“Azdak is many-sided character but the main focus of his interest is on social justice”. Comment.

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Azdak is A Many-sided Character but the Main Focus of His Interest is on Social Justice

Azdak , the judge in The Caucasian Circle (1944 ) is one of Brecht 's most fascinating characters . A complex amalgam of contrasting traits he is at various times a shrewd and oratorical crowd influencer , a cringing coward , a corrupt bribe-taker as also a comic book Robin Hood . He is Jesus like in his truth and Solomon like in his wisdom . He is intractable in his repeated digression from the path of logical law to

achieve social justice and is a champion of the poor

His interaction with Grusha the pastoral wench and the beauty of his elaborate interfaces with the other characters of the play offset the thinness of Brecht 's plot and make this simply told tale of inequality and social justice a touching masterpiece . The dramatist presents Grusha and Azdak as two-dimensional folk characters living through the violence and turbulence of revolution and counter-revolution and yet being rewarded with bliss and harmony for their goodness towards the less fortunate . While Grusha the farm hand is gentle , spontaneous , kind and predictable in her reactions to turmoil cruelty and dis , the mantle of quirky caprice falls upon Azdak , the nameless clerk . He is in many ways the jester , the rogue and yet the conscience keeper of the times . Besides , it is in his lot to find trouble , stumble his way into positions of influence , misuse his sudden and unearned authority , behave with apparent irresponsibility and yet exit hallowed and unscathed

Azdak is a developed individual , a man of immense intelligence and eccentric wit , poles apart from Grusha who unevenly evolves from a lowly farm worker to a woman of wit , dignity and steely integrity . His role in the play is delineated through ten singularly bizarre episodes in the concluding segment of the play , rather in its ' strange finale . Five out of these ten incidents deal with the various trials he handles and display his peculiar brand of social justice

Brecht introduces Azdak very late in the play . He comes in only in Scene 4 (Brecht , 1944 ) emerging from the shadows of anonymity to shelter the Grand Duke , who is in terrified flight after the deposition of his regime . His humanism and compassion for the unfortunate erstwhile head of state is not one bit lesser than Grusha 's distress for Michael , the deserted son of the beheaded Governor

This act of genuine kindness is followed by his surrender to the iron-shirts , the soldiers who shape the events of the times . His admission of guilt in shielding a man on the run and plea for harsh retribution are acts of contrary self-flagellation . Truth becomes indistinct and Brecht makes it difficult to assess whether the scribbler is indeed a man of truth and justice or a manipulative rascal . Indeed his handling of this stream of events which begins with the loutish soldiers freeing Azdak to the following sequence where he upstages the new dictator , the Fat...