The sanity of art

by George Bernard Shaw

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

Genres: Art

134 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1908

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

[Tucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

George Bernard Shaw responds to Max Nordau's 260,000-word Degeneration, which Shaw says simply repeats the complaint that "all our characteristically modern works of art are symptoms of disease in the artists, and that these diseased artists are themselves symptoms of the nervous exhaustion of the race by overwork." (p. 17) Shaw originally wrote his response in 1895 for the American anarchist newspaper Liberty. In 1907, he added a preface for the first edition of its publication as a book in in 1908. He also "softened one or two expressions which now shock me as uncivil to Dr. Nordau. In doing so I am not offering him the insult of an attempt to spare his feelings: I am simply trying to mend my own manners."

In general, long point-by-point negative reviews are condemned to similar deformities as the books they criticize, as they amount to a list of fallacies that are flagged as such. I shall not compound the problem by writing a long review of Shaw's review.

There is an interesting section questioning the abstract idea of conventional morality and wondering whether people might not be better off if they could listen to their own consciences to admit the need for occasional exceptions to the social rules.

[Christopher Rush · Rating 2 out of 5]

Before Twitter limited the number of characters in your baffling rant habits, GBS led the way with diatribes and outbursts such as this. That Chesterton befriended this man is a constant source of wonder and aspiration for one such as I. True sanity, of course, is thinking about art, religion, politics, science, and everything else the way GBS does. Anyone who finds fault in the moral quality of contemporary art must be a lunatic, and not, pardon me Mr. Joel, the one for which we are looking.

[Nathan Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

First half is interesting, both as a review of 19th century art and as a critique of those who criticize the “Supermen” who expanded and enlarged art through their originality (Wagner, Ibsen, Monet) and those artists who tried to copy these supermen and turned art into degeneracy (as well as those critics who praised the degenerate second-rate copyists). The second half is extremely repetitive and rambling and I succumbed to skimming.

[The Unabridged Bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Many good points about art are made in the beginning of this book. I particularly enjoyed Shaw’s descriptions of the impressionists and their work. However, at about the halfway point, the author begins his personal attacks against Nordau, whose own work he was asked to critique.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shaw is insightful and pithy as he defends modern movements in art and music against the assertion that such art is "degenerate."

[David Withun · Rating 3 out of 5]

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