Man and Superman Study Guide and Summary Posted on: July 8, 2011 / Categories: Drama
Summary Overview:
Arguably George Bernard Shaw's most profound play, Man play, Man and Superman blends Superman blends so!al sat!re w!th a fas!nat!ng ph!losophy" #oday, #oday, the omedy ont!nues to ma$e readers and aud!enes laugh and th!n$ % somet!mes s!multaneously" Man and Superman tells Superman tells the story of two r!&als John #anner (a wealthy, pol!t!ally)m!nded pol!t!ally)m!nded !ntelletual who &alues h!s freedom* and Ann +h!tef!eld (a harm!ng, shem!ng hypor!t!al young woman who wants #anner as a husband*" ne #anner #anner real!-es that .!ss +h!tef!eld !s hunt!ng for a spouse (and that he h e !s the only target*, he attempts to flee, only to f!nd out that h!s attrat!on to Ann !s too o&erwhelm!ng to esape" Re-inventing Don Juan:
Although many of Shaw's plays were f!nan!al suesses, not all of the r!t!s adm!red h!s wor$" +h!le many re&!ewers were !ntr!gued by Shaw's !deas, the y d!d not appre!ate h!s lengthy senes of d!alogue w!th l!ttle)to)no onfl!t" ne suh r!t!, Arthur B!ngham +al$ley +al$ley one sa!d that Shaw !s no dramat!st at all" n the late 1800s, +al$ley +al$ley suggested that Shaw should wr!te a on Juan play" Beg!nn!ng !n 1301, Shaw aepted the hallenge4 !n fat, he wrote an e5tens!&e albe!t sarast! ded!at!on to +a +al$ley, l$ley, than$!ng h!m for the !nsp!rat!on" n the prefae of Man of Man and Superman , Superman , Shaw d!susses the way on Juan has been portrayed !n other wor$s, suh as .o-art's opera or 6ord Byron's poetry" #rad!t!onally #rad!t!onally,, on Juan !s a pursuer of women, an adulterer, and an unrepentant soun drel" At the end of .o-art's Don .o-art's Don Giovanni , Giovanni , on Juan !s dragged to 7ell, 7e ll, lea&!ng Shaw to wonder +hat happened to on Juan's soul Man soul Man and Superman pro&!des Superman pro&!des an answer to that 9uest!on" 9u est!on" #he sp!r!t of on Juan l!&es on !n the form of Juan's d!stant)desendant John #anner" nstead nstead of a pursuer of women, #anner !s a pursuer of truth" nstead of an adulterer, #anner !s a re&olut!onary" nstead of a soundrel, #anner def!es so!al)norms and old fash!oned trad!t!ons !n hopes of lead!ng the way to a better world" :et, :et, the theme of sedut!on % typ!al !n all !narnat!ons of on Juan stor!es % !s st!ll present" #hrough eah at a t of the play, the female lead, Ann +h!tef!eld, aggress!&ely pursues her prey" Below !s a br!ef b r!ef summary of the play" p lay" Man and Superman – Act One Summary:
Ann +h!tef!eld's father has passed away" .r" +h!tef!eld's w!ll !nd!ate that h!s daughter's guard!ans shall be two gentlemen •
;oebu$ ;amsden #he steadfast (and rather old)fash!oned* fr!end of the fam!ly"
•
John #anner A ontro&ers!al author and .ember of the dle ;!h
!olet enters, a romant! sub)plot !s !ntrodued" ;umor has !t that >!olet !s pregnant and unmarr!ed" ;amsden and ta&!us are outraged and ashamed" #anner ongratulates >!olet" 7e bel!e&es that she !s s!mply follow!ng l!fe's natural !mpulses, and he appro&es the !nst!nt!&e way >!olet has pursued her goals desp!te so!ety's e5petat!ons" >!olet an tolerate the moral ob?et!ons of her fr!ends and fam!ly" She annot, howe&er, ab!de #anner's pra!se" She adm!ts that she !s legally marr!ed, but that the !dent!ty of her groom must rema!n seret" At ne of Man and Superman onludes w!th ;amsden and the others apolog!-!ng" Ja$ #anner !s d!sappo!nted4 he wrongly thought that >!olet has shared h!s moral/ph!losoph!al outloo$" nstead, real!-es the bul$ of so!ety !s not ready to hallenge trad!t!onal !nst!tut!ons suh as marr!age" #he last l!ne of At ne #anner :ou must ower before the wedd!ng r!ng l!$e the rest of us, ;amsden" #he up of our !gnom!ny !s full"
