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University Microfilms International 300 North Zeeb Roac! Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 USA St. John's Road, Tyler's Green High Wycombe, Bucks, England HP10 8HR 7824890 HELVEY." JAMgS RELERFORD, JR. BERNARD SHArt AS DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, THE UNIVERSITY OF NuRTH CAROLINA AT GREENSBORO, PH.D.# 1978 University Microfilms International 300 N. ZEEB ROAD, ANN ARBOR, Ml 48106 BERNARD SHAW AS DEVIL'S ADVOCATE James Relerford Helvey, Jr. A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Greensboro 1978 Approved by Dissertation Adviser APPROVAL PAGE This dissertation has been approved by the following committee of the Faculty of the Graduate School at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Dissertation Adviser Conmittee Members £dlL^. <* U) h{~r i, 7^ Date of Acceptance by Conmittee 11 HELVEY, JR., JAMES RELERFORD. Bernard Shaw As Devil's Advocate. (1978) Directed by: Dr. Keith Cushman pp. 204. George Bernard Shaw, the nineteenth century Irishman, became a notable twentieth century British dramatist. Though he did not shed his nineteenth century theatrical and philosophical origins any more than he disposed of his Irish humor and gift of gab, he did bring them into the service of his own peculiar dramatic inte­ rests as devi1's advocate of the Life Force in the theatre. Shaw's idiosyncratic public manner, which evolved from his journalistic vocation in England, included his use of many pseudonyms and the adoption of many roles: critic, gadfly, reformer, artist. One of the most important roles he played, however, is that of the devil's advocate. As a devil!s advocate, Shaw undertook to criticize his cultural and socio-economic world, but he did it in order to pro­ mote man's social and intellectual improvement. His paradoxical manner conflicted with the religious and social conventions of his day, but his diabolical gestures, which were more than a jest, made his devil's advocacy central to his career as a dramatist. Shaw's role as devil's advocate primarily serves his faith, the ideology of the Life Force. This faith has roots in Christianity, but it is a faith which supersedes the institutional and doctrinal dogmas of the Church. Shaw's faith blends the purposeful philosophy of the later nineteenth century and the socio-economic political concerns of such early twentieth entury organizations as the Fabians. His faith is proclaimed in all of his writings. It is embodied most effectively in his drama, the primary medium for his functioning as a devil's advocate. Shaw viewed the theatre not only as a commercial enterprise for public entertainment, but also as a public forum for his faith and social concerns. However, just as the Church required reformation, so Shaw found the nineteenth century theatre and drama in need of revitalization. Part of his role as devil's advocate was to expunge from the theatre what was abhorent to the faith while he constructed plays which expressed his ideas in all their multifaceted complexity. Shaw created a comedy of ideas that borrowed something old—even classical—and incorporated something new in the discussion of social issues as well as his philosophy and faith. Shaw's drama is distinguished not only by its subject matter and didactic manner, but by its characters. Shaw's central characters have been viewed as supermen and superwomen as well as saints and devils. How­ ever, they function most distinctively as devil's advocates, who in action and dialogue reveal the same critical purpose and paradoxical manner as their creator. The characters of Shaw's plays display a willful indepen­ dence that not only defies social customs but that at times reveals a dia­ bolical non-conventionality. However, their diabolism is finally a means of exposing the i11usions and hypocrisy of their societies and for disclos­ ing the truth necessary for real progress and creative evolution. Shaw's role as a devil's advocate is vindicated by his important con­ tributions to the theatre and to society's understanding of itself. This has led to belated honors and to a somewhat mixed reaction on the part of the theatre-going world and critics of literature and society. Although he has received cultic veneration by the Shaviolators who revere his ideas and plays, he sought only to serve as a guide and instrument of his faith. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study was brought to fruition because of the thoroughness in examination and guidance given by my chairman. Dr. Keith Cushman. I am particularly indebted for his willingness to assume the di recti on of my dissertation and am grateful for the intensi ty which he gave to it. I also wish to thank the members of my committee for their attention, interest and suggestions. Assistance has also come from the library staf.s of Wake Forest University, the University of Nort. Carolina at Greensboro, St. Louis University, and Davidson County Community College. However, this project would never have obtained completion had it not been for the patient persistence of my wife, Doris Anne, and her tireless diligence in typing revision after revision as well as the final copy. To thank all who contribute to a study of this magnitude must include teachers whose ideas have been shared along the way, such as Dr. James Wimsatt who was originally on my committee; friends and colleagues who have shared with insights and encouragement; my three children—Jessica, Jay and Jennifer—who have helped in many ways and given up much while their father continued his degree work; and my parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Helvey, Sr., for underwriting the costs of the final copies and binding. 111 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page APPROVAL PAGE 11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Ill TEXTUAL NOTES .... v CHAPTER I. SHAW'S MANNER 1 II. SHAW'S FAITH 27 III. SHAW'S MEDIUM. 61 IV. SHAW'S CANON 128 V. SHAW'S VENERATION. 175 BIBLIOGRAPHY 201 Iv TEXTUAL NOTES The quotations in this dissertation taken from Shaw's works follow his peculiarities in spelling and punctuation, which were some­ times archaic and idiosyncratic. He is reported to have said: The apostrophes in ain't, don't, haven't, etc., look so ugly that the most careful printing cannot make a page of colloquial dialogue. Besides, shan't should be sha''n't, if the wretched pedantry of indicating the elision is to be carried out. I have written aint, dont, havnt, shant, shouldnt and wont for twenty years with perfect impunity, using the apostrophe only where its omission would suggest another word: for example, hell for he'll. (VII, 6-7) All quotations in this dissertation which come from Bernard Shaw, Collected Plays with their Prefaces, 7 vols. (New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1975) are noted by volume and page in the text. This seven volume set, prepared under the editorial supervision of Dan H. Laurence, is described as "the final authoritative and complete edition of the dramatic works" of Shaw. v 1 CHAPTER I SHAW'S MANNER "Who the devil was he?"* George Bernard Shaw, "the man of the century,emerged from the nineteenth century of Victorian politics, philosophy and culture to launch a new philosophy and theatre for the twentieth century. Before his death on November 2, 1950, at the age of ninety-four, Shaw distinguished himself as a writer of over fifty plays and playlets, several short stories9 five novels, numberless essays and criticisms, volumes of letters, and a multitude of speeches; in fact, scholars are still discovering unpublished letters, manuscripts and other Shaviana.^ Shaw did not become a playwright of note until the begin­ ning of the twentieth century, but by the time of his death he had established his reputation as the jesting-playwright and destroyer of ideals in the world's theatres.