"Man and Superman"

Paper Summary:

The paper offers an extensive, act-by-act discussion on Shaw's play. It also provides a well-researched exploration of Shaw's personal history. The author of the paper highlights how the main themes and characters in his play reflect his personal life experiences.

From the Paper:

"It is no accident that the strongest and most powerful characters in Man and Superman are women, and the weak characters are men. Ann and Violet are both independent women who know what they want and go after it. When Violet announces that she is married and pregnant, she also tells everyone that she will not name her husband, for reasons she declines to disclose. When prodded by Miss Ramsden to name her husband, she says "that is my business, Miss Ramsden, and not yours. I have my reasons for keeping my marriage a secret for the present" (p. 83). Later, during a confrontation between Hector Malone and his father over their secret marriage, she interjects herself at the end to smooth things over and make sure that the allowance from the father will continue (p. 190). Perhaps the role of women in this play is due to Shaw's childhood experience, in which his mother left the family, taking her two daughters (but not her son) with her and fleeing to England. He was also said to be devastated at the death of his sister Agnes."

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