Overview:
Man and Superman !s a battle)of)the)se5es omedy by George Bernard Shaw" Set !n turn)of)the) entury @ngland, the play po$es fun of Br!ta!n's &ar!ous so!al lasses, and asts a sat!r!al ga-e at romant! relat!onsh!ps and the !nst!tut!on of marr!age" At ne of Man and Superman establ!shes the ma!n haraters the !ndependent, rebell!ous bahelor, John #anner (A=A Ja$* and the attrat!&e, !ntell!gent, and shem!ng Ann +h!tef!eld (who plans to ensnare Ja$ !nto matr!mony*" Pot Summary o! Act "wo:
At #wo of Man and Superman ta$es plae !n the par$ of a ountry home near ;!hmond, @ngland" Ja$'s hauffeur, Stra$er, !s try!ng to f!5 a mehan!al problem" Ja$ #anner's ar !s a newfangled de&!e that fr!ghtens h!m beause of !ts !nred!ble speed (but $eep !n m!nd, s!ne th!s !s the early 1300s, the &eh!le probably annot get past 0 mph*"
Ja$'s fr!end ta&!us (#a&y for short* enters the sene" Ja$ !ntrodues h!s haffeur, la!m!ng that Stra$er represents the ew .an" Cnl!$e those who attend un!&ers!t!es suh as 5ford where one learns to be a gentleman, Stra$er pr!des eduat!onal ba$ground of board!ng shools and tehn!al olleges" Stra$er an also be ons!dered a ew .an (mean!ng an !nd!&!dual who represents a pos!t!&e ad&ane !n the human rae* beause he !s more !ns!ghtful than the !ntelletual Ja$ #anner" Dor e5ample, Stra$er sees that Ann +h!tef!eld !s ob&!ously pursu!ng #anner w!th romant! fer&or" But #anner !s lueless unt!l Stra$er f!nally spells !t out for h!m at the end of At #wo" "avy oves Ann:
#a&y and Ja$ d!suss the nature of 6o&e" #a&y reaff!rms h!s pass!onate de&ot!on to Ann" Ja$, as usual, po$es fun" 7e states that Ja$ does not understand beause he has ne&er been !n lo&e" Ja$ la!ms that he has always been !n lo&e (e&en w!th Ann* but he seems to be tal$!ng about a m!ld, perhaps platon! form of un!&ersal lo&e E beause he argues that he w!ll ne&er let 6o&e ontrol h!s thoughts and at!ons" #hen, #a&y g!&es Ja$ a note from ;hoda, Ann's younger s!ster" Ann #ants Jac$:
#he note re&eals that Ann has forb!dden ;hoda to go on a motor r!de w!th h!m" #h!s !nfur!ates Ja$, but when he onfronts Ann on the sub?et, she offers a d!fferent e5planat!on" Ann la!ms that she has no moral 9ualms w!th Ja$ #anner, but that her mother ob?ets to the pol!t!al man!festo wr!tten by Ja$ ( The Revolutionist's Handbook *" #h!s new !nformat!on sends Ja$ !nto a so!olog!al rage as he delares that adult h!ldren must ut t!es w!th the!r parents to de&elop the!r own soul" Ja$ says that she ould brea$ her ha!ns by defy!ng her mother" 7e suggests that Ann ould wh!s$ away on a road tr!p aross @urope" .uh to h!s surpr!se, Ann aepts the !n&!tat!on" 7e !s now &ery ner&ou s about the !dea of be!ng alone w!th her for an e5tended per!od of t!me" ther haraters enter the sene, halt!ng Ann and Ja$'s on&ersat!on" n ad d!t!on to ;oebu$ ;amsden and Ann's mother, a new harater !s !ntrodued 7etor .alone" 7e !s from the east oast of Amer!a and, aord!ng to Shaw, not at all ashamed of h!s nat!onal!ty" Ann e5pla!ns that they are all go!ng on the road tr!p to !e, Drane" %ector and &ioet Are Secrety Married:
7etor offers to esort #a&y's s!ster >!olet, but the group beomes embarrassed and e5pla!ns that !t would be !nappropr!ate for 7etor to r!de alon e w!th >!olet" She has reently been marr!ed, and her husband's !dent!ty rema!ns seret" ne 7etor has a moment alone w!th >!olet, the!r d!alogue re&eals that 7etor !s atually the seret h usbandF #hey ha&e $ept the marr!age landest!ne beause 7etor's wealthy father would strongly d!sappro&e (and probably ut off h!s !nher!tane*" 7etor would rather e5pose the truth, b ut >!olet !s d!sgusted at the thought of her husband ha&!ng to wor$ for a l!&!ng" Jac$ Can't %ande t(e "rut(:
