The first play that we will discuss was my favorite. It is entitled The Good Woman of Setzuan written by the German author Brecht. This story is about a woman that was too kind for her own good. Her name is Shen Te. In the beginning of the story she is a prostitute but at the end she becomes a successful tobacco shop owner, fiance and mother-to-be. Shen Te also creates another character that displays her deceitful and greedy side, or the side of her that could survive in her society, Shui Ta. He is a brash and brutal young man who drives spongers away.1 Yang Sun is an unemployed airman that Shen Te saves from committing suicide. H

This play presents real conflicts of ethics. Many of the evils that are described seem to be seen through the narrow-mindedness of Undershaft, thus Barbara is the one interpreting the evil. She sees that money is not the answer to everything. His argument is "I have given them money therefor I have given them happiness."8 Her argument is " Their souls are hungry because their bodies are full."

Aristotle's views are another philosopher's that I would like to examine. The key word for him is happiness. He states that all other things in life are stepping-stones to something else. Happiness is the only thing that is wanted purely for its total worth, therefor it is the final goal in life. It supplies both the needs to the body and the soul, fulfilling one's every desire. You can achieve this happiness by being virtuous and good. And taking the right actions on things is free from both force and ignorance. This can definitely relate to The Madwoman of Chaillot. Aurelia was willing to do whatever it took to reach her final destination and accomplish her final goal, which was happiness for herself and others. She came about this not by force or ignorance, but by intelligent planning and little help from destiny. The Countess' true naivete may have been the innocent cause that led to her happiness. No evil in any form was displayed, just a group of sweet people trying to achieve their goal (and Aristotle's) of true happiness.

But is this the answer to the infamous question? Should we live as someone we are not in order to survive? Do only the good and generous prosper? Should we live in fear of greed? Do we trust no one? With all of this play's incredible insight we still do not have our question answered.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Shen Te, Giradaux French, Shui Ta, Major Barbara, Cusins Barbara's, Chaillot Aurelia, LIVE Philosophers, Aurelia Irma, Shen Te's, Socrates Socrates, shen te, shui ta, question live, major barbara, woman setzuan, shen te's, shen te's money, live live, makes happy, yang sun, te's money,
Approximate Word count = 2329
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)