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California State University, Northridge A CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE A DRAMATURGICAL APPROACH TO BERNARD SHAW'S MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION A thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Theatre by Laurie Jayne Wolf May 1986 of Laurie Jayne Wolf is approved: California State University, Northridge ii To all of Shaw's women, both on his stage and in his life, who taught me how to handle a difficult but fascinating man. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The completion of my master's thesis has been both a challenge and a reward. It is a difficult task to research a well-known figure, such as Bernard Shaw, and write a paper that appears to have some originality and freshness, without appearing to have tried to re-invent the wheel. The challenge that comes with performing this undertaking is immense; if Shaw himself did not write about any particular section of my topic, I could rest assured that at least seven other people did. The rewards, however, far outweigh the frustrations. The knowledge to be gained from this project was tremendous, and the most exciting part is knowing that this research has opened up _many new avenues to explore. I would like to express particular thanks to the members of my thesis committee, who gave me untold sup­ port. I have been honored to have Dr. Gale Larson on my committee. His expertise and insight on Shaw served to provide me with invaluable inspiration. Dr. William Zucchero has my sincerest thanks and appreciation for re­ introducing me to Shaw (a much more pleasant introduction than my first) . I would like to offer a very special thanks to my committee chair, Dr. Noreen Barnes, who has been more help to me than she will ever know; she piqued iv my interest in women in theatre and bolstered my self-confidence when thesis hysteria threatened to over­ take me. I would like to acknowledge the debt of gratitude owed to countless friends and family, who did not disown me, no matter how much they may have warited to, and to my parents, who taught me that hard work has its rewards, and who still like me, no matter what. I would like to extend my deepest appreciation and thanks to Mara Houdyshell, who allowed my computer, my countless books and me to live in her living room far beyond our welcome. Her patience is a rare gift. Finally, I would like to thank Peter Yarrow, Mary Travers, Noel Paul Stookey, Joan Baez, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart for keeping me entertained throughout the writing of this thesis. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DEDICATION . iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . • . iv ABSTRACT . • . vii INTRODUCTION . 1 Chapter 1. An Historical Overview of Victorian England:Social Conditions •... 6 2. Production History of Mrs. Warren's Profession 23 3. Character Analysis of Kitty and Vivie Warren 36 4. The Life Force of Shaw's Women 58 CONCLUSION . 70 ENDNOTES INTRODUCTION 73 Chapter 1 74 Chapter 2 76 Chapter 3 . 77 Chapter 4 . 80 CONCLUSION . • • . 81 WORKS CITED 82 vi ABSTRACT A DRAMATURGICAL APPROACH TO BERNARD SHAW'S MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION by Laurie Jayne Wolf Master of Arts in Theatre In the art of theatrical production, there is a need for reliable historical research, guaranteeing the accu­ racy of all elements of the dramatic piece. The individ­ ual performing this role is known as the dramaturg, and is responsible for researching all aspects of the produc­ tion- performances, criticisms, author's notes, histori­ cal settings, and translations (if applicable). It is this role that will be performed when examining Mrs. Warren's Profession, by Bernard Shaw. Immediately upon its completion in 1894, this play became the subject of an enormous amount of controversy, due to the subject matter addressed, that of organized prostitution. Among the elements included in this vii research is an examination of the social conditions of nineteenth-century England that obligated Shaw to criti­ cize the circumstances leading to Kitty Warren's career choice. Important to this study is the production history of the piece. It was banned by the examiner for the Lord Chamberlain for its objectionable subject matter; surpris­ ingly, not for its handling of prostitution, but because of its incidental hint of incest. The effort required in having this play produced, even in private performance, was a monumental one, and reflective of the time in which the play had been written. The characters of Vivie and Kitty Warren will be closely scrutinized, both individually and in relationship to each other, illustrating them as the pioneers of the Shavian women to come, the so-called "independent" or "unwomanly" women. The examination of these aspects of Mrs. Warren's Profession will result in a