Pygmalion, Androcles and the Lion, Back to Methuselah, Caesar and Cleopatra, The Devil’s Disciple, Getting Married, The Man of Destiny, Great Catherine, The Doctor’s Dilemma, Man and Superman
.........................................................................
.........................................................................
Pygmalion:-
This is the original play that the very famous and popular "My fair Lady" is based on, except that was more of a sweet version, and this retains the original English, perhaps British or even Irish, taste - not sweet, not sour, not bitter or hot, but a little salt and some of that sixth taste that is called "kasaila" or "kashaaya" which means tea in the old medicinal sense.
Here at the end there is a very well written epilogue that explains why the professor does not propose to any woman or have any romantic affair with any woman (and certainly with no man either) - not as a sickness on his part, but as a matter of evolution, and he is very evolved indeed.
Unlike US of today the social norms of Britain then were quite different and sex was not a compulsory activity to prove one was normal, and for that matter normal was never defined as average, either.
So eccentricity was not only allowed it positively thrived and flourished, and benefited the society enormously. Men like the professor could devote their time and energy to their preferred pursuits. He does end up baffled and quite unable to escape Elizabeth Dolittle though.
Friday, July 9, 2010.
......................................................................
......................................................................
Androcles and the Lion:-
......................................................................
......................................................................
Back to Methuselah:-
An attempt by one of the most intelligent thinkers, writers, people of last century to peep into future of evolution - beyond the present limits of where we are.
Life spans of longer than a century or two, youth and ability well into third century, or lives a millennium long with growing up and reproduction finished soon so the true vocation can be taken up, of thought and creation? Sensational, either way.
Sunday, September 21, 2008.
......................................................................
......................................................................
Caesar and Cleopatra:-
Here is a fresh look at Cleopatra as the young girl she must have been, compared to the much older Caesar - and while it is delightful in seeing a petulant young pretty girl getting her education rather expensively, through life and war, it is also a scathing commentary on various issues around war and morality and dealing with enemy, with Caesar above his fellow men - and women - providing them insight about why it was wrong what they did wrong.
Most delightful remains the prologue, a monologue by the Egyptian god Ra, addressing the audience disdainfully.
A sample - "O you compulsorily educated people!"
Monday, September 22, 2008.
......................................................................
......................................................................
The Devil’s Disciple:-
True goodness need not be certified by a faith or an institution that claims sole rights to mediate with powers above and absolve people from sins. Adhering to an institution of such nature does not guarantee goodness of a person, and equally, one does not turn devil against one's own true nature simply by rebelling against such an institution,
When it comes to it, a man of noble spirit goes with the soul, and never mind his repudiation of institutions that claim rights to heaven.
Friday, February 21, 2014.
......................................................................
......................................................................
Getting Married :-
......................................................................
......................................................................
Man of Destiny:-
Napoleon.
Friday, July 9, 2010.
......................................................................
......................................................................
Great Catherine:-
Shaw is no worshiper of great persona of history, and The Great Catherine of Russia does not escape his caricature. She is shown here as a barbaric ruler of a barbaric huge powerful nation, charmed by sophistication of a mere lowly officer of the British embassy in her empire.
Every caricature has some truth distorted, and here the fact is Russia was and is a huge nation spreading from eastern one third of Europe to the very eastern edge of Asia, and as a matter of fact Alaska belongs to US only because the 99 year old lease was lost during the revolution. The great wilderness of Siberia would be a nation large enough to be among first ten if it were independent, and neighbouring Yakutia joins it in the large wilderness of deep heart of Russia. So the populace is varied, there are well over a dozen languages and many faiths. Uniting all this is no joke, and the greater of the Russian monarchs did it by commanding loyalty from their subjects as Catherine the Great did.
And yes, they did look to west for bringing some sophistication to the vast wilderness, and the court language was French, spoken even among themselves by the upper class, often at home as well. That their heart stays Russian can be no doubt, but they were no barbarians of this caricature, post Peter the Great who built St Petersburg.
Thursday, January 23, 2014.
......................................................................
......................................................................
The Doctor’s Dilemma:-
When it comes to a choice of only one patient you can save, who do you choose - is it the rogue with an attractive wife, or a sincere poor colleague who did much good and helped the poor and has no money left?
Sunday, September 21, 2008.
......................................................................
......................................................................
Man and Superman:-
The idea had been around for a while, in various - genuine, not cartoon - forms, one supposes. At any rate various people developed it according to their best capacities of conception and perception. And it was a natural idea, after all. When one looks at evolution, it is only natural to expect that it might not be yet finished, and there might be higher rungs. If one thinks of creation, why suppose it is over? Who are humans to dictate that Divine can appear only once or is finished with Creation?
