The Good Woman of Setzuan

by

Bertolt Brecht

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The Good Woman of Setzuan: Scene 5 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Inside Shen Te’s tobacco shop, Shui Ta is behind the counter. Mrs. Shin works to tidy the shop, talking idly the whole time. Mrs. Shin advises Shui Ta to figure out what is going on between Shen Te and Yang Sun—and to remember that the wealthy barber next door, Shu Fu, is interested in marrying Shen Te. When Shui Ta doesn’t answer Mrs. Shin, she leaves. Yang Sun’s voice is heard on the street—Shui Ta runs to the mirror and he begins primping, only to remember the disguise and laugh.
Even though Shui Ta is supposed to be a man of practicality and business savvy, at the end of the day, he is still just Shen Te in disguise—and Shen Te is so in love with Yang Sun that she can’t see anything beyond her feelings.
Themes
Women and Dual Identities Theme Icon
Yang Sun enters and he asks Shui Ta if Shen Te is in the shop. Shui Ta says that she isn’t. Yang Sun inspects the tobacco stock and he asks if Shui Ta thinks he can “squeeze” 300 silver dollars out of it. Shui Ta tells Yang Sun to be patient while Shen Te gathers the money. Yang Sun crassly declares that he doesn’t know Shen Te to be the kind of woman to “keep a man waiting.”
This passage shows that Yang Sun doesn’t really care for Shen Te—he is a cruel, rude man who is only after Shen Te for her body and her money. Yang Sun has no problem disclosing all of this to Shui Ta—he believes that Shui Ta’s loyalty will be to another man before it will be to a woman, even a woman of his own blood.
Themes
Greed, Capitalism, and Corruption Theme Icon
Women and Dual Identities Theme Icon
When Shui Ta asks more about the sum Yang Sun needs to get the airfield job, Yang Sun reveals that he is bribing the airfield master into firing a pilot so that Yang Sun himself can take the job. Shui Ta asks if Yang Sun plans to marry Shen Te after asking her to give up her possessions, leave her community, and move elsewhere so he can work. He points out that 200 silver dollars covers six months’ rent at the shop—Shen Te might be better off staying here and running her business with Yang Sun at her side. Yang Sun, however, disdains the idea of being a tobacco salesman. Shui Ta replies that he is prepared to liquidate the stock into cash since Shen Te wants to follow her heart and have “the right to love.”
Yang Sun is involved in a dirty plot to wring Shen Te dry in pursuit of his own dreams. Because flight is, throughout the play, a symbol of the dreams which life under capitalism makes impossible, Yang Sun’s desire to work as a pilot no matter the cost shows that he will stop at nothing to further his own agenda. Yang Sun doesn’t know love or goodness—he only knows deception, greed, and striving for self-aggrandizement above all else. 
Themes
Greed, Capitalism, and Corruption Theme Icon
Women and Dual Identities Theme Icon
Mrs. Mi Tzu enters, asking after the rent. Shui Ta tells her that Shen Te’s plans have changed—she is moving to Peking with her lover and she’ll be selling the stock. Shui Ta asks for 500 silver dollars in exchange for everything. Mrs. Mi Tzu offers 300. Yang Sun urges Shui Ta to take the deal, but Shui Ta insists it is not enough. He pulls Yang Sun aside and he states that the tobacco stock is pledged to the old couple who lent Shen Te the initial 200. Yang Sun asks if the deal is in writing. Shui Ta replies that it isn’t. Yang Sun tells Mrs. Mi Tzu that 300 will do. She promises to come back with the money the day after tomorrow.
Shui Ta is now torn between pursuing the business interests which he was created to protect in light of the revelations of Yang Sun’s cruelty and upholding Shen Te’s loyalty to Yang Sun himself. Shui Ta is meant to be an imposing presence who can stand up to anyone—but in the face of Shen Te’s burning feelings, even Shui Ta is helpless.