As Ja$ and Stra$er return to the sene, 7etor and >!olet e5!t to d!suss the!r upom!ng ross) ountry tr!p" Ja$ suggests that dur!ng the tr!p they lea& e Ann and #a&y alone together to !nrease #a&y's romant! opportun!t!es" Stra$er responds by myster!ously wh!stl!ng" +hen Ja$ !ns!sts that Stra$er e5pla!n why he !s wh!stl!ng so smugly, Stra$er f!nally e5pla!ns what !s pa!nfully ob&!ous to h!m but ompletely unseen by Ja$ Ann !s !ntent on marry!ng Ja$ #anner" S#;A=@; +hy, !t's as pla!n as the nose on your fae" f you a!n't spotted that, you don't $now muh about these sort of th!ngs" @5use me, you $now, .r" #anner4 but you as$ed me as man to man4 and told you as man to man" #A@; #hen % am the bee, the sp!der, the mar$ed down &!t!m, the dest!ned prey" S#;A=@; dunno about the bee and the sp!der" But the mar$ed down &!t!m, that's what you are and no m!sta$e" ne Ja$ real!-es that Ann !s pursu!ng h!m romant!ally, he tells Stra$er to hop !n the!r automob!le" Ja$ plans to dr!&e away as fast as he an to get as muh d!stane between h!mself and h!s sedutress, Ann +h!tef!eld" At #wo ends w!th h!s desperately om!al esape"
"(emes and Concepts ngra!ned w!th!n George Bernard Shaw's humorous play Man and Superman !s a perple5!ng yet fas!nat!ng ph!losophy about the potent!al future of man$!nd" ur!ng At #hree, an awesome debate between on Juan and the e&!l ta$es plae" .any so!olog!al !ssues are e5plored, not the least of wh!h !s the onept of the Superman" #(at is a Superman)
D!rst of all, don't get the ph!losoph!al !dea of the Superman m!5ed up w!th the om! boo$ hero who fl!es around !n blue t!ghts and red shorts % and who loo$s susp!!ously l!$e
Super!or !ntellet
•
•
Ab!l!ty to defy obsolete moral odes
•
Self)def!ned &!rtues
S(aw's *+ampes o! Supermen:
Shaw selets a few f!gures from h!story who d!splay some of the Superman's tra!ts
•
•
•
Jul!us
@ah person !s a h!ghly !nfluent!al leader, eah w!th h!s own ama-!ng apab!l!t!es" f ourse, eah had s!gn!f!ant fa!l!ngs" Shaw argues that the fate of eah of these asual supermen was aused by the med!or!ty of human!ty" Beause most people !n so!ety are une5ept!onal, the few Supermen who happen to appear on the planet now and then fae a nearly !mposs!ble hallenge" #hey must try to e!ther subdue the med!or!ty or to ra!se the med!or!ty up to the le&el of Supermen"#herefore, Shaw does not s!mply want to see a few more Jul!us
Shaw states that the !dea of the Superman has been around for m!llenn!a, e&er s!ne the myth of rometheus" ;emember h!m from Gree$ mythology 7e was the t!tan who def!ed Heus and the other lymp!an gods by br!ng!ng f!re to man$!nd, thereby empower!ng man w!th a g!ft meant only for de!t!es" Any harater or h!stor!al f!gure who, l!$e rometheus, endea&ors to reate h!s own dest!ny and str!&e towards greatness (and perhaps lead!ng others toward those same godl!$e attr!butes* an be ons!dered a superman of sorts" 7owe&er, when the Superman !s d!sussed !n ph!losophy lasses, the onept !s usually attr!buted to Dr!edr!h !et-she" n h!s 188I boo$ Thus Spake Zarathustra !et-she pro&!des a &ague desr!pt!on of an Cbermensh % loosely translated !nto &erman or Superman" 7e states, man !s someth!ng wh!h ought to be o&erome, and by th!s he seems to mean that man$!nd w!ll e&ol&e !nto someth!ng far super!or to ontemporary humans" Beause the def!n!t!on !s rather unspe!f!ed, some ha&e !nterpreted a superman to be someone who !s s!mply super!or !n strength and mental ab!l!ty" But what really ma$es the Cbermensh out of the ord!nary !s h!s un!9ue moral ode" !et-she stated that God !s dead" 7e bel!e&ed that all rel!g!ons were false and that by reogn!