“The society has lost its moral value.” Using Bertolt Brecht’s play, The Caucasian Chalk Circle for your illustrations, show the truth of this statement.

Moral values are like a society’s unwritten constitution that governs people’s behavior. Morals define acceptable and unacceptable conduct in a society. When people lose their moral values, the society is likely to disintegrate.  Such is the case in the Caucasian Chalk Circle. Brecht portrays a society that is on verge of collapse  because of corruption, materialism, inhumanity, and hypocrisy.

Corruption has made life in Grusinia unbearable.  During the easter celebrations, the beggars and petitioners cry that the water inspector takes bribes. Thus, life for the poor beggars and petitioners is really hard. They can not access water because they don’t have money to bribe the inspector. The princes also swindle the government through unscrupulous deals. They receive money for horses and food supplies they didn’t deliver. The princes lack the virtue of integrity, thus they steal money through fraudulent deals. As a result Grusinia loses the war.

In an immoral society, people value material possessions and power more than life. Natella is interested in her dresses and shoes that she forgets her son. Michael is saved by the motherly maid, Grusha. When Grusinia becomes peaceful, she does not lament the death of her husband or the loss of her son. She is interested in the estates that were left by Georgi. She values property and more than life. The fat prince betrays his brother and beheads him so that he could take his throne. He valued power more than the life of his brother and nephew.

Sometimes, immoral people purport to be religious in cover their evils.  During Easter Sunday, as the governor walks to the church, he turns a deaf ear to the cries made by the beggars. This is contrary to how a Christian leader should do. Thus Georgi becomes an hypocrite. He also plans to render many civilians homeless just to create a garden. This paints his picture as a callous brute masquerading as a Christian. Christian leaders should be responsible and merciful, contrary to the governors true character.

In a morally rotten society, oppression by the police is common. During the easter celebrations, the ironshirts lash at the petitioners and beggars who are trying to see their heir. The ironshirts beat the people to pulp. One of them claims that they are paid for every person they beat. The ironshirts also beat Azdak to an extent that he can not see because his face is covered with blood. The Ironshirts lack humanity. Their actions are brutal, beyond humane feelings.

A morally degenerate society is void of justice, love and unity. In The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Bertolt Brecht has showed the fruits produced when a society breeds immorality.

(this article is being edited)

Follow us this blog for more essays like this