Bernard Shaw Essays

Author: George Bernard Shaw
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: The 19th-century British literary scene was as brilliant as a starry night sky, with numerous essayists such as Lamb, Quincy, Hazlitt, Ruskin, and Stevenson each leading the way and showcasing their talents. Although Shaw is renowned for his plays, he was also a dazzling star in the British essayistic landscape of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Throughout his life, Shaw wrote over 50 plays, but his essay writing was equally extensive, achieving remarkable success and establishing his own distinct style. Shaw's essays, like his plays, were marked by a prominent "political" nature. He consistently opposed Wilde's "art for art's sake" principle and expressed his political views, explored profound philosophical ideas, and addressed multifaceted and insightful themes in his essays. Over his six decades of writing, Shaw's essays covered a wide range of fields, including politics, economics, science, art, law, ethics, morality, and religion. His essays were always imbued with critiques of the religious beliefs, educational systems, academic research, and social trends of his time.