Showing results by author "Bernard Shaw" in All Categories

Explore the intricate dance of love and war, where courage is tested and ideals are challenged. This collection delves into the complexities of human relationships set against the backdrop of conflict and romantic entanglements. Each week, our podcast presents a different full-length audiobook, offering a diverse range of narratives that span various periods and perspectives. Experience the wit and wisdom of classic literature, gaining insights into the human condition and the nuances of societal norms. With new books added weekly, there's always something fresh to discover and reflect upon. ...

You Never Can Tell was originally born out of a bet that Shaw couldn't write a "seaside comedy" (a popular theatrical genre at that time). The result is perhaps the most surprising of Shaw's plays, complete with marital mayhem, tangled romance, and even doubtful dentistry. Despite the play's lighthearted tone, it's really another of Shaw's brilliantly observed social treatises, this time in the guise of a light comedy.

Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion is a witty and thought-provoking play that explores themes of social class, transformation, and the power of language. First performed in 1913, the play remains one of Shaw's most celebrated works, blending comedy with sharp social critique. The story follows Professor Henry Higgins, a phonetics expert, who makes a bet with his friend, Colonel Pickering, that he can transform a poor flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, into a refined lady simply by teaching her proper speech and manners. Eliza, eager to improve her station in life, agrees to the experiment.

Henry Higgins, a phonetician, agrees to coach and groom Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl and transform her into a socially acceptable person, no less than a duchess - in just six months! Timeless themes of equality and social class are explored in a lighthearted, comical manner, raising many questions such as: Can Eliza "I'm a good girl I am!" live up to their expectations? What will become of her afterwards?

Fresh off his victory at The Battle of Lodi, Napoleon is planning to enjoy his lunch when a lieutenant arrives with the bad news that the dispatches he had been carrying were stolen. Infuriated, Napoleon threatens him with being court-martialed unless he can recover them. A woman appears who claims to know about the theft. Unconvinced of her story, Napoleon and the woman enter into a battle of wits in true Shaw style. Will the conqueror of worlds end up conquered by a woman?

This is an essay providing an extended analysis of the works of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen and of Ibsen's critical reception in England. Shaw uses this "exposition of Ibsenism" to illustrate the imperfections of British society, using the idea of an imaginary "community of a thousand persons," divided into three categories: Philistines, Idealists, and the lone Realist. The main discussion revolves around Ibsen's recurring topic of the strong character holding out against social hypocrisy, while stating in his essay's final sentence that the quintessence of Ibsenism is that "there is no ...

Saint Joan is a play by George Bernard Shaw about 15th-century French military figure Joan of Arc. Premiering in 1923, three years after her canonization by the Roman Catholic Church, the play reflects Shaw's belief that the people involved in Joan's trial acted according to what they thought was right. He wrote in his preface to the play: “There are no villains in the piece. Crime, like disease, is not interesting: it is something to be done away with by general consent, and that is all [there is] about it. It is what men do at their best, with good intentions, and what normal men and women...

The Doctor's Dilemma is about Dr. Colenso Ridgeon, who has recently been knighted because of a miraculous new treatment he developed for tuberculosis. As his friends arrive to congratulate him on his success, he is visited by two figures who present him with a difficult decision. He has room for one more patient in his clinic; should he give it to Louis Dubedat, a brilliant but absolutely immoral artist, or Dr. Blenkinsop, a poor and rather ordinary physician who is a truly good person? Dr. Ridgeon's dilemma is heightened when he falls for Jennifer Dubedat, the artist's wife, who is innocent ...

Fanny who is the daughter of a Count has written a play. Having hired professional actors and invited some major critics. She is keeping her authorship private and she fears her father will not approve as he hates the vulgarity of modern life. - Summary by Michele Eaton Cast list: Count O'Dowda: Adrian Stephens Bannal: Agnes Robert Behr Gunn/Critic: Alan Mapstone Juggins: Beeswaxcandle Margaret: Christine Longhelt Stage Directions: czandra Trotter/Critic: Larry Wilson Fanny: Stacey Malcolm Savoyard: HelloCentral Vaughan/Critic: redrun Footman: James R. Hedrick Mrs Gilbey: Victoria Scrimer ...