-!ng that so!ety was bu!lt upon falla!es and myths, man$!nd ould then re!n&ent !tself w!th new morals based upon a godless real!ty" Some bel!e&e that !et-she's theor!es were meant to !nsp!re a new golden age for the human rae, l!$e the ommun!ty of gen!uses !n Ayn ;and's Atlas Shrugged " n prat!e, howe&er, !et-she's ph!losophy has been blamed (albe!t unfa!rly* as one of the auses of 20th entury fas!sm" t !s easy to onnet !et-she's Cbermensh w!th the a-!'s !nsane 9uest for a master rae, a goal that resulted !n w!de)saled geno!de" After all, !s a group of so)alled Supermen are w!l!ng and able to !n&ent the!r own moral ode, what !s to stop them from omm!tt!ng ountless atro!t!es !n pursu!t of the!r &ers!on of so!al perfet!on
n ontrast to some of !et-she's !deas, Shaw's Superman e5h!b!ts so!al!st lean!ngs wh!h the playwr!ght bel!e&ed would benef!t !&!l!-at!on" S(aw's Superman and ."(e Revoutionist's %and/oo$0
Shaw's Man and Superman an be supplemented by #he ;e&olut!on!st's 7andboo$, a pol!t!al manusr!pt wr!tten by the protagon!st of the play, John (A=A Ja$* #anner" (f ourse, Shaw atually d!d the wr!t!ng % but when wr!t!ng a harater analys!s of #anner, students should &!ew the handboo$ as an e5tens!on of #anner's personal!ty"* n At ne of the play, the stuffy, old)fash!oned harater ;oebu$ ;amsden desp!ses the unon&ent!onal &!ews w!th!n #anner's treat!se" 7e throws #he ;e&o lut!on!st's 7andboo$ !nto the wastebas$et w!thout e&en read!ng !t" ;amsden's at!on represents so!ety's general re&uls!on toward unorthodo5y" .ost !t!-ens ta$e omfort !n all th!ngs ormal, !n long)held trad!t!ons, ustoms, and manners" +hen #anner hallenges those age)old !nst!tut!ons suh as marr!age and property ownersh!p, ma!nstream th!n$ers (suh as ol' ;amsden* label #anner as !mmoral" #he ;e&olut!on!st 7andboo$ !s bro$en !nto ten hapters, eah one &erbose % at least by today's standards" t an be sa!d of Ja$ #anner that he lo&es to hear h!mself tal$" #h!s was undoubtedly true of the playwr!ght as well % and he erta!nly en?oys e5press!ng h!s lo9ua!ous thoughts on e&ery page" #here's a lot of mater!al to d!gest % muh of wh!h an be !nterpreted !n d!fferent ways" But here's a nutshell &ers!on of Shaw's $ey po!nts .On Good 1reeding0
Shaw bel!e&es that man$!nd's ph!losoph!al progress!on has been m!n!mal at best" n ontrast, man$!nd's ab!l!ty to alter agr!ulture, m!rosop! organ!sms, and l!&esto$ has pro&en to be re&olut!onary" 7umans ha&e learned how to gener!ally eng!neer nature (yes, e&en dur!ng Shaw's t!me*" n short, man an phys!ally !mpro&e upon .other ature % why then should he not use h!s ab!l!t!es to !mpro&e upon .an$!nd (#h!s ma$es me wonder what Shaw would ha&e thought of lon!ng tehnology* Shaw argues that human!ty should ga!n more on trol o&er !ts own dest!ny" Good breed!ng ould lead to the !mpro&ement of the human rae" +hat does he mean by good breed!ng Bas!ally, he ontends that most people get marr!ed and ha&e h!ldren for the wrong reasons" #hey should be partner!ng w!th a mate that e5h!b!ts phys!al and mental 9ual!t!es that are l!$ely to produe benef!!al tra!ts !n the pa!r's offspr!ng" (ot &ery romant!, !s !t* .Property and Marriage0
Aord!ng to the playwr!ght, the !nst!tut!on of marr!age slows down the e&olut!on of the Superman" Shaw pere!&es marr!age as old)fash!oned an d far too s!m!lar to the a9u!s!t!on of property" 7e felt that !t pre&ented many people of d!fferent lasses and reeds from opulat!ng w!th one another" =eep !n m!nd, he wrote th!s !n the earl y 1300s when pre)mar!tal se5 was sandalous"
