The Caucasian Chalk
Circle begins with a dispute over land between two peasant groups after the land was abandoned when the
Germans invaded in World War II. As the two groups haggle it out, the group who win begin to tell the story of the Chalk Circle to help them with their dispute.
During a time of revolution chaos ensues across the land. The rich Governor’s wife, Natella, is trying to run away with as many precious goods as possible. Her young
child, Michael, is a terrible encumbrance for the woman and she longs to get rid of him. As she flees for her life, she leaves her child with the servant girl Grusha.
Grusha runs away with the child, afraid for the boy’s life because the new regime are out to kill the Governor’s family. She risks her life to cross the countryside during winter and flees to her brother’s house.
Grusha’s brother forces her to marry a man who is supposedly dying. They hold a wedding, but during the reception they learn that the war is over and her new husband turns out to be in full health. Grusha, now saddled with a husband she doesn’t want, has to play the good wife. Her
previous love, Simon, now returns and finds out that she is both married and has a child that he presumes is hers.
Soon also, some soldiers appear and take Michael away from her, claiming that the child belongs to the newly re-established Governor’s wife. Grusha follows them to the city, desperate to get the child who she loves back.
Grusha and the Governor’s wife go before the court of Azdak, a previous trickster who now has become the new judge. The two women claim the child as theirs. Azdak, in order to prove who’s child it is, decides to create a chalk circle around and says that whoever owns the child will pull the child to their side of the circle. As each woman holds one side of the child, Grusha soon thinks the child will be hurt by their struggle. She lets go of Michael and he ends up with the Governor’s wife. Azdak than declares the child Grusha’s. For only a true mother would risk their own happiness for that of their child’s.
Grusha ends of with the child and her previous love, Simon. For her sacrifice she gets all that she wants. As the play goes back to the peasants, they learn that perhaps through working together they won’t destroy the land but profit from it.