230003 George Bernard Shaw: Drama of Ideas (S) (WiSe 2014/2015)

This class will deal with Shaw (1856 – 1950) as a writer more concerned with social and political ideas than with the more or less trivial content of plays shown in England in the course of the 19th century. There will be three plays read and discussed, which show the development from the romantic comedy “Arms and the Man” to the outspoken “Major Barbara”, which is concerned with the creeds of a munitions manufacturer and the Salvation Army, to the play “The Apple Cart” dealing with the dangers of republican government versus a constitutional monarchy.
The students are asked to consider which parts of these plays might be discussed and acted in drama groups in school.

Bibliography

Texts:
Arms and the Man (1894)
Major Barbara (1905)
The Apple Cart (1929)
Students are asked to buy the Penguin edition of Major Barbara.

Literatur:
Ein Semesterapparat wird erstellt.