Man and Superman

Shaw's tour de force, this is a work that combines realism with the supernatural to create a memorable piece of work. The section known as Don Juan in hell is justifiably renowned, and is a philosophical discussion that reminds me of Montesquieu and Machiavelli's Dialogue in Hell. The philosophy of the work is pessimistic; while it still retains a flavor of the socialist ideals of the author, there is an undertone of disillusionment. The roles of the sexes are skewered, by the means of characters upholding them to the letter, showing them for how ridiculous they really are. The leisure class comes off poorly, and the institution of marriage is, as usual in works by Shaw, reduced down to a condition of bondage. An interesting read, show more probably much too long to stage in this day and age, and certainly the long speeches would make any modern director cringe. Well worth the extra effort for a reading. show less

Very engaging for a long, dialogue-heavy play. Despite being sexist in his belief that women have nothing to offer outside of procreation, I generally love the ideas that Shaw puts forth, usually in Tanner's or Don Juan's words. He gives you frequent moments where you have to take a few seconds to think about the implications of a specific comment. And it's wonderful how Tanner turns societal convention and morality on its head by underlining the absurdity of his companions' reactions to various scandals. Probably my favorite line is quite an incidental comment but gives you an idea of Shaw's wit:

Tanner: . . . A jealous sense of my new individuality arose in me -
Ann: You hated to be treated as a boy any longer. Poor Jack!
Tanner: Yes,

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because to be treated as a boy was to be taken on the old footing. I had become a new person; and those who knew the old person laughed at me. The only man who behaved sensibly was my tailor: he took my measure anew every time he saw me, whilst all the rest went on with their old measurements and expected them to fit me.

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Man and Superman combines a dramatization of Neitsche's "ubermensch" or superman, that was believed to be the goal of creative evolution, with a romantic comedy. For that alone the play deserves five stars. That it does all of this and does it well is a remarkable achievement. The third act, Don Juan in Hell, is often played by itself. A surreal episode in the play, it is in this act that we see the realization of the play's philosophy, with the other three acts framing it with romance. Characteristic of Shaw, we see in the other three acts the Shavian inversion, where he flips commonly held notions on their head: in this case, the tradition that it is the man who is the pursuer in love. Shaw shows that in sex, it is the man who is the show more hunted and it is the woman who is in control. show less

Dear GBS, eugenics is gross, stop it. Also, the text of The Revolutionist's Handbook makes me despise Jack, whereas I kind of liked him as a protagonist in the play. Not a strong note to end on -- much like the play itself, which was relatively amusing as a comedy of manners clashing with modern morals up through act 2. Then Act 3 happened and threw everything off, and then Act 4 feels like something totally unrelated pasted on.

In other words, a total mess. But I laughed a couple of times, early on. Unfortunately, the men are completely useless and the women are up a creek without them. Which is part of the point you're making, I get that. But the point you're trying to make deserves a better play.

This work is a considerable production. the reader gets a preface, the play itself and a copy of "the Revolutionist's Handbook" written by a principal character in the play. But there is much matter to be mined, and the verbal fireworks are on full display. There is a simple plot or framing tale, and an extensive dream sequence in the middle. It would be a great experience to see the play performed, but it is much cheaper to put on the central dream sequence as a stand alone performance. this is usually called "Don Juan in Hell", and stands up well. But performed or simply read, you will get a serious exploration of Shaw's theories on how western Life should be conducted....at least his 1903 conception of it. It will read more easily show more than you might expect. show less

Look, there are three awesome acts in this and then there's that whole thing in the middle where Don Juan argues with the devil. Is the rest of the play just an excuse for Act III? Is it, like, the bread around a Don Juan / Satan sandwich? I preferred the bread.

I didn't hate the Don Juan / Satan part. I underlined a whole bunch of stuff that was really smart and / or funny. I just...it obviously goes on too long. The characters acknowledge it themselves!

Pygmalion was better.

Soundtrack:
- The Suffering, Fishbone
- Masters of Reality

Man and Superman, which Shaw subtitled A Comedy and A Philosophy, demonstrates his belief in the conflict between man as spiritual creator and woman as guardian of the biological continuity of the human race. The play incorporates Shaw's concept of the “life force” and satirizes the relationship between the sexes. As always his prose is a delight to read and reread.