Love Among the Artists, originally penned in 1881 and published in the United States in 1900 and in England in 1914, offers a captivating glimpse into the world of Victorian polite society. In an atmosphere filled with light-hearted chatter and superficiality, a young George Bernard Shaw shares his insights on the arts, the nature of romantic love, and the complexities of marriage. While he believes that dilettantes may find a way to balance love and domesticity, true artists, burdened by their genius, often struggle to conform to such societal norms. The central character, Owen Jack, is a ...

Set against the backdrop of impending World War I, Heartbreak House follows Ellie Dunn as she navigates a tangled web of love and societal expectations at one of Hesione Hushabye’s notorious dinner parties. With a scoundrel for a fiancé, a bumbling father, and a secret love for Hector, Hesione’s husband, Ellie finds herself in a farcical yet tragic predicament. This sharp and witty play serves as a biting satire of British society, blissfully unaware of the looming disaster. (Summary by Wikipedia)

George Bernard Shaws Major Barbara presents a thought-provoking exploration of family dynamics and social ideals. Lady Britomart Undershaft, an aristocrat, finds herself estranged from her wealthy husband, Andrew, who manufactures armaments. As her daughters, Sarah and Barbara, prepare for marriage, Lady Britomart seeks financial support from Andrew. Barbara, a Major in the Salvation Army, invites her father to witness her work in a mission located in Londons East End, while she agrees to visit his munitions factory. This clash of Barbaras philanthropic fervor and her fathers capitalist ...

Pygmalion is a play by George Bernard Shaw, named after the Greek mythological figure. In ancient Greek mythology, Pygmalion fell in love with one of his sculptures, which then came to life. The general idea of that myth was a popular subject for Victorian era British playwrights. Shaw's play has been adapted numerous times, most notably as the 1938 film Pygmalion, the 1956 musical My Fair Lady and its 1964 film version.

A inteligência e a esperteza nunca são aborrecidas. Seleccionámos para si 500 citações dos autores mais espirituosos de sempre, de Oscar Wilde a Groucho Marx, George Bernard Shaw, Albert Einstein com a ajuda de Woody Allen. Desfrute destas pérolas de humor para alegrar o seu dia com uma boa gargalhada, descubra comentários e piadas inestimáveis para surpreender os seus amigos e inimigos, e aperte as mãos com as maiores mentes.

George Bernard Shaw é um crítico de música irlandês, dramaturgo, ensaísta, dramaturgo e argumentista. Acerboso e provocador, pacifista e anticonformista, foi galardoado com o Prémio Nobel da Literatura em 1925. Estas 100 citações visam dar acesso à sua obra monumental através de uma selecção dos seus pensamentos mais marcantes, num formato acessível a todos.

Familiarize-se com três grandes artistas do século XX através de uma cuidadosa selecção de 300 citações, introduzindo as suas ideias e delineando com clareza a estrutura do seu trabalho. Descubra novos aspectos ou aprofunde-se nos pensamentos de Bruce Lee, George Bernard Shaw, Groucho Marx, para expandir a sua mente e conhecimento sobre a nossa cultura.

They might not have had social media a hundred years ago, but this smackdown by Bernard Shaw on this poor guy is awesome. Also, this is a great way to actually learn what democratic socialism is instead of just throwing it around as a bogeyman buzzword.

Richard Dudgeon, who has become an outcast from his puritanical family due to his religious apostasy, returns home on the death of his father. Much to everyone’s surprise, it is revealed that the father changed his will shortly before his death and has left the bulk of the estate to Richard. Now that he is lord of the manor, Richard asserts himself and declares his opposition to the colonial British authorities. Later, he is arrested by the British and sentenced to death but is rescued in the nick of time by a local militia commanded by Anthony Anderson, who, ironically, is a pastor.

Bernard Shaw based his "religious pantomime" Androcles and the Lion on the ancient fable of the runaway slave who pulls a painful thorn from a lion's paw, thereby making a lifelong friend. This tale of a puny Greek tailor triumphing over the Roman emperor is, as always with Shaw, a commentary on the politics of his time, with the emperor standing in for the British government and, indeed, all repressive regimes.

Making his way to a tryst with his "dark lady" near the royal palace the young playwright William Shakespeare encounters a mysterious woman in a cloak. Mistaking her for his lady friend, he accosts her in a familiar fashion, only to discover, to his dismay, that she is in fact the queen. He overcomes his initial discomfort, and takes advantage of the situation to make a petition for royal support to establish a national theatre.