The Complete Bernard Shaw: Plays

by George Bernard Shaw

Widowers' houses. --
The philanderer. --
Mrs. Warren's profession. --
Arms and the man. --
Candida. --
The man of destiny. --
You never can tell. --
The devil's disciple. --
Caesar and Cleopatra. --
Captain Brassbound's conversion. --
Man and superman. --
John Bull's other island. --
How he lied to her husband. --
Major Barbara. --
The doctor's dilemma. --
Getting married. --
The shewing-up of blanco posnet. --
Misalliance. --
The dark lady of sonnets. --
Fanny's first play. --
Androcles and the lion. --
Overruled. --
Pygmalion. --
Heartbreak house. --
Great Catherine. --
O'Flaherty, V.C. --
The inca of perusalem. --
Augustus does his bit. --
Annajanska, The Bolshevik empress. --
Back to Methuselah. --
Saint Joan. --
The Apple cart. --
Jitta's Atonement. --
The admirable Bashville or Constancy unrewarded. --
Press cuttings. --
The glimpse of reality. --
Passion, poison, and petrifaction or the fatal gazogene. --
The fascinating foundling. --
The music-cure. --
Too true to be good. --
Village wooing. --
On the rocks. --
The simpleton of the unexpected isles. --
The six of Calais. --
The millionairess. --
Cymbeline refinished. --
Geneva. --
"In Good King Charles's golden days'. --
Buoyant billions. --
Farfetched fables. --
Shakes versus shav.

Genres: Plays, Classics, Drama, Fiction, Collections

1404 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1934

About the author

George Bernard Shaw stands as one of the most prolific and influential intellectuals of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a man whose literary output was matched only by his fervent commitment to social reform. Rising from a modest background in Dublin to become a global icon of letters, Shaw redefined the purpose of the stage, transforming it from a place of mere entertainment into a forum for rigorous intellectual debate and moral inquiry. His unique "Shavian" style—characterized by sharp-witted dialogue, paradoxical reasoning, and a relentless assault on Victorian hypocrisy—ensured that his voice resonated far beyond the footlights. As a playwright, critic, and philosopher, he remains a singular figure in history, being one of only two individuals to have been honored with both a Nobel Prize in Literature and an Academy Award. This rare crossover of high-art recognition and mainstream cinematic success speaks to his versatility and the enduring relevance of his narratives. His dramatic work, which includes over sixty plays, often tackled the most pressing issues of his day, from the rigid structures of the British class system to the complexities of gender roles and the ethical dilemmas of capitalism. In masterpieces like Pygmalion, he used the science of phonetics to demonstrate the artificiality of class distinctions, a theme that would later reach millions through the musical adaptation My Fair Lady. In Man and Superman, he delved into the philosophical concepts of the "Life Force" and the evolution of the human spirit, while Major Barbara forced audiences to confront the uncomfortable relationship between religious idealism and the industrial military complex. Beyond his theatrical achievements, Shaw was a foundational force in political thought, serving as a leading light of the Fabian Society. His advocacy for gradual socialist reform, rather than violent revolution, helped shape the trajectory of modern British politics and social welfare. He was instrumental in the creation of the London School of Economics, an institution that continues to influence global policy and economic theory. Shaw was also a formidable critic, whose reviews of music and drama set new standards for the profession, characterized by an uncompromising honesty and a deep knowledge of the arts. His personal lifestyle was as distinctive as his writing; a committed vegetarian, teetotaler, and non-smoker, he lived with a disciplined focus that allowed him to remain productive well into his ninth decade. He was a man of contradictions, often engaging in provocative public discourse that challenged the status quo, even when his views sparked intense controversy. His fascination with the "Superman" archetype and his occasional support for authoritarian figures reflected a complex, often elitist worldview that sought the betterment of humanity through radical intellectual evolution. Despite these complexities, his core mission was always rooted in a profound humanitarianism and a desire to expose the delusions that prevented society from progressing. He believed that the power of the written word could strip away the masks of respectability that hid social injustice, and his plays continue to be staged worldwide because the human foibles he satirized remain as prevalent today as they were during his lifetime. By blending humor with gravity and intellect with accessibility, Shaw created a body of work that serves as both a mirror and a compass for modern civilization. His legacy is not just in the scripts he left behind, but in the very way we think about the intersection of art, politics, and the individual’s responsibility to the collective good. He remains the quintessential public intellectual, a man who never feared to speak his mind or to demand that the world become a more rational and equitable place.