Themes
The Pursuit of Goodness Theme Icon
Greed, Capitalism, and Corruption Theme Icon
Women and Dual Identities Theme Icon
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Yang Sun asks where they could raise more money in the meantime, but Shui Ta says that there isn’t anywhere they can do so. He asks if Yang Sun has enough to provide for Shen Te for the first few weeks in Peking. Yang Sun says he will “dig it up” or “steal it.” Shui Ta suggests that Yang Sun will need to cover the cost of travel for two. Yang Sun reveals that he is leaving Shen Te behind—he doesn’t want a “millstone” around his neck. Shui Ta asks how Shen Te will live. Yang Sun tells Shui Ta that Shui Ta will come up with a way to support her. Shui Ta asks if Yang Sun will leave the 200 dollars here until he can show proof of two tickets to Peking—his cousin may not want to sell the shop anymore. Yang Sun, however, insists that Shen Te will do anything he asks.
In this passage, Shui Ta receives further proof of Yang Sun’s cruelty and disloyalty. Shui Ta realizes that Yang Sun has been playing Shen Te like a fiddle, getting her to do his bidding by pretending to care for her and love her. Again, Yang Sun presumes that Shui Ta’s loyalty will be to him, another man, over Shen Te, a woman.
Themes
Greed, Capitalism, and Corruption Theme Icon
Women and Dual Identities Theme Icon
In a sudden outburst, Shui Ta declares that his cousin is a woman with common sense. Yang Sun argues that as a woman, Shen Te is “devoid of common sense”—she is easily fooled by the promise of love and the joys of sex. Yang Sun takes a cigar of the shelves and he tells Shui Ta to tell Shen Te that Yang Sun wants to marry her—and then he asks Shui Ta to bring along the 300 dollars when it’s there. He leaves. Mrs. Shin sticks her head out of the back room, having overheard the whole thing, and expresses her disbelief in Yang Sun’s cruelty. She pops into the back again.
Shui Ta attempts to stand up for Shen Te, but Yang Sun sinks even lower as he insults the woman he is swindling while pretending to love. The entire affair is an outrage even to Mrs. Shin.
Themes
Greed, Capitalism, and Corruption Theme Icon
Women and Dual Identities Theme Icon
Quotes
Shui Ta runs around the shop in a fury, declaring “I’ve lost my shop! And he doesn’t love me!” over and over again before stopping and calling out to Mrs. Shin. Shui Ta declares that he “grew up in the gutter” and that he has that hardness within him still. Love is “the deadliest” threat to that hardness. Mrs. Shin comes out of the back and she declares that Shui Ta should talk with Shu Fu and arrange a marriage between the barber and Shen Te. She goes off to get him.
Shui Ta breaks his disguise for a moment and he speaks and moves as Shen Te, realizing just how deeply and totally she has been deceived. Shui Ta resolves to preserve Shen Te’s dignity by marrying her off the barber and adopting the “hardness” needed to make her abandon Yang Sun.
Themes
Greed, Capitalism, and Corruption Theme Icon
Women and Dual Identities Theme Icon
Mrs. Shin returns with Shu Fu. Shui Ta tells Shu Fu that Shen Te is in “grave danger”—she has lost her shop through too much “goodness” and she needs the money to get it back. Shu Fu, however, declares that it is Shen Te’s goodness which makes her so attractive to him. Shu Fu says that he knows how charitable and giving Shen Te is and so he wants to help her open a homeless shelter using a set of “humble cabins” he has nearby. Shui Ta declares that Shen Te would be “honored” to hear Shu Fu’s proposal.
Shui Ta is determined to help pull Shen Te’s good name and reputation out of the scandal she’s embroiled herself in—even if it means marrying her off to a wealthy man whom she doesn’t love. Shen Te’s goodness makes her adored by all—which makes Yang Sun’s deception even more despicable.
Themes
The Pursuit of Goodness Theme Icon
Greed, Capitalism, and Corruption Theme Icon
Women and Dual Identities Theme Icon
Wong and the policeman enter looking for Shen Te. Shu Fu pretends to be busy looking at the shelves. Shui Ta tells the officer and Wong that Shen Te isn’t present. Seeing that Wong’s hand is still hurting him, Shui Ta runs to the back and he fetches Shen Te’s shawl. He offers it to Wong, insisting Shen Te doesn’t need it. The policeman asks Shui Ta if Shen Te really saw the conflict between Wong and the barber. Shui Ta declares that Shen Te wasn’t present. Wong, desperate, declares that she was. Shui Ta tells Wong that Shen Te has enough troubles—surely, he says, Wong wouldn’t “wish her to add to them by committing perjury.” Wong throws the sling to the ground. The policeman leaves, telling Wong not to go around libeling his neighbors. Wong, distraught, follows him.
