The Good Woman of Setzuan

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.

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.”

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.”

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.

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”