The Fat Prince Character Analysis in The Caucasian Chalk Circle

The Fat Prince, along with his brother (who is alluded to but never seen onstage), stages a coup early on in the play, dethroning the Grand Duke of Grusinia and all his government officials. One of the dethroned officials is the Governor of Nuka, Georgi Abashwili, whose head the Fat Prince cuts off and displays over the palace entryway. The Fat Prince and his brother’s regime is later overturned, after the Fat Prince has shown himself to be a ruler whose regime is marked by nepotism, and cruelty just like the Grand Duke’s regime. The Fat Prince instigates a relentless campaign to find and kill Michael Abashwili, an attempt to wipe out the previous ruling party’s bloodline that ultimately fails.

The Fat Prince Character Timeline in The Caucasian Chalk Circle

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

As the family enters the church, the Fat Prince greets them, and wishes a happy Easter to Georgi, Natella, and their Michael, playfully tickling... (full context)

While Natella, Michael, their servants, and the Fat Prince proceed into the church, the Governor is held behind by an officer named Shalva to... (full context)

...to the Governor’s palace, where he says a trap has been laid for the governor. The Fat Prince signals to a group of soldiers, and orders them to surround the palace. As church... (full context)

...is confused, but the architects proclaim that there has been a coup, led by the Fat Prince and his brother. The Princes met last night in the capital, and decided that they... (full context)

The Fat Prince has arrived, flanked by drunken Ironshirts. One soldier has the Governor’s head on a spike.... (full context)

Arkadi and his chorus sing about Grusha’s journey. The Fat Prince ’s soldiers are after her, and her “pursuers never tire.” Two Ironshirts trudge down the... (full context)

...plays with some other children his age. The children play a game in which the Fat Prince cuts off the Governor’s head. In the game, Michael is the Governor, but he longs... (full context)

...day God will pass judgement on him for hunting down men on behalf of the Fat Prince . He urges Shauwa to go home and repent, then closes the door on him.... (full context)

...and commoners in Nuka rioted after realizing that they would fare no better under the Fat Prince ’s regime than they had under the Grand Duke’s. (full context)

The Fat Prince enters with a young man at his side, and recounts the details of his coup... (full context)

...running for the position of judge. Azdak knows that the Ironshirts want to test the Fat Prince ’s nephew, and suggests they all hold a mock trial using a criminal from the... (full context)

The Fat Prince accepts Azdak’s proposal, but again whispers to his nephew that the proceedings are “a mere... (full context)

...reveals that eventually the Grand Duke returned to Nuka, as did the Governor’s wife, Natella. The Fat Prince was beheaded and deposed, and Azdak became seized by fear. Back in the court of... (full context)