Written in 1944 while the German playwright Bertolt Brecht was living in America, The Caucasian Chalk Circle examines what occurs when law conflicts with justice. Brecht, while clearly influenced by his own perceptions of the world at the hands of war, specifically draws upon two distinct sources of literature to form his play: the biblical tale of King Solomon and the ancient Chinese play The Chalk Circle. Brecht adapted these stories into parable form and changed the setting to Soviet Georgia near the end of World War II. The theme of the play -- resources should be given to those who will take care of them -- is explored through presentation of two further stories: one involves a kitchen maid named Grusha who saves the life of  an abandoned child, and the second follows the arbitrary rulings of an unconventional judged named Azdak.