work of research that could not only conceivably be transferred to the stage, but will further highlight a play that was an important forerunner to the many other works that constituted the career of Bernard Shaw. viii Introduction In nineteenth-century England the audience shaped both the theatre and the drama placed within it; for patronage, the only card with which a manager may sometimes outbid public taste, was at its lowest ebb at Victoria's accession. Polite society, when it patronized the theatre at all, favoured the opera; a large section of that society, however, shunned the theatre altogether and sought entertainment from the circulating library • . The play­ wright's place in the Victorian theatre was, at the outset, that of handyman to the company. He existed to make their performance possible, rather than they to interpret his work to an audience.l The role of the playwrights expanded until not only were they generating works that were comparable to the fare available at the "circulating libraries," but were far surpassing anything that had been written during the reign of Victoria. A form of drama that became increas- ingly popular during this period of time addressed a num- ber of social questions and conditions. These productions were known as "problem plays," a term which led to anum- ber of. varied definitions. As Eric Bentley notes, "the modern age, we are told, has abandoned the classic norms of tragedy and comedy to put in their place the Problem Play which is wholly devoted to ephemeral social questions like votes for women and prison conditions. Some writers assume that the Problem Play has a thesis, a solution to its problem. Others find the justification of the word 1 2 Problem in the fact that the play ends on a question­ mark."2 The concensus, however, is that the problem play brings a particular issue to the forefront of the public consciousness~ it does not necessarily offer a concrete solution, but it does serve to emphasize a problem that had been previously ignored. One of the most prolific practitioners of this genre of drama was George Bernard Shaw, a playwright whose career as an audience agitator spanned over seven decades. In commenting upon the problem play, Shaw wrote The material of the dramatist is always some conflict of human feeling with circumstances~ so that, since institutions are circumstances, every social que&tion furnishes material for drama .. But every drama does not involve a social question, because human feeling may be in conflict with circumstances which are not institutions, which raise no questions at all, which are part of human destiny ••. A Doll's House will be as flat as ditchwater when A Midsummer Night's Dream will still be as fresh as paint~ but it will have done more.work in the world~ and that is enough for the highest genius.3 Shaw often expressed his admiration and indebtedness to other writers, especially Moliere, Charles Dickens and Mark Twain. A contemporary playwright to whom he often denied any inspiration, but whose influence is evident throughout many of Shaw's earlier works was Henrik Ibsen. Candida was almost a mirror reflection of A Doll's House, with the doll being characterized by Morell, the husband. It was considered to be a "revolutionary statement on the relations of man and wife." 4 His Quintessence of Ibsenism 3 could just as easily have been t1tled the Quintessence of Shavianism; the opinion that he held of Ibsen was equal to that he held of himself. Mrs. Warren's Profession shows the unmistakable influence of Ibsen. In this play, Shaw employed Ibsen's "retrospective method" 5 as well as utilizing situations reminiscent of Ghosts. In writing Mrs. Warren's Profession, Shaw borrowed from a number of sources to give rise to one of the great­ est problem plays of his career, "a work whose strong characters and provocative themes have sent three genera­ tions of scholars searching for its literary antecedents." The literary origins given credit for his inspiration included: Arthur Wing Pinero's The Second Mrs. Tanqueray, Guy de Maupassant's Yvette, Dumas' La Dame Aux Camelias, and Janet Achurch's Mrs. Daintree's Daughter. The subject of the courtesan was a popular one in nineteenth-century English theatre, and Shaw probably would not have had any trouble finding a model for his work had one been needed. He was approached by the actress, Janet Achurch, about writing a play based on de Maupassant's short story, Yvette. Shaw encouraged Miss Achurch to attempt a dramatization on her own, which resulted in Mrs. Daintree's Daughter, which was granted license by the Lord Chamberlain's examiner under the name of Mrs. Dartrey's Daughter. There is no explanation offered for this particular title change. There is an 4 interesting sidelight connected with the use of the name Mrs. Dartrey, as well as with the name Mrs.
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