Brecht's famous parable, written in exile in 1939-41, shows that in an unjust society good can only survive by means of evil. In it, the gods come to earth in search of enough good people to justify their existence. They find Shen Teh, a good-hearted but penniless prostitute, and make her a gift that enables her to set up her own business. But her goodness brings ruin and she must disguise herself as a man in order to muster sufficient ruthlessness to survive. This Student Edition features John Willett's translation of the play and an extensive commentary for students and teachers. The commentary provides the historical, political and dramatic context; a summary of the plot; notes on the themes, characters, form and language of the play and a review of the play in performance. A list of further reading, questions for study and notes on words and phrases in the text provide students with all they need to understand and appreciate Brecht's play.