Lavrenti Vashnadze Character Analysis in The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Grusha’s brother, who lives in the Northern mountains. Grusha travels to her brother’s house after fleeing Nuka, imagining that her brother will welcome her and her adopted son with open arms, giving them meals and a comfortable bed. When Grusha arrives, however, she finds that Lavrenti is married to a devoutly religious woman who both frowns upon fatherless children and fears that Grusha and Michael will infect her with scarlet fever or some other infectious disease. Thus, Grusha and Michael are forced to live in a dank basement, so that they are kept out of Aniko’s sight and out of her thoughts. Lavrenti eventually arranges for Grusha to marry a nearly-dead man named Jussup who lives in the nearby mountains in order to get her out of the house but still keep her safe and sheltered from the soldiers who are hunting her and her son. Lavrenti is a weak man, but not a corrupt one, and though his wife is judgmental, Lavrenti seems in his heart to accept Grusha and Michael.

Lavrenti Vashnadze Character Timeline in The Caucasian Chalk Circle

The timeline below shows where the character Lavrenti Vashnadze appears in The Caucasian Chalk Circle. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

When she finally arrives at her brother Lavrenti’s house, Grusha is so pale and weak that she has to be held up by... (full context)

Grusha nearly faints, and Lavrenti rushes to her side. He tells his wife that she is on her way to... (full context)

When Aniko leaves the room to check on dessert, Grusha hands Michael to her brother. Lavrenti holds the child, but tells Grusha that she cannot stay for long—he reiterates that his... (full context)

Time passes. Grusha and Michael stay with Lavrenti and his wife through the winter. One day, while weaving in the basement, Grusha sings... (full context)

Lavrenti enters the basement, and, after checking to make sure that Grusha and Michael are not... (full context)

Lavrenti tells Grusha that he has made some inquiries, and has found a man who can... (full context)

...a woman who already has a child into her family will bring her great shame. Lavrenti offers to pay the woman extra for Grusha’s dowry, and promises that the woman (and... (full context)

Grusha asks Lavrenti to promise her that he will send Simon right to her, if Lavrenti should find... (full context)