The "Revolutionists Handbook and Pocket Companion" is a satirical political work and a parody of a typical revolutionary handbook, and is intended to mock and criticize the political ideologies and movements of the time. Some of the topics covered include the role of violence in revolution, the importance of propaganda and public opinion, and the...More
George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 1880s to his death and beyond. He wrote more than sixty plays. With a range incorporating both contemporary satire and historical allegory, Shaw became the leading dramatist of his generation, and in 1925 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Born in Dublin, Shaw moved to London in 1876, where he struggled to establish himself as a writer and novelist, and embarked on a rigorous process of self-education. By the mid-1880s he had become a respected theatre and music critic. Following a political...More
George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 1880s to his death and beyond. He wrote more than sixty plays. With a range incorporating both contemporary satire and historical allegory, Shaw became the leading dramatist of his generation, and in 1925 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Born in Dublin, Shaw moved to London in 1876, where he struggled to establish himself as a writer and novelist, and embarked on a rigorous process of self-education. By the mid-1880s he had become a respected theatre and music critic. Following a political awakening, he joined the gradualist Fabian Society and became its most prominent pamphleteer. Shaw had been writing plays for years before his first public success, Arms and the Man in 1894. Influenced by Henrik Ibsen, he sought to introduce a new realism into English-language drama, using his plays as vehicles to disseminate his political, social and religious ideas.
Book Summary
The "Revolutionists Handbook and Pocket Companion" is a satirical political work and a parody of a typical revolutionary handbook, and is intended to mock and criticize the political ideologies and movements of the time. Some of the topics covered include the role of violence in revolution, the importance of propaganda and public opinion, and the need for a strong and committed leadership. Throughout the book, Shaw employs a sharp wit and biting sarcasm to criticize what he sees as the folly and hypocrisy of the revolutionary movements of his time. Despite its satirical tone, the book remains a popular and influential work of political commentary and satire.