登陆注册
4280200000001

第1章

INTRODUCTION

To the irreverent--and which of us will claim entire exemption from that comfortable classification?--there is something very amusing in the attitude of the orthodox criticism toward Bernard Shaw. He so obviously disregards all the canons and unities and other things which every well-bred dramatist is bound to respect that his work is really unworthy of serious criticism (orthodox). Indeed he knows no more about the dramatic art than, according to his own story in "The Man of Destiny,"Napoleon at Tavazzano knew of the Art of War. But both men were successes each in his way--the latter won victories and the former gained audiences, in the very teeth of the accepted theories of war and the theatre. Shaw does not know that it is unpardonable sin to have his characters make long speeches at one another, apparently thinking that this embargo applies only to long speeches which consist mainly of bombast and rhetoric. There never was an author who showed less predilection for a specific medium by which to accomplish his results.

He recognized, early in his days, many things awry in the world and he assumed the task of mundane reformation with a confident spirit. It seems such a small job at twenty to set the times aright. He began as an Essayist, but who reads essays now-a-days?--he then turned novelist with no better success, for no one would read such preposterous stuff as he chose to emit. He only succeeded in proving that absolutely rational men and women--although he has created few of the latter--can be most extremely disagreeable to our conventional way of thinking.

As a last resort, he turned to the stage, not that he cared for the dramatic art, for no man seems to care less about "Art for Art's sake,"being in this a perfect foil to his brilliant compatriot and contemporary, Wilde. He cast his theories in dramatic forms merely because no other course except silence or physical revolt was open to him. For a long time it seemed as if this resource too was doomed to fail him. But finally he has attained a hearing and now attempts at suppression merely serve to advertise their victim.

It will repay those who seek analogies in literature to compare Shaw with Cervantes. After a life of heroic endeavor, disappointment, slavery, and poverty, the author of "Don Quixote" gave the world a serious work which caused to be laughed off the world's stage forever the final vestiges of decadent chivalry.

The institution had long been outgrown, but its vernacular continued to be the speech and to express the thought "of the world and among the vulgar," as the quaint, old novelist puts it, just as to-day the novel intended for the consumption of the unenlightened must deal with peers and millionaires and be dressed in stilted language. Marvellously he succeeded, but in a way he least intended. We have not yet, after so many years, determined whether it is a work to laugh or cry over. "It is our joyfullest modern book," says Carlyle, while Landor thinks that "readers who see nothing more than a burlesque in 'Don Quixote' have but shallow appreciation of the work."Shaw in like manner comes upon the scene when many of our social usages are outworn. He sees the fact, announces it, and we burst into guffaws.

The continuous laughter which greets Shaw's plays arises from a real contrast in the point of view of the dramatist and his audiences. When Pinero or Jones describes a whimsical situation we never doubt for a moment that the author's point of view is our own and that the abnormal predicament of his characters appeals to him in the same light as to his audience. With Shaw this sense of community of feeling is wholly lacking. He describes things as he sees them, and the house is in a roar. Who is right? If we were really using our own senses and not gazing through the glasses of convention and romance and make-believe, should we see things as Shaw does?

同类推荐
  • 十方千五百佛名经

    十方千五百佛名经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说老母经

    佛说老母经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 圣多罗菩萨一百八名陀罗尼经

    圣多罗菩萨一百八名陀罗尼经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上老君说常清静经注

    太上老君说常清静经注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大日如来剑印

    大日如来剑印

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 越王勾践

    越王勾践

    在春秋五霸中,勾践是一个最为复杂的人物。他既是一个亡国之君,又是一个中兴之君。在吴国为奴期间,他饱尝常人不能忍受之耻辱。归国后,他卧薪尝胆,把自己放在低卑的位置上去敬信群臣,集合众谋,通过十年生聚、十年教训,终于转弱为强,灭了强吴,旋即北上,大会诸侯于舒州,成为中原之霸主。危中求存的政治环境,造就了勾践阴阳相违的双重人格。他是一个政治家、谋略家,韬光养晦的集大成者,又是一个阴谋家。
  • 神造异界

    神造异界

    神造大陆,这一方世界并非由创世神戛戛独造,而是由神界一代神王,泯灭之神所创。然而,这方世界却只是个半位面……神造大陆,这本就是个有违常理的世界。多个位面的法则之力汇聚于此,竟奇迹般形成了均衡。不过,这种均衡终有一日会被打破,世界将会崩溃……魔法,斗气,异能……多种法则之力在这片大陆上曾都有过。但随着时代的变迁,异能占据多数,成为了主流。其他能力则逐渐销声匿迹,被人遗忘……华依六岁那年,他的异能意外觉醒,自那以后,他就有着与常人不同的能力。然而,父亲的殉职令他悲痛欲绝,从此那段记忆便被封印,他也变得像个懵懂无知的孩子。九年之后,一次相遇,使他恢复了记忆……
  • 重生之一品皇家媳