Reviews

[Tinquerbelle]

1) Widowers' Houses
2) The Philanderer
3) Mrs. Warren's Profession
4) Arms and the Man
5) Candida
6) The Man of Destiny
7) You Never Can Tell
8) The Devil's Disciple
9) Caesar and Cleopatra
10) Captain Brassbound's Conversion
11) Man and Superman
12) John Bull's Other Island
13) How He Lied to her Husband
14) Major Barbara
15) The Doctor's Dilemma
16) Getting Married
17) The Shewing-up of Blasco Posnet
18) Misalliance
19) The Dark Lady of the Sonnets
20) Fanny's First Play
21) Androcles and the Lion
22) Overruled
23) Pygmalion
24) Heartbreak House
25) Great Catherine
26) O'Flaherty, V.C.
27) The Inca of Perusalem
28) Augustus Does His Bit
29) Annajanska, The Bolshevik Empress
30) Back to Methuselah
31) Saint Joan
32) The Apple Cart
33) Jitta's Atonement
34) The Admirable Bashville or Constancy Unrewarded
35) Press Cuttings
36) The Glimpse of Reality
37) Passion, Poison, and Petrifaction; or, The Fatal Gazogene
38) The Fascinating Foundling
39) The Music-Cure
40) Too True to Be Good
41) Village Wooing
42) On the Rocks
43) The Simpleton of the Unexpected Isles
44) The Six of Calais
45) The Millionairess
46) Cymbeline Refinished
47) Geneva
48) "In Good King Charles's Golden Days"
49) Buoyant Billions
50) Farfetched Fables
51) Shakes Versus Shav

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This six-volume set represents a lifetime of writing and a lifetime of reading. Shaw lived a long, productive life. I have no difficulty imagining Shaw, were he alive today, as a prolific blogger covering a wide range of topics each day. He has an opinion about everything as evidenced by his prefaces that rival his plays in length.

One must admire his certainty. He had certainty about his uncertainty. Even when he should have been uncertain (vaccinations, eugenics), he was certain. Granted, Shaw often played the provocateur, so his statements should be taken with a grain of salt.

Shaw’s plays are in a critical decline. Once heralded as one of the greats of English theatre, in more recent years, critical opinion has turned against his talky, social-commentary plays. The reason, in part I believe, is that though Shaw has some memorable characters (Joan of Arc, Professor Higgins, Andrew Undershaft, etc.), they never really come to life. There is something in Shaw’s tone or style or presentation that keeps audiences from losing themselves in the characters. (Brecht would approve.)

In Saint Joan, for example, one certainly admires the character of Joan that Shaw creates. She is lively and interesting in a number of unexpected ways. But I think most people don’t feel a dread or suspense about her being burned alive toward the end. We don’t want Joan burned, but there’s not that emotional fear or dread you think you’d feel. There’s a stoic or comic distance that keeps us separated from the fate of the characters.

I think that, like Brecht, Shaw didn’t want audiences’ minds to get caught up in the emotion and cloud their judgment on the thoughts of the play. He keeps raw emotions at arm’s length and there is a sense or assurance in most of his plays that nothing truly bad is going to happen. (Of course, another option is that Shaw may have been incapable of creating truly sympathetic characters.)

I’ve read most of Shaw’s famous plays, but I’m only reviewing them here as I read or re-read them.

