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In Solving Indian Problems
The Role of Drama of G.B. Shaw |
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| Paper Id :
19483 Submission Date :
2024-11-12 Acceptance Date :
2024-11-23 Publication Date :
2024-12-01
This is an open-access research paper/article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. DOI:10.5281/zenodo.14671214 For verification of this paper, please visit on
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| Abstract |
George Bernard Shaw is one
of the most famous dramatists of English Literature and his name comes not far
away from patriarchal William Shakespeare. Shaw never wrote a single line art
for art’s sake instead he always wrote with an intention of art for lives sake.
He is best known as an iconoclast (breaker of icons, existing rules and
regulations, traditional values etc.), a reformer and a man with a purpose.
Though he wrote his dramas for the contemporary English society or for the
upliftment of contemporary society but his most of the dramas have some panacea
for Indian problems. As we all know about this fact that human nature,
behavior, emotion and sentiments cannot change with the passage or distance,
similarly major problems related to humanity are either same or equal. Shaw is genius in writing problem play, a
play with discussion of specific problem and its possible solution. |
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| Keywords | Iconoclast, Superman, Reformer, Problem Play/Drama. | ||||||
| Introduction | After Shakespeare, in literature the reverend name of dramatist George Bernard Shaw needs no introduction. Shaw was against racialism, rudeness in traditional values and an iconoclast. He gave his own theory of Life force and Creative evolution that is almost similar to the theory of Darwin. Shaw was a reformer and never wrote a single line in favor of “art for art shake”, he wrote always ‘art for life’s shake’. He was very much influenced by Ibsen and his plays were mostly called as problem plays with a remedy or solution of particular problem. Shaw in his quest for social problems and life force to human mostly see in social realities, he tries in his dramas to concentrates at the war of ideas and conflict. He rejected all traditional devices used by romantic dramatist for example monologues, aside, soliloquies etc. as he was against romantic concept of dramas. Actually his dramas are full of wit and satire especially on the wrong or odd situation of the society. Shaw was against poverty also and remained in the favor of abolition of poverty; he was consistence when he came to his remedy or panacea for social evils. His panacea was simple and directly. The problems, those are reflected by his dramas, are the problems of English society and they are real problems. He dramatized the contemporary English life in all aspects. As a problem playwright, he is impartial. While posing any problem he shows both side of it, he does not take sides and concludes each play with a tragic note showing great suffering to all. The impartiality, in the solution of problems is a remarkable thing. Bernard Shaw is a reformer and his ultimate aim has been to have reforms social, moral and legal or of any other kind pointed out by his drama. Any one of his social dramas can establish him to be a social reformer. He saw the life around him, such as terrible conditions of criminals in prison houses. The tortures of solitary confinement, racial prejudices and class conflicts, struggle between capital and labour etc. all these conflicts arise due to lack of imagination, human approach and understanding among the people. He does not directly suggest the nature of the needed reform he leaves it to his audience and readers to think out the nature of the reform themselves. |
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| Objective of study |
This paper is a humble effort to trace out some Indian problems and their
solutions according to the dramas of G. B. Shaw. |
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| Review of Literature | Shaw’s plays have stood the test of the time and place. His plays are admired by the Indian writers and scholars. His plays were in the help of solving many problems in the country. It will not be untruthful to point out that Shaw was acquainted with most of the Indian problem. Shaw was affirmative in his context of ‘self-government’ and expressed as following:- “The ablest men in India are forced to write their time and energy on demand for self government which should be achieved at once, at any cost to set them free for real service to their country.” In respect of Home Rule in India, Shaw gave his opinion as follows: “There is no question of grounting self- government England can grant separation to India. The Indians must take it. They must create a situation in which only by setting on English solider with a rifle to stand over every Indian, which is numerically impossible, could British rule be maintained.” Shaw was of the opinion that all the backward countries should be allowed to have their own way otherwise they would live as rebellious slaves to Britain. He also forbade the British rule for creating obstacle in the path of the progress of the poor and backward nations. He was a man who gave importance to human values. Regarding nationalism Shaw commented in the preface to John Bull’s Island: “…….. A healthy nation is unconscious of its nationality as a healthy man of his bones. But if you break a nations nationality it will think of nothing else but getting it set again. It will listen to no reformer, to no philosopher, to no preacher, until the demand of the nationalist is granted.” The above statement shows that Shaw was the supporter of Indian freedom within premises. He has visited India during his abroad journey. Lord Buddha and Lord Krishna influenced him a lot as in the reface to his drama Saint Jones he remarked: “All the popular religion in the world is made apprehensible by an array of legendry personage, with an Almighty father and sometimes a mother and divine child, as the central figure. These are presented to the winds in childhood, and the result is a hallucination which persists strongly throughout life when it has been well impressed inspiration which is continually following in the universe…the alistial vision. And when in the case of exceptionally imaginative person, especially those practicing certain appropriate austerities, hallucination extends from the winds eye to the body’s, the visionary sees Krishna, the Buddha or the blessed Virginor St. Catherine as the case may be.” Before 1947, there were harmonious atmosphere in livings of Hindu and Muslims in India, The poor Indians became the victims of British imperialism before 1947. Many fought for Indian free domain including leaders like Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi. Shaw has complete sympathy and empathy with these leaders and freedom fighters. He met Gandhi in England and appreciated Gandhi’s weapons of truth and