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The Political Rhapsody and Ethical Expression in Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart

Received: 1 August 2020     Accepted: 14 August 2020     Published: 25 August 2020
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Abstract

As a Nobel Prize winner, Bernard Shaw is undoubtedly one of the most prominent and prolific playwrights of the Victorian age. His works have exerted a great influence on world literature. The studies of Shaw and his works have achieved fruitful results. However, most scholars have long focused on Shaw’s early problem plays and paid little attention to his later political plays. In fact, Shaw discussed more serious themes such as social reality, political criticism and ethical ideals in his later years through unrestrained artistic creation. He wrote dramas in a rhapsodic way which represented the political crisis and fantasy of British society at that time. As a member of the Fabian Society, Shaw never gives up his ethical thoughts and his political rhapsody of social reform and development, which are clearly expressed in his later plays. As Shaw’s most important political satire, The Apple Cart is a case in point. In this play, Shaw combined current events, fantasy, and philosophic thought concerned by the public, criticized the British parliamentary system and bourgeois democracy at that time, and clearly expressed his political ideal and ethical appeal. That is to build a better world order, and reshape the virtuous social ethics and moral codes.

Published in English Language, Literature & Culture (Volume 5, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.ellc.20200503.13
Page(s) 91-97
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Political Rhapsody, Ethical Expression, Bernard Shaw, The Apple Cart

References
[1] Verma, R. K. (2019). Socializing prostitution, sexuality, economic slavery, and depreciation of female Identity in Bernard Shaw’s Mrs. Warren’s Profession. International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research, 8 (12): 790-795.
[2] Du, Juan (2012). A review of Shaw Shadows: Rereading the Text of Bernard Shaw by Peter Gahan. Foreign Literature Studies, 34 (6): 170-173.
[3] McEwan, A. (2014). The “plumber-philosopher”: Shaw’s discourse on domestic sanitation. SHAW, 34 (1): 75-107.
[4] Hao, Tugen and Wang, Yu (2019). A glimpse into Shaw’s early dramatic views from analyzing the writing history of Widowers’ Houses”. Journal of Suihua University, 39 (9): 53-56.
[5] Qin, Wen (2004). Imbalance between sense and sensibility: on Bernard Shaw’s women characters. The Journal of Central Academy of Drama, (3): 25-31.
[6] Chen, Juan (2015). Discussing George Bernard Shaw’s influence on Eileen Chang by comparing The First Incense and Mrs. Warren’s Profession. Journal of Central South University (Social Science), 21 (2): 196-120.
[7] Liu, Maosheng (2018). The ethical tradition in Bernard Shaw’s theatrical narrative. Foreign Literature Studies, 40 (3): 67-76.
[8] Ji, Lei (2018). George Bernard Shaw studies in twenty years (1997-2017): a scientometric analysis in citespace. Journal of Changchun Normal University, 37 (3): 134-139.
[9] Xie Jiangnan. A New Interpretation of George Bernard Shaw’s Drama [M]. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 2013.
[10] Roberts, Clayton & Roberts, David & R. Bisson Douglas. A History of England [M]. Translated by Pan Xingming, etc.. Beijing: Commercial Press, 2013.
[11] Harris, Frank. Bernard Shaw [M]. Beijing: Unity Press, 2006.
[12] Shaw, George Bernard. The Collection of Bernard Shaw’s Plays (III) [M]. Translated by Fang An, etc.. Beijing: People’s Literature Publishing House, 1956.
[13] Evans, Judith. The Politics and Plays of Bernard Shaw [M]. London: Mcfarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2002.
[14] Briggs, Asa. A Social History of England [M]. Translated by Chen Shuping & Chen Xiaohui, etc.. Beijing: Commercial Press, 2015.
[15] Huang Jiade. A Study of Bernard Shaw [M]. Jinan: Shandong University Press, 1898.
[16] Shaw, George Bernard. The Complete Prefaces, Volume 3: 1930-1950 [M], ed. Dan H. Laurence and Daniel J Leary. London: The Penguin Press, 1977.
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  • APA Style

    Liu Maosheng, Long Yanxia. (2020). The Political Rhapsody and Ethical Expression in Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart. English Language, Literature & Culture, 5(3), 91-97. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20200503.13

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    ACS Style

    Liu Maosheng; Long Yanxia. The Political Rhapsody and Ethical Expression in Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart. Engl. Lang. Lit. Cult. 2020, 5(3), 91-97. doi: 10.11648/j.ellc.20200503.13

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    AMA Style

    Liu Maosheng, Long Yanxia. The Political Rhapsody and Ethical Expression in Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart. Engl Lang Lit Cult. 2020;5(3):91-97. doi: 10.11648/j.ellc.20200503.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ellc.20200503.13,
      author = {Liu Maosheng and Long Yanxia},
      title = {The Political Rhapsody and Ethical Expression in Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart},
      journal = {English Language, Literature & Culture},
      volume = {5},
      number = {3},
      pages = {91-97},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ellc.20200503.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20200503.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ellc.20200503.13},
      abstract = {As a Nobel Prize winner, Bernard Shaw is undoubtedly one of the most prominent and prolific playwrights of the Victorian age. His works have exerted a great influence on world literature. The studies of Shaw and his works have achieved fruitful results. However, most scholars have long focused on Shaw’s early problem plays and paid little attention to his later political plays. In fact, Shaw discussed more serious themes such as social reality, political criticism and ethical ideals in his later years through unrestrained artistic creation. He wrote dramas in a rhapsodic way which represented the political crisis and fantasy of British society at that time. As a member of the Fabian Society, Shaw never gives up his ethical thoughts and his political rhapsody of social reform and development, which are clearly expressed in his later plays. As Shaw’s most important political satire, The Apple Cart is a case in point. In this play, Shaw combined current events, fantasy, and philosophic thought concerned by the public, criticized the British parliamentary system and bourgeois democracy at that time, and clearly expressed his political ideal and ethical appeal. That is to build a better world order, and reshape the virtuous social ethics and moral codes.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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    AB  - As a Nobel Prize winner, Bernard Shaw is undoubtedly one of the most prominent and prolific playwrights of the Victorian age. His works have exerted a great influence on world literature. The studies of Shaw and his works have achieved fruitful results. However, most scholars have long focused on Shaw’s early problem plays and paid little attention to his later political plays. In fact, Shaw discussed more serious themes such as social reality, political criticism and ethical ideals in his later years through unrestrained artistic creation. He wrote dramas in a rhapsodic way which represented the political crisis and fantasy of British society at that time. As a member of the Fabian Society, Shaw never gives up his ethical thoughts and his political rhapsody of social reform and development, which are clearly expressed in his later plays. As Shaw’s most important political satire, The Apple Cart is a case in point. In this play, Shaw combined current events, fantasy, and philosophic thought concerned by the public, criticized the British parliamentary system and bourgeois democracy at that time, and clearly expressed his political ideal and ethical appeal. That is to build a better world order, and reshape the virtuous social ethics and moral codes.
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Author Information
  • Faculty of English Language and Culture, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, China

  • Faculty of English Language and Culture, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, China

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