It is a four-act drama, with a preface, written in the form of an essay on the philosophy of evolution. The play explores themes of love, marriage, gender roles, social conventions, and the purpose of human existence. The play follows the story of John Tanner, a wealthy and intellectual bachelor, who is pursued by Ann Whitefield, a beautiful and...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
It is a four-act drama, with a preface, written in the form of an essay on the philosophy of evolution. The play explores themes of love, marriage, gender roles, social conventions, and the purpose of human existence. The play follows the story of John Tanner, a wealthy and intellectual bachelor, who is pursued by Ann Whitefield, a beautiful and intelligent young woman. Despite his initial resistance, Tanner falls in love with Ann, but is hesitant to commit to marriage. This conflict is complicated by the presence of Ann's father, Roebuck Ramsden, and the social conventions of Victorian society. The play is also notable for its inclusion of a dream sequence, called "Don Juan in Hell," in which Tanner and other characters engage in philosophical debate on the nature of life, love, and the human condition. Throughout the play, Shaw uses witty and intellectual dialogue to challenge traditional social norms and explore complex philosophical concepts.
George Bernard shaw
