Negligence and Irresponsibility in Bertolt Brecht’s “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” Anonymous 12th Grade

The Caucasian Chalk Circle, at its essence, is a play in which Brecht brings out the idea of negligence and irresponsibility. In the war-ravaged Grusinia, the leaders are portrayed as not only being indifferent to the cry of their subjects but also unsympathetic to the political situation. The playwright brings into view the idea of negligence and irresponsibility through characters in the play who fail to pay the required degree of attention, which results in devastating, annihilating, and disastrous effects on others.

Despite governor Georgi Abashwili, being the leader of the people with the sole responsibility of paying attention to the troubles of his subjects, he shows complete ignorance as well as irresponsibility. The governor, despite being as “rich as Croesus,” with “many horses in his stable” is blind to the plight of the beggars and petitioners at his doorstep. On Easter Sunday as the governor and his family make their way to the church, beggars pour out of the gateway, each with their lamentations: “…the taxes are too high,’’ “the child is starving in my arms!” “ … the water inspector takes bribes” (14). Even though one of the governor’s servants collects the petitions and another distributes the coins, no one pays...