Il testo in italiano tradotto da Ettore Romagnoli e la versione originale in greco della tragedia di Euripide che rappresenta lincontro fortuito tra Elena; nascosta in Egitto; ed il marito Menelao; naufragato di ritorno da Troia. I due architettano un piano per fuggire insieme: con la promessa di sposarlo dopo aver svolto un rito per il marito; creduto da tutti morto; Elena riesce a farsi fornire una nave dal re Teoclimeno; con la quale i due prenderanno il largo scatenando le ire di questi.
#98907 in eBooks 2013-05-11 2013-05-11File Name: B00GAPUBLC
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. A PARABLE ON PROPERTYBy Alfred JohnsonOne of the master communist playwright Bertolt Brechts strengths as an artist was the ability to set up a moral dilemma and work it out to a conclusion; not always a satisfactory one; by plays end. This is unusual in a seemingly orthodox follower of the old Stalinist socialist realist cultural program. This work nevertheless permitted Brecht to address an age-old question about the nature of property ownership; extending it from its natural and historic setting in land and chattels to the question of personal human ownership.The question posed here is whether a child abandoned by its natural mother then found and raised by another women should go to the former or that latter. Nice dilemma; right? But Brecht; as seem in Mother Courage and other parables; is not above cutting right to the bone on moral questions. What makes this work a cut above some of Brechts more didactic plays is the way that he weaves the parable about the odd resolution of an ancient Chinese property dispute and places that `wisdom in context of a then current dispute between two Soviet-era communes.In the ancient dispute the judge who is called upon to render judgment; using the circle as a medium to resolve the dispute; seems to be Solomonic but is really a buffoon. This is pure Brechtian irony. This says as much about Brecht attitude toward property as it does about the old time Chinese justice system. The question of property rights as presented by Brecht and their value as a societal glue is also something the reader or viewer of this play should think about as well.19 of 20 people found the following review helpful. "Almost" an age of justiceBy A.J.Brechts "The Caucasian Chalk Circle;" written in self-imposed exile towards the end of World War II; is a story within a play; in which a bard; or singer; interrupts a group of Caucasian farmers arguing over ownership of land that has been ravaged by Nazi tanks and entertains them with a relevant tale of yore. In a city called Grusinia; the Governor is executed in a coup and his wife flees for her life; abandoning their baby son Michael; who is picked up by a humble kitchen maid named Grusha. Having recently betrothed herself to a soldier named Simon who is away on duty; she sets out on a cross-country journey with the infant to get help from her brother; a farmer in a distant village.Lavrenti; her brother; suggests she get married immediately to avoid suspicion that the baby is hers out of wedlock; and the most available candidate is a local wretched peasant. After living with this man for a couple of years; Grusha is apprehended by soldiers who have come to take young Michael; the sole heir of the deposed Governors estate; back to Grusinia. The case of Michaels custody; contested by the Governors wife against Grusha; is brought to trial; where the judge; a drunk named Azdak whose unofficial appointment to this position is a farce; decrees that the boy will be placed inside a circle drawn with chalk on the courtroom floor; and that the woman who is able to pull him out of the circle is the real mother. (Study the judges exact words when you read this.)Although the story is of medieval Chinese origin; Brechts play is a sort of refashioning of the Biblical anecdote about Solomon and expands the idea by supplying a whole backstory to the womens argument. Solomons judgment is accepted because his wisdom is universally considered to be impeccable; but what of a man like Azdak who functions on whim more than on wisdom? The ending is subtly brilliant in the sense that the outcome of the contest is subject to semantic debate (whether you think the judgment is fair or logical or contradictory depends on how closely you read the judges words); but also in the question of irony or sincerity in the suggestion that true justice will be conferred by nature rather than by man.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great play!By StriveForExcellenceThe Caucasian Chalk Circle is a very entertaining and enjoyable play to read or perform; whilst also containing attitudes and ideologies to analyze. Its a great read for its own sake; but can also easily be used to teach literature in a classroom. A great play!