    重生之一品皇家媳

    本书出版名《美人思无邪》,天猫购买地址https://m.wkkk.net/m.wkkk.net?spm=m.wkkk.net3DnA&id=547235707412前世,侍郎府嫡长千金云菀沁亲眼见妾侍上位,气死生母,为了安宁和弟弟,却隐忍退让,以为乖巧就能幸福,却被伪善继母贪走嫁妆、被算计得身体垮掉、无法生育,被自私妹妹坑走夫婿,唯一同胞弟弟也被捧杀成纨绔子弟,渣爹色迷心窍,袒护继室母女,毫不顾念嫡亲子女!临终前幡然醒悟,她奋起还击,毁了渣男前途和娘家颜面!今生,忍字诀丢一边!专注斗继母,压继妹,教亲弟,踢贱男,膈应渣爹。喜欢被打脸?那就一个个排队来!爱好抢人东西的继母继妹?飚演技?谁不会!装白莲,我能比你更圣洁!嚣张时,你奈我何?管不住下半身的渣夫婿滚粗,青春美貌耗在你身上,不如喂狗!什么,你也重生了?不好意思,这一世恕不奉陪!顺便收获重生配备的惊喜一份——有了超乎寻常的敏感嗅觉,调香,制药,鉴毒,易容,开铺,赚钱,成名…不在话下!姻缘大事,这辈子由她自己做主!那边那位,貌似有点面熟?看在前世他帮过自己,卖相也极好……咳咳,不如就他?都说三皇子体弱多病,深居简出,真的是面前这个闷骚腹黑还时不时喜欢卖几斤萌的人吗?王爷又怎样,未来皇帝又如何?照样可以在鞭策下,打造成忠犬!杏眼莹莹弯,纤唇勾新月,她开始今生的夫婿调教计划。他笑:欢迎来试。************************场景一太监乐颠颠地来邀功:“听说给云家长女求亲的人都从侍郎府门口排到街尾了!奴才也给王爷占了个位!”某人眼皮一动,手一挥:“堵死街头街尾,排在前面的,都给本王拉到大狱里去监禁。”太监(⊙o⊙):“果然是干大事的!”场景二:他严肃审视:“你有什么能耐当王妃?”她巧笑倩兮,暗示能助他登基,隐晦道:“妾身助爷得到一直都想得到的。”他心里一万头草泥马奔腾过,冷冷暗忖:这丫头,什么时候又猜到本王的心思了……她望天,王爷,你脑补过度,又在想不健康的了!
  • 师傅在上,请和徒儿三拜

    师傅在上,请和徒儿三拜

    芊雪想尽一切办法终于成了祝司晨的徒弟。可她不想做他徒弟,她想做他妻子,但他是高岭之花温和又淡漠。她觉得做不了他妻子,做他徒弟整天跟在他身边也好。可两人竟阴差阳错的分离了千年。千年后再重逢,师傅对徒儿有些地方不一样了……以前他从不主动碰她,现在居然主动为她擦手。以前他都是唤她芊雪,现在居然温柔地喊她阿雪。以前他看她的眼神从来都是淡漠又疏离,现在居然深沉又炙热。以前他对她虽温和却也是师傅的姿态,现在居然像她的丈夫,各种宠溺她……“所以,师傅在上,请和徒儿三拜。”“不知阿雪所言三拜,是何意思?”“自然是,一拜天地!二拜高堂!三夫妻对拜!”男女主wkkk.net.身心双处温馨治愈悬疑灵异文,多轻松…
  • 阙辰辞

    阙辰辞

    双手驭星辰,傲视苍世人。此文不穿越,套路少,十分慢热。风格偏向热血和剧情,适合女汉子。她十六年华,她会在我手中羽翼渐丰,扶摇直上,也会在我手中垂垂暮年。
  • 光影交错之旅

    光影交错之旅

    古老的神袛将走出神国,深渊的魔鬼己降临世间。异界的灵魂不甘心平凡,新的诸王誓为权柄而战。血脉的传承令龙翼蔽空,迷茫的行者踏上求真之路。
  • 年轻人要多懂点沟通技巧

    年轻人要多懂点沟通技巧

    这是一本写给年轻人的超实用沟通技巧提升指南。作者围绕怎样与人沟通才能让自己拥有更好的人际关系,在职场、社交以及个人生活等方面都有详细的分析与阐述,教会人们克服畏惧、建立自信,实现良好的人际沟通。阅读这本书,对于开阔年轻人的视野,在各种场合下言论恰当,博得赞誉,获得成功,具有实践意义和指导作用。
  • 寿世保元

    寿世保元

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 把信送给加西亚

    把信送给加西亚

    本书还收录了作者哈伯德本人对《把信送给加西亚》的评论和其他几篇当时颇有影响力的评论,还有部分哈伯德关于自动自发、敬业等文章,可谓一本彻底阐述忠诚、责任、自动自发精神的职场圣经。
  • 风雨修罗令

    风雨修罗令

    何为正?何为邪?终不免为一己之欲望。如何坚守本心,不为外物所动,不为外情所扰,我命由我不由天。