In this passage, Shui Ta does a kind deed for Wong by giving him Shen Te’s shawl to use as a sling before sealing the man’s fate by refusing to perjure himself and declare Shen Te as a witness to Wong’s suffering. This passage represents the admixture of good and bad deeds that one must often perform to keep oneself afloat in a cruel world.
Themes
The Pursuit of Goodness Theme Icon
Greed, Capitalism, and Corruption Theme Icon
Women and Dual Identities Theme Icon
Shui Ta apologizes to Shu Fu for the commotion. Pointing to the shawl, which Shen Te bought to impress her lover, Shu Fu asks if Shen Te will be ready to move on. Shui Ta replies that Shen Te may need some time to heal. Shui Ta suggests Shu Fu take Shen Te to a nice supper to propose and discuss everything. Shu Fu agrees that Shen Te deserves to eat at a “high-class” establishment. Shui Ta goes into the back to “find” Shen Te.
In this passage, Brecht shows Shen Te—as Shui Ta—glumly accepting her fate and resigning herself to a life of commitment to a person she does not love in order to save herself and her business. Shui Ta is the one to make the arrangement, as he is the one who handles the things that Shen Te herself cannot bear. 
Themes
The Pursuit of Goodness Theme Icon
Greed, Capitalism, and Corruption Theme Icon
Women and Dual Identities Theme Icon
Shu Fu addresses the audience. He declares that he will be nothing but proper during his dinner with Shen Te—he will not touch her and he’ll only exchange ideas with her over the beautiful white chrysanthemums that will adorn their supper table. He hopes to woo Shen Te with “understanding” and care.
Shu Fu clearly cares for Shen Te and he wants to make her happy. He loves her because she is good—he does not want to take advantage of that goodness like Yang Sun does.
Themes
The Pursuit of Goodness Theme Icon
Mrs. Shin comes out of the back, and Shu Fu asks what she knows about Yang Sun. Mrs. Shin declares he is a “worthless rascal.” Yang Sun enters. Mrs. Shin threatens to call Shui Ta out of the back. Shu Fu declares that Shui Ta and Shen Te are having an important meeting. Yang Sun tries to go into the back, but Shu Fu stands in his way. Shu Fu declares that he and Shen Te are to be engaged. Yang Sun, disbelieving, tries to push past him—but Shen Te emerges from the back room.
As the two men in Shen Te’s life fight, argue, and push toward the back of the shop, threatening to uncover Shen Te’s clever ruse, Shen Te offers herself up between them to stop the fighting. While adopting the persona of Shui Ta helps Shen Te navigate certain situations, this moment shows that Shen Te must sometimes fend for herself.
Themes
Women and Dual Identities Theme Icon
Yang Sun asks Shen Te what’s going on. Shen Te declares that she intends to hear Shu Fu’s plans to help the poor. Yang Sun cannot believe that Shen Te has agreed to her “cousin’s” plans. Yang Sun begs her to remember the day they met. Shen Te gets lost in memories and then she declares to Shu Fu that she wants to be with Yang Sun and go to Peking. Yang Sun demands that she give him the key to the shop, and she does so. Yang Sun puts it down on the counter and tells Mrs. Shin to leave it under the mat when she’s done cleaning.
In the end, Shen Te follows her heart rather than her head. By appearing as herself, she drops the front of imposing savvy and self-preservation that Shui Ta has come to represent for her. She allows herself to be cajoled into returning to Yang Sun in spite of what she knows of his cruelty and disloyalty.
Themes
The Pursuit of Goodness Theme Icon
Women and Dual Identities Theme Icon
As Yang Sun leads Shen Te from the shop, Shu Fu shouts for Shui Ta. Shen Te begs him to stop—her cousin doesn’t agree with her, she says, but he is “wrong.” Addressing the audience, Shen Te says that she wants to go be with the man she loves without “count[ing] the cost,” considering if she’s making a “wise” move, or even interrogating whether he really loves her back. Yang Sun hears her and he declares, “That’s the spirit.”
Shen Te has decided that Shui Ta doesn’t always know best. Though she created him to handle her problems, in this moment she declares that he is unable to make all of her decisions for her.
Themes
Women and Dual Identities Theme Icon