Page 272 - DENG403_BRITISH_DRAMA

British Drama Jayatee Bhattacharya, Lovely Professional University

Notes Unit 22: G. B. Shaw: Saint Joan— Introduction to the

Author and the Text

CONTENTS
Objectives

Introduction

22.1 George Bernard Shaw—Introduction
22.1.1 Biography

22.1.2 Work Experience and Literary Works
22.2 Saint Joan—Introduction to the Text

22.3 Summary
22.4 Keywords

22.5 Review Questions

22.6 Further Readings

Objectives
After studying this unit, you will be able to:
• Illustrate the biographical sketch of George Bernard Shaw;
• Elaborate the literary works of George Bernard Shaw;
• Explain that Saint Joan is a tragedy without villains;
• Illustrate the appropriateness of characterising Saint Joan as a tragedy;
• Describe that the play is full of historical inaccuracy and too talky or comic;
• Discuss the nature of the play.

Introduction

George Bernard Shaw 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. Nearly all his writings address prevailing social problems, but have a vein of comedy
which makes their stark themes more palatable. Shaw examined education, marriage, religion,
government, health care, and class privilege. This unit elaborates the details of his life since birth till
his death.
Saint Joan is a play by George Bernard Shaw, based on the life and trial of Joan of Arc. Published not
long after the canonization of Joan of Arc by the Roman Catholic Church, the play dramatises what
is known of her life based on the substantial records of her trial. Shaw studied the transcripts and
decided that the concerned people acted in good faith according to their beliefs. This unit also
elaborates the text, drawbacks and problems of the play in detail. More emphasis is given on the
detailed analysis of the text.

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