The Great Dramatist of Ireland - Bernard Shaw

Ireland has produced some of the greatest literary figures in the world. Of these, the playwright George Bernard Shaw occupies a prominent place. He wrote more than 60 plays in his lifetime and won the 1925 Nobel Prize for Literature.

Birth and early life

George Bernard Shaw was born on 26 July 1856 in Dublin, Ireland. He was the third child in the family. He did not go to school at an early age and was educated by his uncle.

In the youth

George Bernard Shaw seems to have been an extraordinary talent for literature. He was especially interested in the dramatization. He also had outstanding talents in music and writing. His mother recognized Bernard's skills and sent him to the Irish Gallery frequently. This is where George Bernard Shaw laid the foundational manual for dramatization.

In 1872, after a family dispute, Bernard's mother separated from his father. the mother goes to London with her father and 13-year-old Bernard to say goodbye to Bernard's two older sisters. Four years later, Bernard left for London. By the time he was a blooming young man, he had decided to choose writing as his career. In the early days, however, he had to face severe financial difficulties. It was his mother who stood up for him again. She often encouraged her son and advised him to visit the reading room of the British Museum in London. Bernard soon developed a good reputation as a writer.

Writer's life

George Bernard Shaw wrote several novels at an early age, but all failed. As a result, the printing companies were reluctant to accept his work. This caused him great embarrassment. His attention is on the British police and intelligence agencies.


In 1884, Bernard Shaw joined the Fabian Society, a political group. Socialist-oriented, they sought to take British politics to a new path. Literature was one of the mediums they chose for this purpose. In 1889 they published a collection of literary essays called Fabian Essays in Socialism. Bernard served as its editor.

Fabian Essays in Socialism

As a composer, Bernard's wise decision was to join the Fabian Society. In particular, he got a means to test his creativity. This time he touched on literary criticism. It brought him much success. He reviewed books, musicals, and stage dramas. In 1895 he was selected as the Drama Critic of the Saturday Review. As a playwright, he was given the opportunity to study many dramas.

The playwright Bernard Shaw

The first six plays by Bernard were staged in two parts. One was called Plays Unpleasant, which featured Widowers' Houses, The Philanderer, and Mrs. Warren's Profession included the drama trio.

The other part of Plays Pleasant was the drama trio Arms and the Man, Candida, The Man of Destiny, and You Never Can Tell. Bernard's sarcasm, social commentary, and so forth. These few plays brought great success to Bernard and set the stage for the successful journey of a distinguished dramatist.

As a giant in the literary world

By the end of the 19th century, George Bernard Shaw had quite established himself in the world of drama. His playwriting, in particular, has taken a new dimension. Caesar and Cleopatra, composed in 1898, were of high quality. Man and Superman, written in 1903, are also highly regarded, and its third show, "Hell in Hell, Don Juan" was so popular that it was later staged as a separate drama.

Man and Superman

In the 20th century, he wrote more than 50 plays during the last half-century. In particular, Major Barbara (1905), The Doctor's Dilemma (1906), Pygmalion (1912), Androcles and the Lion (1912), and Saint Joan (1923) were highly popular and critically acclaimed. For these reasons, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1925.


One of Bernard's most popular dramas, Pygmalion, was turned into a film in 1938 and won the Academy Award for the screenplay. This work later became a musical drama and became even more popular.

George Koning aged

George Bernard Shaw, who was fortunate to live a long life, retired in 1950. He was 94 years old and was preparing for another drama.