Man and Superman: A Comedy and a Philosophy

by George Bernard Shaw

Overview

"Man and Superman: A Comedy and a Philosophy" by George Bernard Shaw is an ambitious and intellectually stimulating play that blends humor, romance, and profound philosophical discourse. This captivating work revolves around the enigmatic character of John Tanner, a witty and fiercely independent intellectual, who finds himself entangled in a battle of wits and wills. At the center of the plot is Ann Whitefield, a strong-willed and intelligent young woman who sets her sights on marrying Tanner. However, Tanner, a confirmed bachelor, is determined to avoid the trap of marriage and the responsibilities that come with it. He believes that marriage enslaves men, forcing them to cater to the desires of women and abandon their own ambitions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781787247758
Publisher:	Interactive Media
Publication date:	08/18/2018
Series:	Bernard Shaw Library
Sold by:	StreetLib SRL
Format:	eBook
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 - 2 November 1950) was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60 plays. He was also an essayist, novelist and short story writer. Nearly all his writings address prevailing social problems, but have a vein of comedy which makes their stark themes more palatable. Issues which engaged Shaw's attention included education, marriage, religion, government, health care, and class privilege.

He was most angered by what he perceived as the exploitation of the working class. An ardent socialist, Shaw wrote many brochures and speeches for the Fabian Society. He became an accomplished orator in the furtherance of its causes, which included gaining equal rights for men and women, alleviating abuses of the working class, rescinding private ownership of productive land, and promoting healthy lifestyles. For a short time he was active in local politics, serving on the London County Council.

In 1898, Shaw married Charlotte Payne-Townshend, a fellow Fabian, whom he survived. They settled in Ayot St Lawrence in a house now called Shaw's Corner. Shaw died there, aged 94, from chronic problems exacerbated by injuries he incurred by falling from a ladder.

He is the only person to have been awarded both a Nobel Prize in Literature (1925) and an Oscar (1938), for his contributions to literature and for his work on the film Pygmalion (adaptation of his play of the same name), respectively. Shaw wanted to refuse his Nobel Prize outright because he had no desire for public honors, but accepted it at his wife's behest: she considered it a tribute to Ireland. He did reject the monetary award, requesting it be used to finance translation of fellow playwright August Strindberg's works from Swedish to English.