GB Shaw - An Introduction

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GB Shaw did not like to be called George. He, rather wrote his name as Bernard Shaw. 

He was an Irish just like Jonathan Swift. 

Shaw is best known for his plays. In fact, he is known as the second-best dramatist after Shakespeare. 

His plays were controversial since these plays dealt with untalked realities of life. That is why, Oscar Wilde had said,

"He [Shaw] had no enemies but none of his friends liked him. "

He was a multi-dimensional personality for he was a novelist, a critic of music anr literature, dramatist, an actor and a socialist. 

Through his pen, he tried to make Man capable of putting the myths of his forefathers to an intellectual test. 

He was born in July 26th, 1856 and he died in November 2nd, 1950. 

His Life

Shaw did not enjoy a happy childhood because of financial problems. 

He was taught by his mother and his uncle. His mother taught him music and she was taught by her friend who lived with them. 

He worked in a land office for some time. 

His liking of literature, arts and music was influenced by his mother.

He was a critic first. Then, he tried to fasten his footsteps as a novelist but his novels were not an instant success. 

In 1884, he joined a Fabian Society to promote Socialism through his pen without any violent revolutions. It brought his identity as a good orator. 

Writing Career

Shaw divides his plays into two kinds,

Pleasant Plays: The plays that dealt with unpleasant ideas or topics in a pleasant or a humorous way. 

Examples:

1. Arms and The Man
2. The Man of Destiny
3. You never Can Tell

Unpleasant Plays: These plays were criticized by the society because tbese plays discussed the prohibited topics of that time in public like prostitution and charity. 

Examples of Unpleasant Plays

1. Widower's Houses
2. Flatterer
3. Mrs. Warren's Professions

Shaw states his notion of moving to present "pleasant" plays as thus, 

"If you want people to tell the truth, make them laugh or else they will kill you. "

Most Popular Plays

1. Man and Superman
2. St. John (a historical play)
3. Doctor's Dilemma
4. Barbara
5. Caesar and Cleopatra (a different representation of a Shakespearean play in which Shaw gives a true-to-life account of s romantic girl). 

GB Shaw is the only literary figure in the history of English Literature who won Oscar and Nobel Prize in literature.