Shaw also hoped to remo&e property ownersh!p from so!ety" Be!ng a member of the Dab!an So!ety (a so!al!st group who ad&oated gradual hange from w!th!n the Br!t!sh go&ernment*, Shaw bel!e&ed that landlords and ar!storats had an unfa!r ad&antage o&er the ommon man" A so!al!st model would pro&!de an e9ual play!ng f!eld, m!n!m!-!ng lass pre?ud!e and broaden!ng the &ar!ety of potent!al mates" Sounds strange th!n$ so too" But #he ;e&olut!on!st's 7andboo$ pro&!des an h!stor! e5ample to !llustrate h!s po!nt" ."(e Per!ectionist *+periment at Oneida Cree$0
#he th!rd hapter !n the handboo$ fouses on an obsure, e5per!mental settlement establ!shed !n upstate ew :or$ around 188" dent!fy!ng themsel&es as
S!m!larly, Ja$ #anner rel!n9u!shes h!s unorthodo5 !deals and ult!mately g!&es !n to Ann's ma!nstream des!re to be marr!ed" And !t's no o!n!dene that Shaw (se&eral years before wr!t!ng Man and Superman ga&e up h!s l!fe as an el!g!ble bahelor and marr!ed
C(aracter and "(eme Anaysis o! .Man and Superman0 Ja$ #anner and the Dab!an So!ety (Student @ssay by @ll!ot Staudt* #he omedy Man and Superman dep!ts a m!roosm of @ngl!sh on&ent!on !n the early 20th entury" t !s an adaptat!on of the on Juan ep! touh!ng on the ph!losophy of !et-she's ubermensh" #he play's so!al ommentary !s strongly !nfluened by these top!s, but !t onta!ns undertones that spea$ to a more spe!f! top! on the !mplementat!on of so!al re&olut!on"
Dramed !n th!s way, the play !s a platform for onepts embod!ed !n the so!al!st rhetor! of the Dab!an So!ety" ur!ng the late 13th !olet for the !rumstanes !n wh!h she !s ha&!ng a h!ld, #anner f!nds h!mself apolog!-!ng to her" >!olet says, hope you w!ll be more areful !n the future about the th!ngs you say" f ourse one does not ta$e them ser!ously4 but they are &ery d!sagreeable, and rather !n bad taste (IK*" ;egardless of her own mot!&at!ons at that t!me, she wanted noth!ng to do w!th #anner's support" #h!s !s !n star$ ontrast to the reept!on one typ!ally gets as a lone defender" #hese reat!ons to #anner are generated from the way !n wh!h #anner &!ews h!mself" 7e says to Ann, ha&e beome a reformer, and l!$e all reformers, an !onolast" no longer brea$ uumber frames and burn gorse bushes shatter reeds and demol!sh !dols (IK*" #h!s !s a e5treme stane from wh!h to approah l!fe" t !s understandable then that people m!ght b y offended, or e&en threatened, by what he represents" #anner !s unreal!st! !n h!s !deas on how to hange so!ety" n order to affet these hanges !n a d!ret manner, one would truly ha&e to be a superman" +ere #anner to be an ubermensh by the def!n!t!on of !et-she, !t !s one!&able that he m!ght ha&e been able to pull off a so!al re&olut!on w!thout subtlety" #he ma!n harater!st! of the ubermensh !s that he/she ats !n aordane w!th h!s or her des!res" 7owe&er, he repeatedly demonstrates that th!s !s not the ase" 7e !s onfl!ted o& er h!s feel!ngs for Ann" @&en though he la!ms that he d!sl!$ed her, he somehow always attends to her" 7e la!ms to be an !ntelletual but !s orreted by h!s hauffer when 9uot!ng Beau marha!s" 7e freely adm!ts he !s a sla&e to the ar and h!s hauffer by e5tens!on" 7e adm!ts that h e !s !nt!m!dated by women and needs protet!on from at least one, namely Ann" #hought he g!&es a long w !nded d!atr!be to ;amsdem that la!ms !s almost w!thout shame and almost ne&er regrets h!s at!ons, he learly ontrad!ts h!mself"
