GeorgeBernardShaw

July26,1856-November2,1950GeorgeBernardShawwasanIrishdramatist,aplaywright,asocialistspokesman,aliterarycriticandaleadingfigureinthe20thcenturytheater.HewasborninDublin.wherehegrewupinpoverty.Heeducatedhimselfbygoingtothelibrary.Throughouthislifetimehehadmanycauseswhichhebelievedinandsupported,onesuchcausewaswoman'srightsandequalityofincome.In1925hewasawardedtheNobelPrizeforLiterature.Herefusedthemoneythatwentwiththeaward,butdidacceptedthehonour.Irishdramatist,literarycritic,asocialistspokesman,andaleadingfigureinthe20thcenturytheater.Shawwasafreethinker,defenderofwomen'srights,andadvocateofequalityofincome.In1925hewasawardedtheNobelPrizeforLiterature.Shawacceptedthehonourbutrefusedthemoney."Justasthehistoriancanteachnorealhistoryuntilhehascuredhisreadersoftheromanticdelusionthatthegreatnessofaqueenconsistsinherbeingaprettywomanandhavingherheadcutoff,sotheplaywrightofthefirstordercandonothingwithhisaudienceuntilhehascuredthemoflookingatthestagethroughthekeyhole,andsniffingroundthetheatreasprurientpeoplesniffroundthedivorcecourt."(from.Shaw'sprefaceinThreePlaysbyBrieux,1911)GeorgeBernardShawwasborninDublin,wherehegrewupinsomethingclosetogenteelpoverty."IamatypicalIrishman;myfamilycamefromYorkshire,"Shawoncesaid.Hisfather,GeorgeCarrShaw,wasinthewholesalegraintrade.LucindaElisabeth(Gurly)Shaw,hismother,wasthedaughterofanimpoverishedlandowner.Shewas16-yearsyoungerthanherhusband.GeorgeCarrwasadrunkard-hisexamplepromptedhissontobecomeateetotaller.Whenhediedin1885,hischildrenandwifedidnotattendhisfuneral.YoungShawandhistwosisterswerebroughtupmostlybyservants.Shaw'smothereventuallyleftthefamilyhometoteachmusic,singing,inLondon.Whenshediedin1913,ShawconfessedtoMrs.PatrickCampbell:"Imustwritetoyouaboutit,becausethereisnooneelsewhodidn'thatehermother,andevenwhodoesn'thateherchildren."In1866thefamilymovedtoabetterneighborhood.ShawwenttotheWesleyanConnexionalSchool,thenmovedtoaprivateschoolnearDalkey,andfromtheretoDublin'sCentralModelSchool.ShawfinishedhisformaleducationattheDublinEnglishScientificandCommercialMostofthenexttwoyearsShaweducatedhimselfattheBritishMuseum.Hebeganhisliterarycareerbywritingmusicanddramacriticism,andnovels,includingthesemi-autobiographicalIMMATURITY,withoutmuchsuccess.Avegetarian,whoeschewedalcoholandtobacco,Shawjoinedin1884theFabianSociety,servedonitsexecutivecommitteefrom1885to1911.Themiddle-classsocialistgroupattractedalso.WellsAmanofmanycauses,Shawsupportedabolitionofprivateproperty,radicalchangeinthevotingsystem,campaignedforthesimplificationofspelling,andthereformoftheEnglishalphabet.Asapublicspeaker,Shawgainedthestatusofoneofthemostsought-afteroratorsinEngland.In1895ShawbecameadramacriticfortheSaturdayReview.ArticleswrittenforthepaperwerelatercollectedinOURTHEATRESINTHENINETIES(1932).Music,art,anddramacriticismShawwroteforDramaticReview(1885-86),OurCorner(1885-86),ThePallMallGazette(1885-88),TheWorld(1886-94),andTheStar(1888-90)as'CornobiBasetto'.HismusiccriticismwerecollectedinSHAW'SMUSIC(1981).Afterlacingashoetootightly,anoperationwasperformedonhisfootfornecrosis;Shawwasunabletoputhisfootonthegroundforeighteenmonths.DuringthisperiodhewroteCAESARANDCLEOPATRA(1901)andTHEPERFECTWAGNERITE(1898)."...Ihavenoreasontobelievethattheywouldhavebeenabitbetteriftheyhadbeenwrittenontwolegsinsteadofone,"hesaidinalettertotheplaywrightStJohnErvine.HisfriendhadhislegamputatedduringWWIafterbeinghitbyashellsplinters.In1898ShawmarriedthewealthyCharlottePayne-Townshend.Theysettledin1906intheHertfordshirevillageofAyotSt.Lawrence.ShawremainedwithTheNorwegianplaywrightHenrikIbsenhadagreatinfluenceonShaw'sthinking.ForasummermeetingoftheFabianSocietyin1890,hewroteTHEQUINTESSENCEOFIBSENISM(1891),inwhichheconsideredIbsenapioneer,"whodeclaresthatitisrighttodosomethinghithertoregardedasinfamous."Shaw'searlyplays,WIDOWER'SHOUSES(1892),whichcriticizedslumlandlords,aswellasseveralsubsequentones,werenotwellreceived.His'unpleasantplays',ideologicalattacksontheevilsofcapitalismandexplorationsofmoralandsocialproblems,werefollowedwithmoreentertainingbutasprincipledproductions."Toaprofessionalcritic(Ihavebeenonemyself)theatre-goingisthecurseofAdam.Theplayistheevilheispaidtoendureinthesweatofhisbrow;andthesooneritisover,thebetter."(from'Preface'toSaintJoan).CANDIDAwasacomedyaboutthewifeofaclergyman,andwhathappenswhenaweak,youngpoetwantstorescueherfromherdullfamilylife.ButitwasnotuntilJOHNBULL'SOTHERISLAND(1904)thatShawgainedinEnglandawiderpopularitywithhisownplays.IntheUnitesStatesandGermanyShaw'snamewasalreadywell-known.Between1904and1907TheRoyalCourtTheatrestagedseveralofhisplays,includingMORELL:Mancanclimbtothehighestsummits;buthecannotdwellthere.

