"Man and Superman: A Comedy and a Philosophy" by Bernard Shaw is a play from the 1900s that mixes funny parts with deep thinking about what it means to be human, especially how society expects people to act, and how men and women relate to each other in love and marriage. Key characters like the respected Roebuck Ramsden, the lovelorn Octavius Robinson, and the fascinating Ann Whitefield show us different ways of seeing relationships and who we are as individuals. The play starts in Ramsden’s fancy study, showing him as a powerful man. Octavius, a young man, visits, sad about someone's death and confused about his feelings for Ann. They talk about how they both knew the person who died, and they argue about who should take care of Ann, which shows their different ideas about how men and women should act. When John Tanner comes in, things get even more complicated because Ramsden doesn't like Tanner or his new ideas, leading to interesting arguments that hint at the big philosophical discussions to come, setting the stage for a funny yet thoughtful look the social rules of the time.
Man and Superman: A Comedy and a Philosophy
By Bernard Shaw
In a world of changing social norms, a man who stands for tradition clashes with a revolutionary thinker over love, guardianship, and the very nature of human relationships.
Summary
About the AuthorGeorge Bernard Shaw, known at his insistence 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, including major works such as Man and Superman (1902), Pygmalion (1913) and Saint Joan (1923). 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.
George Bernard Shaw, known at his insistence 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, including major works such as Man and Superman (1902), Pygmalion (1913) and Saint Joan (1923). 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.
More Like This
Explore books similar to the one you're viewing
More by This Author
Discover other books written by the same author
Related by Category
Discover books in the same genre or category
Samantha Among the Colored Folks: "My Ideas on the Race Problem"
By Marietta Holley
Stray Thoughts for Girls
By Lucy Helen Muriel Soulsby
How to Get Married, Although a Woman; or, The Art of Pleasing Men
By Irene W. Hartt
The Young Maiden
By A. B. (Artemas Bowers) Muzzey
Ideala
By Sarah Grand
Common Sense About Women
By Thomas Wentworth Higginson