non- violence. During the rights of 1946-47 many Muslims and Hindus left their parental houses, properties and many other valuable things in respectively Pakistan and India and migrated for the unimagined, unexpectedly and unknown counties like India and Pakistan. In his drama named Saint Joan Shaw exposed the prejudices between Catholics and Protestants. Shaw respected men as men, and against racial prejudices and religious fanaticism. Through his tragedies he satirized the feudal lords of France and England those who exploited the poor masses. In Indian economy the gap between the have and have not’s has widened according to G.B. Shaw. His play Apple Cart presents a solution to such economic problems. Indian affairs may be checked only when there is a superman in the position of the prime minister or the president, who must be without personal greed & desire and remain selfless. Towards the end of the Revolutionist’s Handbook Shaw expressed his views as followings: “Take care to get what you like or what you will be forced to like what you get. Where there is no ventilation fresh air is declared unwholesome where there is no religion hypocrisy became good taste, where there is no knowledge ignorance calls itself science.” All religions preached about honesty, non-violence, kindness and goodwill of people based on principles of the epic named Ramayana, Vedas, Mahabharata etc. though India is suffering from migration from rural to urban centers, illiteracy, division in sub castes and creeds within the religion. But people followed the traditional values and cash more money without bothering for ethical values. Tax evasion is common if truth is ignored by almost all the common people. People send their children to schools, colleges for teaching them job tricks and not to make them noble citizens. There is crisis of faith and belief in society. In the last of “ Revolutionist’s Handbook” Shaw asked people not to be hopeless about the situation that is clear from these lines: “Where there is a will, there is a way, if there be no will, we are lost. That is a possibility for our crazy little empire, if not for the universe, and so such possibilities are not to be entertained without despair, we must, whilst we survive, proceed on the assumption that we have still energy enough to not only will to live better. That may mean that we must establish a state department of evaluation, with a seat in the Cabinet for its chief and revenue to defray the cost of direct state experiments, and provide inducements to private persons to achieve successful results. It may mean a private society or Chartered Company for the improvement of human life stake.” Judiciary is the only hope for the protection of democratic setup. For those stare authority has got to be respected and obeyed by the people. Shaw clarified the situation and asserted:- “ In our present happy- so-lovely industrial disorder, all the human products, successful or not, would have to be thrown on the labour market, but the unsuccessful ones would not entitle the company……………..The matter must taken up either by the state or by some organization strong enough to imposed respect upon the state.” The sacrifices of the freedom fighters have been forgotten. The time has come to modify the constitution and curb the powers of the executive Head and transfer them to the post of the president. Regarding the present situation in the country Shaw’s opinion may be quoted:- “ ….But they ( present political authorities ) are stuff ruff-roof; and to hand the country over the riff- raff, is national suicide, since riff- raff can neither govern nor will that anyone else govern except the highest bidder of bread and circuses. There is no public enthusiastic of twenty years practical democratic experience who believes in the political adequacy of the electorate or the bodies it elects. The overthrow of the aristocrat has created the necessity for superman.” The Indians like and love quality, liberation and other democratic values as India has the position in the world of being greatest and largest democratic country. We have made tremendous progress in the field of industries, computer technologies, agriculture etc. and a lot has to be done. In his drama Apple Cart Shaw confirmed that there is no end of public service, there is one national problem after another and cycle goes on. He also remarked for the solution of many questions i.e. moral and immoral, have and have not’s, honest and dishonest, adulteration and non adulteration, sincere and non sincere teachers, doctors, lawyers etc. “ …the political problem remains unsolved….he who confuse political liberty with freedom and political equality with similarity has never thought for five minutes about either” “Nothing can be unconditional; consequently nothing can be free liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it…..equality is fundamental in every department of social organization.” Shaw faced the actual problems of contemporary life and civilization with amazing courage and coverage and did not seek an imaginative escape into a visionary world. He wanted to make, through is dramas a better society. His basic aim was bettering the humanity. Shaw is social realist of simple nature. Shaw wrote dramas on so many themes as slum landlords, prostitution, marriage conventions, war and heroism, social prejudices and religion and so many. According to Shaw the diseases are generally caused by poverty because poor become unable to spend money on expensive medicines and necessary testing and over work may be another reason for their illness. Shaw as a socialist thinks so and tells it the duty of society to cure the disease by introducing socialism. |
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| Conclusion |
It is reality that a piece
of literary art is meant for all ages and all kinds of people which motivates
the classes as well as the masses and directs and delights the readers due to
its close relation with life, Shaw emphasized the improvement in social and
political structure of the country of his time. He touched all the aspects
almost as education, character of parents and children, teachers, students,
doctors, class and masses, haves and have not’s, prostitution, voice against
British imperialism, Indian liberty etc. as a reformer. Shaw cautioned the new
generation not to follow their father’s views and actions in to-to. He forced
on the evaluation and proves it as the only hope for the social progress. He
advocated for the eopleto adopt something different from their ancestors as the
economy structure had changed everywhere following the point of view and line
of action Ruskin and Carlyle. Shaw preached for the people to have the desire
to do something good in the common interest of the society. In reality, Bernard
Shaw had an encyclopedic knowledge of the human affairs and he played the role
of social reformer very well. In fine, it can be very well asserted that his
dramas are a panacea for the solution of some Indian problems. |
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