work forces and adult females, no. Let him fear the darksome dark but non daylight! ” ( The Caucasian Chalk Circle, P96 ) Azdak understands Grusha at that clip. He besides thinks Michael will populate better with Grusha. That is the best for Michael even Grusha is non the existent female parent. Azdak puts the morality before jurisprudence, societal public-service corporation before legality.
Decision
The ground for Grusha can be the female parent of Michael alternatively of Natella is based on the morality instead than a jurisprudence. The moral is that the kid should travel to whoever serves him best.