n the th!rd at, #anner dreams he !s on Juan, hoos!ng whether he be longs !n hea&en or hell" f ourse, th!s !s the Shaw &ers!on of 7ea&en and hell rather than the trad!t!onal &ers!on !n wh!h the e&!l pun!shes the w!$ed" on Juan desr!bes 7ea&en as a plae !n wh!h you l!&e and wor$ !nstead of play!ng and pretend!ng" :ou fae th!ngs as they are4 you esape noth!ng b ut glamour4 and your steadfastness and your per!l are your glory (IK*" f hell !s a plae !n wh!h you don't fae real!ty, then that has a lear onnet!on to the state Ja$ #anner f!nds h!mself !n at the beg!nn!ng of the th!rd at" 7e !s sh!r$!ng respons!b!l!ty !n h!s personal l!fe as well as a&o!d!ng the feel!ngs he has for Ann" n hoos!ng to go to hea&en at the end of the th!rd at, Ja$ #anner subons!ously hooses the l!fe he has been a&o!d!ng" #h!s !s the l!fe tha t aepts Ann" #h!s !s also the l!fe that does not a&o!d on&ent!on, but embraes !t" 7ea&en !s a plae where one ontemplates the true nature of the un!&erse" n th!s ase, Ja$ hooses to ontemplate the true nature of h!s world rather than l!&e an e5!stene only onerned w!th self)grat!f!at!on" 7ere aga!n, ;amsden's &!ew of #anner !s s!gn!f!ant" +hen #anner has professed h!s lo&e for Ann at the end of the play, ;amsden !s ongratulatory" 7e says, you are a happy man, Ja$ #anner, en&y you (L0K*" #h!s !s the f!rst suh support!&e remar$ offered by ;amsden" Cnt!l th!s po!nt, they had rema!ned at odds w!th eah other" #anner's engagement to Ann probably suggests he has a reasonable nature" S!ne ;amsden !s an !nfluent!al person, th!s hanged &!ew of #anner w!ll e5tend to ;amsden's sphere of !nfluene" n th!s l!ght, #anner has the opportun!ty to be a muh more !nfluent!al person" +e ha&e a lear e5ample of the effet!&eness of th!s $!nd of man !n ;amsden" ;amsden was appalled to hear that #anner ons!dered h!m, an old man w!th obsolete !deas (I1*, but ;amsden was ?ust l!$e #anner !n h!s youth" 7e says to ta&!us, ha&e stood for e9ual!ty and l!berty of ons!ene wh!le they were tru$!ng to the
So!ety bel!e&ed that the destrut!on of state reated nat!onal, pol!t!al, and moral harater" #anner's hange !s a metaphor for th!s reat!on of harater" #anner bel!e&ed he had strong moral pass!on, but th!s pass!on was und!reted" nstead, he had the foundat!on for a strong moral harater" n subm!tt!ng to Ann and aept!ng the trad!t!onal >!tor!an l!festyle, he ga!ned a spr!ngboard from wh!h to e5tend h!s so!al !deas" n so do!ng, he de&eloped a stronger moral f!ber, the moral f!ber of a leader rather than an eentr!"
Scene !rom .Man and Superman0 2Act 3our4 Ja$ #anner and Ann +h!tef!eld Man and Superman by George Bernard Shaw !s a remar$ably long yet fas!nat!ng omedy" ;unn!ng about four hours, !t !s not nearly as popular as Shaw's romant!)omedy ygmal!on" :et, Man and Superman !s my personal fa&or!te of Shaw's &ast body of wor$" Although !t was wr!tten o&er one hundred years ago, the play offers a great deal of !ns!ght !nto the thoughts of men and women" #he follow!ng two)person sene (from At >* !s the f!nal battle between the two ma!n haraters, Ja$ #anner and Ann +h!tef!eld" #hroughout the play Ann has been sedut!&ely lur!ng Ja$ !nto marr!age" 7e has been res!st!ng as muh as poss!ble, but he !s about to g!&e !nF A" >!olet !s 9u!te r!ght" :ou ought to get marr!ed" #A@;" (e5plos!&ely* Ann w!ll not marry you" o you hear won't, won't, won't, won't, +'# marry you" A" (pla!dly* +ell, nobody as$ed you, s!r she sa!d, s!r she sa!d, s!r she sa!d" So that's settled" #A@;" :es, nobody has as$ed me4 but e&erybody treats the th!ng as settled" t's !n the a!r" +hen we meet, the others go away on absurd prete5ts to lea&e us alone together" ;amsden no longer sowls at me h!s eye beams, as !f he were already g!&!ng you away to me !n hurh" #a&y refers me to your mother and g!&es me h!s bless!ng" Stra$er openly treats you as h!s future employer !t was he who f!rst told me of !t" A" +as that why you ran away #A@;" :es, only to be stopped by a lo&es!$ br!gand and run down l!$e a truant shoolboy" A" +ell, !f you don't want to be marr!ed, you needn't be (she turns away from h!m and s!ts down, muh at her ease*" #A@; (follow!ng her* oes any man want to be hanged :et men let themsel&es be hanged w!thout a struggle for l!fe, though they ould at least g!&e the hapla!n a bla$ eye" +e do the world's w!ll, not our own" ha&e a fr!ghtful feel!ng that shall let myself be marr!ed beause !t !s the world's w!ll that you should ha&e a husband"
