Concetti Chiave
- George Bernard Shaw grew up in Dublin and later moved to London, where he became a successful journalist and joined the Fabian society, advocating for gradual reforms.
- Shaw's plays are known for their didactic nature, often including "problem comedies" that address social issues with long speeches.
- His works are categorized into "unpleasant" plays, which tackle darker themes like poverty and exploitation, and "pleasant" plays, which include satirical takes on heroism and family dynamics.
- Notable plays like "Man and Superman" explore philosophical themes such as the life force theory, while "Mayor Barbara" contrasts social classes.
- "Pygmalion" highlights the transformative power of language, illustrating themes of social status and personal emancipation through its characters.
What was George Bernard Shaw's early life like?
George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was born in Dublin by a middle-class protestant family; he then moved to London and joined debating societies. He was a successful journalist and joined the Fabian society, which rejected the revolutionary action in favor of gradual reforms and the spread of education; that’s why most of his plays have a didactic vein.
He wrote “The Quintessence of Ibsenism” because he was very impressed by the works of Henrik Ibsen. His comedies are “problem comedies” that deal with social problems; there often are long speeches, whose aim is to confirm or deny something. When the First World War broke up, he criticized both England and Germany, and attacked every attempt to sentimentalize and romanticize the war.
Categories of Shaw's plays
His works can be divided in two categories:
- Plays unpleasant, such as “Widower’s houses”, on the exploitation of the poor in the slums; “Mrs. Warren’s profession”, about prostitution; “The Philanderer”.
- Plays pleasant, such as “Arms and the man”, which mocks soldiers’ heroic behavior; “The man of destiny”, on Napoleon; “You never can tell”, on the relationship between parents and children; “Candida, a mistery”, on the conflict between two men in love with the heroine.
Notable plays and themes
Other plays are:
- “Man and superman”: play on the theory of life force, a natural active power that impels man to procreation (cfr. Nietzsche). Even if he was a misogynist, Shaw believed that women had a great life force.
- “Mayor Barbara”, on the contrast between rich and poor
- “The doctor’s dilemma”
- “Pygmalion”. Title that comes from the Greek myth: a sculptor made a beautiful statue and fell in love with his creation, so Zeus gave life to it. There’s the theme of appearance and of the importance of the language, which reveals your social status and helps people to emancipate: thanks to the language Liza becomes from dependent on men to total independent.
Domande da interrogazione
- What influenced George Bernard Shaw's writing style and themes?
Shaw's involvement with the Fabian Society, which advocated for gradual reforms and education, influenced his plays to have a didactic vein. His admiration for Henrik Ibsen also led him to write "The Quintessence of Ibsenism," and his plays often address social problems with long speeches to confirm or deny ideas.
Accedi a tutti gli appunti
Tutor AI: studia meglio e in meno tempo