Volume II
Saint Joan *** – This, I’ve read, is Shaw’s only tragedy among his many plays. It is a tragedy, however, as I note above, that doesn’t necessarily pull the reader in. It is more a tragedy in a social sense than a personal sense. All the characters are tragic, though Joan is the only one burned at the stake. The tragedy, according to Shaw, is man’s fate.

Overall, Shaw’s play is full of interesting and likeable characters. It is quite talky – not much happens on stage. It is mostly characters explaining themselves.

If you’re looking for Shaw plays to read, this is a good play to include in your list. In form, it is a bit unusual for Shaw, but the characters are lively.

The Dark Lady of the Sonnets *** – Shaw accurately described this as a Piece de Occasion, written to encourage the endowment of a National Theater. It is a moderately funny piece about the Bard’s chance encounter with Queen Elizabeth. It is mildly amusing.



Volume III
Arms and the Man (01/2014) ** Despite the presence of Shaw’s incisive social commentary, Arms and the Man is a rather trite 19th century drawing room comedy. Although it has several strong, interesting female characters, their abiding goal is marriage and the play does not disappoint. The poor soldier is found to be the son of a rich man who just died, so he can marry the pampered baroness (or whatever she is). This was Shaw's first success (not surprising) but it doesn't resonate strongly today.

Volume V
Mrs. Warren’s Profession *** – Shaw claimed this play was written to “draw attention to the truth that prostitution is caused, not by female depravity and male licentiousness, but simply by underpaying, undervaluing, and overworking women so shamefully that the poorest of them are forced to resort to prostitution to keep body and soul together.” He added, “If on a large social scale we get what we call vice instead of what we call virtue, it is simply because we are paying more for it.” (BH p. 231)

This is a play was berated in its day for being too risqué and daring, and is today berated for not being risqué and daring enough. Such is the life of a polemicist. I half jest of course. More important than facts of Mrs. Warren’s profession, the play revolves around the economics of women in the workplace, and their virtual enslavement (in marriage, in work or in crime) due to their lack of economic opportunity and the appallingly low wages they could earn.

Shaw’s Vivian is a strong character, unwilling to be victimized by this paternal system. Like Pygmalion, Shaw adamantly refuses to soften the ending to make her even slightly sentimental. (01/18)

Playlet on the British Party System (12/2013) *** This is a light commentary on the British political system. I’m not enough of a student of their politics to comment intelligently on it. It displays Shaw’s acerbic commentary.


Previously read:
Arms and the Man
Caesar and Cleopatra
Man and Superman
Major Barbara
Heartbreak House
Too True to be Good
Pygmalion

I am fortunate (or crazy) to own two separate, multi-volume sets of Shaw's complete plays. Both are very nice. The Dodd, Mead & Company edition, though, chose oddly to not present the plays in chronological order. I'm not sure what order they are in. I also have the Bodley Head version published in the U.K. This edition is in chronological order and it includes some extra program notes and essays by Shaw. I thought this worth pointing out if anyone was considering one or the other.

[Michael Vawser]

2 UB hardcover

[John Jr.]

Read so far:

Volume I—all: How These Doctors Love One Another!; The Doctor's Dilemma; Pygmalion; Major Barbara; Heartbreak House; Captain Brassbound's Conversion; The Man of Destiny; Buoyant Billions.

Volume II—all: Back to Methuselah; Saint Joan; John Bull's Other Island; The Dark Lady of the Sonnets; Beauty's Duty.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, so I read a different "complete works" but as a teenager, I read through it several times, taking it on camping trips and reading it in pieces between other novels (a light change from the Russian classics I was reading at the time.) Loved it, and I guess it must be about time I read through these plays again...

[Mark Dickson]

Reading Pygmalion right now, so many more to choose from in six volumes.

Want to read:
Man and Superman
Saint Joan
Major Barbara
Heartbreak House

[MôĦamēd ĢĦanem · Rating 5 out of 5]

iam searching hard for shaw's plays ..thanks !!