MARCHBACKS(springingup):It'sfalse:therecanhedwellforever,andthereonly.It'sintheothermomentthathecanfindnorest,nosenseofthesilentgloryoflife.Wherewouldyouhavespendmymoments,ifnotonthesummits?

MORELL:Inthescullery,slicingonionsandfillinglamps.

(fromCandida)MAJORBARBARAdepictedanofficeroftheSalvationArmy,wholearnsfromherfather,amanufacturerofarmaments,thatmoneyandpowercanbebetterweaponsagainstevilthanlove.Ironicallytheproducerofthefilmversionoftheplay,GabrielPascal,waseagertodobusinesswithSirBasilZaharoff,anarmsdealer.PICKERING:Haveyounomorals,man?

DOOLITTLE:Can'taffordthem,Governor.

(fromPygmalion)PygmalionwasoriginallywrittenfortheactressMrs.PatrickCampbell.Latertheplaybecamethebasisfortwofilmsandamusical.(Shaw'scorrespondencewiththeactressesEllenTerryandStellaCampbellareavailableinbookform.)Shaw'spopularitydeclinedafterhisessay'CommonSenseAbouttheWar'(1914),whichwasconsideredunpatriotic.WithSAINTJOAN(1924),hismasterpiece,Shawwasagainacceptedbythepost-warpublic.Nowhewasregardedas'asecondShakespeare',whohadrevolutionizedtheBritishtheatre.ShawdidnotportraitJoanofArc,hisprotagonist,asaheroineormartyr,butasastubbornyoungwoman.Andasinclassictragedies,herflawisfatalandbringsaboutherdownfall.UncommonlyShawshowedsomesympathytoherjudges.TheplaywaswrittenfouryearsafterJoanwasdeclaredasaint.In1893ShawcollaboratedwithKeirHardieinwritingthepartyprogramforthenewIndependentLabourparty.Manyofhisplayesalsowerephilosophicaladdressesonthesubjectofindividualresponsibilityorfreedomofspiritagainsttheconformistdemandsofsociety.ShawwascofounderwiththeWebbsoftheLondonSchoolofEconomics,andlaunchedthepetitionagainsttheimprisonmentofOscarWilde.In1897heenteredlocalgovernment.InhisplaysShawcombinedcontemporarymoralproblemswithironictoneandparadoxes,"Shavian"wit,whichhaveproducedsuchphrasesas"Hewhocan,does.Hewhocannot,teaches","EnglandandAmericaaretwocountriesdividedbyacommonlanguage","Christianitymightbeagoodthingifanyoneevertriedit",and"IneverresisttemptationbecauseIhavefoundthatthingsarebadformedonottemptme."Discussionandintellectualacrobaticsarethebasisofhisdrama,andbeforetheemergenceofthesoundfilm,hisplayswerenearlyimpossibletoadaptintoscreen.Duringhislongcareer,Shawwroteover50plays.Hecontinuedtowritethemeveninhis90s.GeorgeBernardShawdiedatAyotSt.LawrenceSincethedaysofthesilentfilms,Shawhadbeenafanofmotion-picture.HealsoplayedinthefilmRosyRapture-ThePrideoftheBeauty(1914).ShawdidnotlikemuchoftheGermanfilmversionofPygmalion(1935),andthepennilessproduceranddirectorGabrielPascalpersuadedtheauthortogivehimtherightstomakefilmsfromhisplays."MrPascal,you'rethefirsthonestfilmproducerIhaveevermet,"Shawtoldhimattheirfirstmeetingandgavehimapoundnote.Pygmalion,producedbyPascalanddirectedbyAnthonyAsquithandDavidLean(uncredited),wasagreatsuccess.Inonearticle,PascalwaspickedwiththePopeandHitlerasoneofthetenmostfamousmenof1938,buthiscareerendedinthefinancialfiascoofthespectacleCaesarandCleopatra(1945).AmongseveralotherfilmsinspiredbyShaw'splaysareSaintJoan(1927),HowHeLiedtoHerHusband(1931),ArmsandtheMan(1932),MajorBarbara(1941),andMyFairLady(1964).Pascal'sco-directorinMajorBarbarawasDavidLean,butforthousandpoundsLeanagreedtogivethefullcredittoPascal.Forfurtherreading:BernardShawby.Chesterton(1909);BernardShawby(1942);BernardShawbyE.Bentley(1957);BernardShaw:ManandWriterbyA.Williamson(1963);AGuidetothePlaysofBernardShawby.Purdom(1963);BermardShawby.Bentley(1967);ConcordancetothePlaysandPrefacesofBernardShawby.Bevan(1971,10vols.);BernardShaw:ArtandSocialismbyE.Strauss(1978);TheGeniusofShaw,ed.M.Holroyd(1979);BernardShaw:TheDarkerSidebyA.Silver(1982);BernardShaw:AGuidetoResearchbyS.Weintraub(1992);BernardShaw:TheAscentoftheSupermanbySallyPeters(1996);ShawbyM.Holroyd(1988-93,4vols.,authorizedbiography)-Suom.:Suomeksijulkaistumy?sJ?rjensanojasodasta.Selectedworks:IMMATURITY,1879THEIRRATIONALKNOT,1880LOVEAMONGARTIST,1881OURCORNER;CASHELBYRON'SPROFESSION,1882ANUNSOCIALSOCIALIST,1883FABIANESSAYSONSOCIALISM,1889THEQUINTESSENCEOFIBSENISM,1891(-seeHenrikIbsen)WIDOWER'SHOUSES,1892ARMSANDTHEMAN,1894-Sankareita-film1932,dir.byCecilLewis,starringBarryJones,AnneGrey,AngelaBaddeleyCASHELBYRON'SPROFESSION,1885-HerraByroninammattiCANDIDA,1987-suomentajinamm.HelmiSet?l?,HelviErjakkaTHEMANOFDESTINY,1897-KohtalonmiesTHEDEVIL'SDISCIPLE,1897-Pirunoppipoika-film1959,dir.byGuyHamilton,starringBurtLancaster,KirkDouglas,LaurenceOlivier,EvaLeGallienneTHEPERFECTWAGNERITE,1898PLAYSPLEASANTANDUNPLEASANT,1898THEPHILANDER,1898YOUNEVERCANTELL,1899FABIANISMANDTHEEMPIRE,1900CAPTAINBRASSBOUND'SCONVERSION,1900-KapteeniBrassboundink??ntymysCAESARANDCLEOPATRA,1901-CaesarjaCleopatra-film1945,dir.byGabrielPascal,starringClaudeRains,VivienLeigh,CecilParker,StewartGrangerTHREEPLAYSFORPURITANS,1901MRS.WARREN'SPROFESSION,1902-RouvaWarreninammattiJOHNBULL'SOTHERISLAND,1904(stageplay1907)THECOMMONSENSEOFMUNICIPALTRADING,1904MANANDSUPERMAN,1905ONGOINGTOCHURCH,1905MAJORBARBARA,1905-MajuriBarbara-film1941,dir.byGabrielPascal,starringWendyHiller,RexHarrison,RobertMorley,RobertNewton,MarieLohr,DeborahKerrDOCTOR'SDILEMMA,1906-L??k?ripulassa-film1958,dir.byAnthonyAsquith,starringLeslieCaron,DirkBogarde,JohnRobinsonDRAMATICOPINIONSANDESSAYS,1906GETTINGMARRIED,1908MISALLIANCE,1910SOCIALISMANDSUPERIORBRAINS,1910FANNY'SFIRSTPLAY,1911-Fannynensi-iltaOVERRULED,1912ANDROCLESANDTHELION,1912-AndroklesjaleijonaGREATCATHERINE,1913-SuuriKatariinaPYGMALION,1913-suom.-film1935,dir.byErichEngel;film1938,dir.byAnthonyAsquith,starringLeslieHoward,WendyHiller,WilfridLawson,ScottSunderland;MyFairLadyin1964,dir.byCeorgeCukor,starringRexHarrison,AudreyHepburn,StanleyHolloway,WilfridHydeWhitePEACECONFERENCEHINTS,1919HEARTBREAKHOUSE,1920-S?rkyneidensyd?ntentaloBACKTOMETUSELAH,1922SAINTJOAN,1923-Pyh?Johanna(trans.byMattiNorri)-film1957,dir.byOttoPreminger,starringJeanSeberg,AntonWalbrook,RichardWidmark-movieversionutilizedascreenversionbyGrahamGreene-"Ialwayswantedtomakeapictureofit.Perhapsthatwasthegreatmistake:IlovedtheplaysomuchthatIdidn'tanalyzeit.Irealizedonlylaterthattheplayisactuallyaveryintellectual,analyticalrenditionofthestoryofSaintJoan.It'snotaemotionalstory,anditjustwasn'tmovingenoughtogetthemassestofollow.Eventheplay,asIfoundoutlater,wasneverabigpopularsuccess."