George+Bernard+Shaw(1856-1950)

GeorgeBernardShaw（1856-1950）Teachingobjectives:knowingGeorgeBernardShaw’slifeandimportantworksTeachingcontents:1.Introduction:hislife2.Mainworks3.Mrs.Warren'sProfession3.1Maincharacters3.2Theplot3.3Thetheme4.Pygmalion1.Introduction:hisLifeGeorgeBernardShaw(1856-1950)wasborninDublin,thesonofacivilservant.Hismotherwasatalentedmusician.Hiseducationwasirregular,duetohisdislikeofanyorganizedtraining.Attheageof14,aftergraduatingfrommiddleschool,Shawwasplacedinalandagent’soffice.At20,hemovedtoLondonasayoungman(1876),wherehedevotedmuchtimetoself-educationandestablishedhimselfasaleadingmusicandtheatrecriticintheeightiesandninetiesandbecameaprominentmemberoftheFabianSociety,forwhichhecomposedmanypamphlets.Hebeganhisliterarycareerasanovelist;asaferventadvocateofthenewtheatreofIbsen(TheQuintessenceofIbsenism,1891)hedecidedtowriteplaysinordertoillustratehiscriticismoftheEnglishstage.ThefrontofShaw'sCornerasitstandstodayShaw’scareerasadramatistbeganin1892andlastedsubstantiallyuntil1939,thoughhewrotehislastplaywhenhewasover90.BernardShawisanoutstandingrealisticdramatist.HisearliestdramaswerecalledappropriatelyPlaysPleasantandUnpleasant(1898).Amongthese,Widower'sHousesandMrs.Warren'sProfession(1898)savagelyattacksocialhypocrisy,whileinplayssuchasArmsandtheMan(1894)andTheManofDestiny(1897)thecriticismislessfierce.Shawwrotealtogether52plays.InsomeofhisplaysShawrelentlesslycriticizestheevilsofthebourgeoissocietyandtearstopiecesthemasksofgentlemenandladies.ThemovablehutinthegardenofShaw'sCorner,whereShawwrotemostofhisworksafter1906,includingPygmalion.FastFactsName:GeorgeBernardShawGender:MaleBirthDate:July6,1856DeathDate:November2,1950PlaceofBirth:Dublin,IrelandPlaceofDeath:AyotSt.Lawrence,EnglandNationality:BritishOccupations:playwright,critic,pamphleteer2.MainworksWidower'sHouses(1892)Mrs.Warren'sProfession(1898)ManandSuperman(1903)MajorBarbara(1907)Pygmalion(1914)3.Mrs.Warren'sProfession3.1MaincharactersMrs.Warren:abrothelkeeperSirGeorgeCrofts:anoldaristocrat,Mrs.Warren’spartnerVivie:Mrs.Warren’sdaughter3.2TheplotMrs.Warren'sprofessioniskeepingbrothels.SirGeorgeCrofts,anoldaristocrat,isherpartnerinthisbusiness.Vivie,Mrs.Warren'sdaughter,iseducatedinaverymoralatmosphereatCambridge.Upongraduation,shereturnshomeandbyaccidentdiscoversthesourceofhermother'sincome.HerconversationswithMrs.WarrenandSirGeorgeCroftrevealtheshamelessnessofthesemembersoftherulingclass.Itmustbenoted,however,thatwhileprotestingstronglyagainstbourgeoisexploitationandtheimmoralityoftheEnglishrulingclasses,Shawpointsoutnocorrective.HisheroineViviesimplyleaveshermotherand,livingindependently,triestoearnherbreadbyhonestwork.LikeShaw,sheisunderthedelusionthatpiecemeal,pettyandgradualreformwilleventuallydoawaywiththeevilsofcapitalism.3.3ThethemeMrs.Warren'sProfessionisoneofthe“PlaysUnpleasant”.UnpleasantitistothebourgeoispublicbecauseShawattackedintheplaythevicesofcapitalistsociety.Heshowsthatunderneathbourgeoisrespectabilityhorriblecrimesandcorruptionareconcealed.InthisplayShawaccusesthebourgeoisieofmakingprofitbyfosteringprostitution.4.PygmalionPygmalion(1913)isaplaybyGeorgeBernardShawbasedontheGreekmythofthesamename.IttellsthestoryofHenryHiggins,aprofessorofphonetics(basedonphoneticianHenrySweet),whomakesabetwithhisfriendColonelPickeringthathecansuccessfullypassoffaCockneyflowergirl,ElizaDoolittle,asarefinedsocietyladybyteachingherhowtospeakwithanupperclassaccentandtrainingherinetiquette.Intheprocess,HigginsandDoolittlegrowclose,butsheultimatelyrejectshisdomineeringwaysanddeclaresshewillmarryFreddyEynsford-Hill–ayoung,poor,gentleman.FirstAmerican(serialized)publication,Everybody'sMagazine,November1914QuotationsofBernardShawBehindeverysuccessfulman,thereisawomanandbehindeveryunsuccessfulman,therearetwo.Iwasbornintelligent-educationruinedme.Sincelighttravelsfasterthansound,peopleappearbrightuntilyouhearthemspeak.Everymanshouldmarry.Afterall,happinessisnottheonlythinginlife.Thewisenevermarryandwhentheymarrytheybecomeotherwise.Godmaderelatives;ThankGodwecanchooseourfriends.Thepeoplewhogetoninthisworldarethepeoplewhogetupandlookforcircumstancestheywant,andiftheycannotfindthem,makethem