A" daresay shall, someday" #A@;" But why meEme of all men .arr!age !s to me apostasy, profanat!on of the santuary of my soul, &!olat!on of my manhood, sale of my b!rthr!ght, shameful surrender, !gnom!n!ous ap!tulat!on, aeptane of defeat" shall deay l!$e a th!ng that has ser&ed !ts purpose and !s done w!th4 shall hange from a man w!th a future to a man w!th a past4 shall see !n the greasy eyes of all the other husbands the!r rel!ef at the arr!&al of a new pr!soner to share the!r !gnom!ny" #he young men w!ll sorn me as one who has sold out to the women , who ha&e always been an en!gma and a poss!b!l!ty, shall be merely somebody else's propertyE and damaged goods at that a seondhand man at best" A" +ell, your w!fe an put on a ap and ma$e herself ugly to $eep you !n ountenane, l!$e my grandmother" #A@;" So that she may ma$e her tr!umph more !nsolent by publ!ly throw!ng away the ba!t the moment the trap snaps on the &!t!mF A" After all, though, what d!fferene would !t ma$e Beauty !s all &ery well at f!rst s!ght4 but who e&er loo$s at !t when !t has been !n the house three days thought our p!tures &ery lo&ely when apa bought them4 but ha&en't loo$ed at them for years" :ou ne&er bother about my loo$s you are too well used to me" m!ght be the umbrella stand" #A@;" :ou l!e, you &!re you l!e" A" Dlatterer" +hy are you try!ng to fas!nate me, Ja$, !f you don't want to marry me #A@;" #he 6!fe Dore" am !n the gr!p of the 6!fe Dore" A" don't understand !n the least !t sounds l!$e the 6!fe Guards" #A@;" +hy don't you marry #a&y 7e !s w!ll!ng"
A" h, !t's the same w!th women" #he poet! temperament's a &ery n!e temperament, &ery am!able, &ery harmless and poet!, daresay4 bu t !t's an old ma!d's temperament" #A@;" Barren" #he 6!fe Dore passes !t by" A" f that's what you mean by the 6!fe Dore, yes" #A@;" :ou don't are for #a&y A (loo$!ng round arefully to ma$e sure that #a&y !s not w!th!n earshot* o" #A@;" And you do are for me A (r!s!ng 9u!etly and sha$!ng her f!nger at h!m* ow, Ja$F Beha&e yourself" #A@;" nfamous, abandoned womanF e&!lF A" Boa)onstr!torF @lephantF #A@;" 7ypor!teF A (softly* must be, for my future husband's sa$e" #A@;" Dor m!neF (
#A@;" w!ll not marry you" w!ll not marry you" A" h, you w!ll, you w!ll" #A@;" tell you, no, no, no" A" tell you, yes, yes, yes" #A@;" o" A (oa5!ngE!mplor!ngEalmost e5hausted* :es" Before !t !s too late for repentane" :es" #A@; (stru$ by the eho from the past* +hen d!d all th!s happen to me before Are we two dream!ng A (suddenly los!ng her ourage, w!th an angu!sh that she does not oneal* o" +e are awa$e4 and you ha&e sa!d no that !s all" #A@; (brutally* +ell A" +ell, made a m!sta$e you do not lo&e me" #A@; (se!-!ng her !n h!s arms* t !s false lo&e you" #he 6!fe Dore enhants me ha&e the whole world !n my arms when lasp you" But am f!ght!ng for my freedom, for my honor, for my self, one and !nd!&!s!ble" A" :our happ!ness w!ll be worth them all" Man and Superman, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) and 2 Boys in a Bed on a Cold Winters !ight
Soure http//plays"about"om/od/manandsuperman/.anMandMSupermanMbyMGeorgeMBernardMShaw"ht m An *a/orate Production o! George 1ernard S(aw's Man and Superman