George Bernard Shaw goes here into a hilarious look at things as they are and then into what might, what magnanimity they can achieve at the next stage; at life force that dictates people marry and reproduce, albeit calling it romance and love; at limitations of best and sharpest intellect when faced with life force; and in an inspired act, at concepts of heaven and hell as they really should be seen, rather than the silly prevailing ones.
Truly delightful, one of the most hilariously delightful works of Shaw, and that is saying a lot. It leads you to think deep within while you are too busy laughing to notice it.
Monday, September 22, 2008.
......................................................................
......................................................................
Androcles and the Lion:-
......................................................................
......................................................................
Back to Methuselah:-
An attempt by one of the most intelligent thinkers, writers, people of last century to peep into future of evolution - beyond the present limits of where we are.
Life spans of longer than a century or two, youth and ability well into third century, or lives a millennium long with growing up and reproduction finished soon so the true vocation can be taken up, of thought and creation? Sensational, either way.
Sunday, September 21, 2008.
......................................................................
......................................................................
Caesar and Cleopatra:-
Here is a fresh look at Cleopatra as the young girl she must have been, compared to the much older Caesar - and while it is delightful in seeing a petulant young pretty girl getting her education rather expensively, through life and war, it is also a scathing commentary on various issues around war and morality and dealing with enemy, with Caesar above his fellow men - and women - providing them insight about why it was wrong what they did wrong.
Most delightful remains the prologue, a monologue by the Egyptian god Ra, addressing the audience disdainfully.
A sample - "O you compulsorily educated people!"
Monday, September 22, 2008.
......................................................................
......................................................................
The Devil’s Disciple:-
True goodness need not be certified by a faith or an institution that claims sole rights to mediate with powers above and absolve people from sins. Adhering to an institution of such nature does not guarantee goodness of a person, and equally, one does not turn devil against one's own true nature simply by rebelling against such an institution,
When it comes to it, a man of noble spirit goes with the soul, and never mind his repudiation of institutions that claim rights to heaven.
Friday, February 21, 2014.
......................................................................
......................................................................
Getting Married:-
......................................................................
......................................................................
The Man of Destiny:-
Napoleon.
Friday, July 9, 2010.
......................................................................
......................................................................
Great Catherine:-
Shaw is no worshipper of great persona of history, and The Great Catherine of Russia does not escape his caricature. She is shown here as a barbaric ruler of a barbaric huge powerful nation, charmed by sophistication of a mere lowly officer of the British embassy in her empire.
Every caricature has some truth distorted, and here the fact is Russia was and is a huge nation spreading from eastern one third of Europe to the very eastern edge of Asia, and as a matter of fact Alaska belongs to US only because the 99 year old lease was lost during the revolution. The great wilderness of Siberia would be a nation large enough to be among first ten if it were independent, and neighbouring Yakutia joins it in the large wilderness of deep heart of Russia. So the populace is varied, there are well over a dozen languages and many faiths. Uniting all this is no joke, and the greater of the Russian monarchs did it by commanding loyalty from their subjects as Catherine the Great did.
And yes, they did look to west for bringing some sophistication to the vast wilderness, and the court language was French, spoken even among themselves by the upper class, often at home as well. That their heart stays Russian can be no doubt, but they were no barbarians of this caricature, post Peter the Great who built St Petersburg.
Thursday, January 23, 2014.
......................................................................
......................................................................
The Doctor’s Dilemma:-
When it comes to a choice of only one patient you can save, who do you choose - is it the rogue with an attractive wife, or a sincere poor colleague who did much good and helped the poor and has no money left?
Sunday, September 21, 2008.
......................................................................
......................................................................
Man and Superman:-
The idea had been around for a while, in various - genuine, not cartoon - forms, one supposes. At any rate various people developed it according to their best capacities of conception and perception. And it was a natural idea, after all. When one looks at evolution, it is only natural to expect that it might not be yet finished, and there might be higher rungs. If one thinks of creation, why suppose it is over? Who are humans to dictate that Divine can appear only once or is finished with Creation?
George Bernard Shaw goes here into a hilarious look at things as they are and then into what might, what magnanimity they can achieve at the next stage; at life force that dictates people marry and reproduce, albeit calling it romance and love; at limitations of best and sharpest intellect when faced with life force; and in an inspired act, at concepts of heaven and hell as they really should be seen, rather than the silly prevailing ones.
Truly delightful, one of the most hilariously delightful works of Shaw, and that is saying a lot. It leads you to think deep within while you are too busy laughing to notice it.
Monday, September 22, 2008.
......................................................................
......................................................................
Thursday, January 23, 2014.
......................................................................
......................................................................
