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St Joan by George Bernard Shaw (April 2010)
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I'm 2/3 of the way through the Preface. I'm engaged, and very glad of the notes in the back. The paragraph I'm on (and have read, with delight, about three times), is the last in the section "Toleration, Modern and Medieval." I enjoy Shaw's comparison of compulsory inoculation to compulsory baptism. The things one sees at different points in an historical process! I greatly appreciate and agree with the (long) last sentence of this paragraph. I have longed for "large liberty to shock conventional people," not to be reactionary, but because I too have lived stifling under "apparent stagnation covering a repression of evolutionary forces." Still do, often enough to remark on it.
Finished the book: what an intellectual thrill ride!
Mod
My best friend gets married on Saturday and as chief bridesmaid I have several engagements to attend in the run up to the wedding day. In addition, I go to Berlin for the weekend later this month, which is leaving me with very little time to myself!
I'll be reading this month's choices later in the month but you'll find me very quiet in the meantime...sorry!
Please feel free to get the party started without me though!
Mod
Does Shaw's Joan of Arc match the version from history? what are the diifferences and do they expand our knowledge of the historical figure of Joan?
How is female rebellion dealt with by Shaw? - are there any circumstances in which it is OK to go against the law and the 'rules' of the society in which you live? - what does this do to society?
Ally
Shaw seems to approve of Joan's rebellion because of her inherent genius; to the playwright her gender was not as relevant as her unique visionary character. The male characters in the play who express disapproval of Joan are angry at the rebellion; her gender plays a part but I believe they would be only slightly less angry with a rebellious male character.Did anyone else feel that Joan was absent for long stretches of a play in which she was the main character?
Carly wrote: Did anyone else feel that Joan was absent for long stretches of a play in which she was the main character?Yes, the clerics and Warwick had the action, or the talk, for chunks of time. I think the reason is that Shaw was writing the story of Saint Joan, with the idea that her story went on after her death as the young woman Joan. She wasn't always the main character in this larger story. Also, Shaw says in the Preface, "There are no villains in the piece." I think there has to be enough time with the other characters to make this possible, so we have a chance at some understanding of their position and action; otherwise, it would be Joan/good, Clerics and Warwick/bad, which is just what Shaw did not want.
This month we chose to read...
It's a little different this month as we've chosen to read a play - variety is a great thing - I can't wait to see the interesting points this discussion generates!
Enjoy the read and pop back soon to let us know what you think!
Ally