t!me" #here !s wonderful !nterat!on of metamorphos!s, theoret!al and se5ual pol!t!s !n th!s battle of the se5es omedy" #han$s to the magnet!sm of the d!retor's dramat!-at!on, the ab!l!ty of the ators and the w!t of George Bernard Shaw, th!s !s a br!ll!ant produt!on" #h!s mar$s the th!rd t!me ha&e seen the lass!, not !nlud!ng the aul Gregory produt!on where the produer only presented a onert &ers!on of Don !uan in Hell w!th !tor!an parlor play where the playwr!ght's !dea of the 6!fe Dore dr!&es women to hase a mate !n order to produe a Superman" #he f!rst at enters on Ja$ #anner (@l!?ah Ale5ander*, a re&olut!onary young man who has wr!tten a boo$ !n wh!h he propagates &!ews that are fore!gn to >!tor!an so!ety" 7e !s a el!bate ph!losopher of se5ual freedom and !s atually tal$!ng about Shaw's ph!losophy regard!ng the mores of the era" #anner's words are full of w!t, suh as, #here are two traged!es !n l!fe" ne !s not to get your heart's des!re" #he other !s to get !t, #here !s no lo&e s!nerer than the lo&e of food and .arr!age !s popular beause !t omb!nes the ma5!mum of temptat!on w!th the ma5!mum of opportun!ty" Ann +h!tef!eld (Susannah 6!&!ngston* !s Ja$'s lo&es nemes!s and she !s out to snare h!m" She !s the eternal hunter pursu!ng her predest!ned pre y and she safely seures her m!sogyn!st ph!landerer desp!te all h!s wr!ggl!ng" #hey are the Beatr!e and Bened!t of the >!tor!an age" #here are del!ghtful subplots !n&ol&!ng 7etor .alone Jr" (#" @dward +ebster*, son of !ndustr!ous Amer!an r!shman, 7etor .alone Sr" (Ste&e r!sh*4 and >!olet ;ob!nson (el!a .ougall*" #he seond at opens !n the S!erra e&ada .ounta!ns !n Spa!n where .endo-a (Andy .urray*, the pres!dent of the br!gands, aptures Ja$ and Ann along w!th the!r l!beral !ntell!gent hauffeur, Stra$er (an 7a!tt*" #hat sene suddenly morphs !nto Shaw's &ers!on of hell where Andy .urray plays a &ery sw!ng!ng de&!l dressed l!$e 7ugh 7efner" #here !s a sene !n wh!h a nun wonders why she !s !n hell, where people dr!n$ #ab and 7e!ne$en among !llum!nated ro$s" #h!s sene onta!ns br!ll!ant d!suss!ons of ph!losoph!al &!ews of moral!ty" #here !s a h!ghly strutured e5urs!on !nto !et-shean ph!losophy that an be desr!bed as muh more than a &ery w!tty and e5h!larat!ng p!ee of topsy)tur&y omedy" #he hell sene ends w!th a d!so party" #he last at !s a typ!al >!tor!an omedy sene (that w!ll appeal to sar +!lde fans* !n&ol&!ng the marr!age of 7etor and >!olet" Jonathan .osone has assembled a sterl!ng ast of ators who should ree!&e noth!ng less than warm pra!se for the!r performanes" @l!?ah Ale5ander !s superb as a person who !s !mpetuous,
perept!&e and om!ally naN&e" 7!s long d!ssertat!ons on the progress!on of more e5ept!onal humans are w!tty and st!mulat!ng w!th pleasure" Susannah 6!&!ngston g!&es a strong performane as the sparr!ng partner of Ja$" 7e !s no math for her resolutely foused Ann" Andy .urray !s outstand!ng, math!ng w!ts w!th Ja$ and o n Juan !n wonderful r!t!9ues of self)sat!sfat!on and repugnane at human ruelty" an 7a!tt !s &ery droll as Ja$'s l!beral spea$!ng hauffeur Stra$er" Ste&e r!sh !s properly pompous as the nou&eau r!he father of 7etor .alone" #" @dward +ebster !s harm!ng as the son who does not are about h!s father's money" 6" eter !olet ;ob!nson" Ben 6!&!ngston !s e5ellent as the d!s!ngenuous ta&!us ;ob!nson" Ann!e Smart pro&!des well)des!gned, s!mple sets w!th a pa!r of url!ues pro&!d!ng a sort of a prosen!um" #he trees and h!lls are fully &!s!ble and l!t beaut!fully by ;ussell 7"
Sott!sh portrayal of one of the haraters !n the Sott!sh lay ( Mabeth * !s uproar!ous"
o&er" #here !s muh d!suss!on !n real t!me of the!r f!rst se5 ats when they were young" +e f!nd that eter (aul 6e$a$!s* !s a w!ld and ra-y guy who ?ust lo&es se5 for the moment" aryl (Sott ouglas