(OttoPremingerinWhotheDevilMadeItbyPeterBogdanovich,1997)IMPRISONMENT,1925THESOCIALISMOFSHAW,1926THEINTELLIGENTWOMAN'SGUIDETOSOCIALISMANDCAPITALISM,1928THEAPPLECART,1929-AmerikankeisariBERNARDSHAWANDKARLMARX,1930WHATIREALLYWROTEABOUTTHEWAR,1931screenplay(withFrankLaunder):HOWHELIEDTOHERHUSBAND,1931-filmdir.byCecilLewisDOCTOR'SDELUSIONS,CRUDECRIMINOLOGY,ANDSHAMEDUCATION,1932ESSAYSINFABIANSOCIALISM,1932THEWORKSOFBERNARDSHAW,1930-32(30vols.,revisedasAyotSt.LawrenceEdition,1931-32;StandardEdition,36vols.,1947-52)MAJORCRITICALESSAYS,1932TOOTRUETOBEGOOD,1932OURTHEATRESINTHENINETIES,1932MUSICINLONDON,1890-94,1932AMERICANBOOBS,1933PREFACES,1934VILLAGEWOOING,1934THESIMPLETONOFTHEUNEXPECTEDISLES,1935WILLIAMMORRISASIKNEWHIM,1936THEMILLIONAIRESS,1936-Miljoonaperij?t?r-film1961,dir.byAnthonyAsquith,starringSophiaLoren,PeterSellers,AlistariSim,VittoriodeSicaLONDONMUSICIN1888-1889,1937"INGOODKINGCHARLES'SGOLDENDAYS",1939EVERYBODY'SPOLITICALWHAT'SWHAT,1944SIXTEENSELF-SKETCHES,1948BUOYANTBILLIONS,1948(perf.andpub.Zurich)FARFETCHEDFABLES,1950PLAYSANDPLAYERS,1952SELECTEDPROSE,1953SHAWONMUSIC,1955THEILLUSIONSOFSOCIALISM,1956SHAWONTHETHEATRE,1958ANUNFINISHEDNOVEL,1958SHAW'SDRAMATICCRITICISM:1895-1898,1959HOWTOBECOMEAMUSICALCRITIC,1960PLATFORMANDPULPIT,1961SHAWONSHAKESPEARE,1961(ed.byE.Wilson)THEMATTERWITHIRELAND,1962ONMUSIC,1962RELIGIOUSSPEECHES,1963HEARTBREAKHOUSE,1964THECOMPLETEPREFACESOFBERNARDSHAW,1965SHAWONRELIGION,1967SHAW:ANAUTOBIOGRAPHY,1969-70(2vols.)THEROADTOEQUALITY,1971COLLECTEDMUSICCRITICISM,1973BERNARDSHAW'SPRACTICALPOLITICS,1976THEPORTABLEBERNARDSHAW,1977THEGREATCOMPOSERS,1978THECOLLECTEDSCREENPLAYSOFBERNARDSHAW,1980EARLYTEXTS,1981(12vols.)SHAW'SMUSIC,1981(3vols.)SHAWONDICKENS,1984AGITATIONS,1985THEDIARIES,1885-1897,1985SELECTEDSHORTERPLAYS,1987COLLECTEDLETTERS,1965-88(4vols.)BERNARDSHAW'SBOOKREVIEWS,1991THECOMPLETEPREFACES,1993THEDRAMAOBSERVED,1993UNPUBLISHEDSHAW,1996BelowarewordsofwisdomintheformofinspirationalquotesandmotivationalquotesbyGeorgeBernardShaw:Alifespentmakingmistakesisnotonlymorehonourable,butmoreusefulthanalifespentdoingnothing.

GeorgeBernardShawSomemenseethingsastheyareandsaywhy?Idreamthingsthatneverwereandsay'Whynot?

GeorgeBernardShawProgressisimpossiblewithoutchange,andthosewhocannotchangetheirmindscannotchangeanything.

GeorgeBernardShawAlittlelearningisadangerousthing,butwemusttakethatriskbecausealittleisasmuchasourbiggestheadscanhold.

GeorgeBernardShawThepeoplewhogetoninthisworldarethepeoplewhogetupandlookforthecircumstancestheywant,and,iftheycan'tfindthem,makethem.

GeorgeBernardShawWedon'tstopplayingbecausewegrowold;

wegrowoldbecausewestopplaying.

GeorgeBernardShawWhenIwasayoungma