G.B.SHAW (1856-1950)SUMMERY

He became a convinced socialist and member of the FABIAN SOCIETY = a middle class organization established in 1884 that spread socialism by peaceful means.

Here he met his future wife ,they married and moved into a house called Shaw's Corner.

He died from renal failure.

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He was an art, music and drama critic for various reviews .He also wrote some short stories but mostly plays =63 plays divided in pleasant and unpleasant. They deal with the social problem of his time such as education, marriage, religion, government, healthcare and class privilege but in these plays we also find comical elements so we can say that Shaw's writing (except for Wilde) was unique in his time.

IMPORTANT WORKS = The Quintessence of Ibsenism (essay), Pigmelian(after become My fair Lady). Then after the world war 1 changed his point of view: he had little faith in humanity.

1921=Back to Methuselah = long play in 5 parts starting in the garden of Eden and ending into the future. Not a success.

The success arrived with SAINT JOAN (1923) = considered his best work. He received a Nobel price for this in 1925 but he refused the Order of Merit and a Peerage from the first Labour government. Shaw's ironic wit gave rise to the adj. "Shavian". Other works are political treats and letters.

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He believed that each social class did its best to serve its own purpose but the winners are always members of upper and middle class and not of working class because they were too ignorant and too apathetic to vote intelligently.

He joined with the new reformed Fabian Society induced by peaceful means ,as member of this society he participated in the formation of the Labour Party.

CLASS STRUGGLE is one of the reasons of his writing.

In 1930 he visited the USSR and met Stalin and became his supporter. In his plays Shaw wrote full and discursive stage directions in order to attract readers to his plays.

Some critics considered him as an anti-bourgeois intellectual bourgeois and they said his works were more based on ideas than being real theatrical works ,for them the plot has no importance and the characters are bearers of his ideas.

Interest in these plays is more based on his WIT and COMICAL SITUATION.

The only play that resembles a traditional drama is "Saint Joan".

Her story serves as a pretext for the ideas of Shaw . Here she is presented as protestant even though she was catholic and also a forerunner of modern individualism.

----- ----- ---------- 828g64i ----- ----- ---------- 828g64i ----- ----- ---------- 828g64i ----- ----- ---------- 828g64i ----- ----- ---------- 828g64i ---SAINT JOAN'S STORY = she is the patron of soldiers and of France. Daughter of peasants ,at very early age she heard some voices belonging to S.Micheal, S.Catherine, S.Margaret. In 1428 these voices told Joan to go to the King of France and help him to re-conquer his reign. At this time both the King of England and the Duke of Bourgogne had interest to conquer French territories.

To the 17 years girl was given a small army with which she raced the siege of Orleans

She enjoined a series of success and the king was able to be crowned with her at his side.

Then in 1430 she was captured by the Burgundians and sold to English . She was tried by a tribunal but when she refuse to retract the assertions about the voice of the saints who commanded her to do what she had done; she was condemned to death as a heretic socialist and adulteress and burned at the stake on 30 May 1431 when she was 19.

HISTORICAL PERIOD = the hundred years war was a long conflict between 2 house : the House of Valois (France) and the House of Plantagenet (England). The conflict lasted 116 years (1337-1453) with the expulsion of the Plantagenet, with the exception of Calais.

THE CAUSE OF WAR = Both claimed the title of king in French.

3 PHASES or 4 :

Edwardian war ( 1337-1360)

Caroline war (1369-1389)

Lancastrian war (1415-1429)

The decline of the English with the appearance of Joan of Arch (1412-1431).

ANALISI DELLE SCENE DI SAINT JOAN

In Scene 1 the setting is the castle of Vanculeur 1429.a.D. Shaw is very interest about the settings of the scenes and he describe very well the castle, the weather, the furniture of the room but it's very interesting the role of omniscient narrator.

He describes the characters present on the scene physically and psychologically .

Ironically this play starts with a cry of captain "no eggs, no eggs". ( the hens are not laying eggs because the captain will not receive the Maid= Joan).

The conversation is comical and ironical at the captain's expense. We have the impression that the Stuart is more intelligent of the captain and make fun of him.

The presence of Joan is introduced to the present of captain : we see Joan doesn't respect formal manners and they talk of the social class of the period (they say she's a new bourgeois not a farm girl). The 3 characters introduce Dauphin in their conversation that they called bastard. Then they ask about the 3 saint's voices and the captain says they came from her imagination and she answers : "Of course, this is how the messages of God comes to us". She added that the voices ordered her to crown the Dauphin king in Rheims cathedral . She introduced the idea of NATIONALISM : she said that the English soldiers should remain in England and speack their language .This would go against the feudal system and she says about this : men are subject to God not to the feudal Lord! !

SARCASM against England is present in Shaw plays ( he's Irish). The play explain why English are called "Goddams they always say God damned.

Joan also questions the way of fighting of the age .She says that soldiers run away to save their lives and the knights have a ransom system.

Another revolutionary aspect is she wanted to be dressed like a soldier.

The scene ends with the Stuart coming in and announcing that the hens are laying egges and as it started the scene finishes with an ironic note of captain : " Christ in heaven. She did come from God!

Scene 2 = Opens on the throne room in the castle of Chinon in Touraine The characters are the archbishop of Reims and the Lord Chamberlain (described in detail).

They are waiting for the Dauphin of whom they talk very badly . The page announced a certain Monsieur de Raise called Bluebeard followed by the captain. They don't mention the name of Joan . Then there is the entrance of Dauphin and detailed descriptions.

He receives a letter from Robert de Brodencoeur announcing the arrival of Joan and Charles wants to meet her in spite of the archbishop gives us the definition of miracles that (he says)are useful to the Church and also refers to the new era which is beginning =the Protestantism. (This play is especially a way to reveal about Shaw's ideas).

The archbishop said they had to believe in miracles, not because they exist but in order to fight against Protestantism. Then they hide the Dauphin and pretend that Bluebeard is the king but she recognized the Dauphin. This passage is very important because the superiority of the Church over the crown is being admitted openly.

Joan praises the archbishop and his role .What he tells her seems to foresee what will happen to Joan because she is a true e genuine believer not a cynic. He said he's a coward. She use a familiar tone with the king who calls Charlie. He's a very down to earth person wanting to make treats instead of fighting . The Dauphin is convinced by Joan's enthusiasm .

Scene 3 = Orleans 29-4-1429- we have the exact date- On the stage we have Douruois who is the commander in charge and his page. They are waiting for the wind to change so his troupes can come up the river and attack the English. As in Shakespeare,we have scenes of comic relief. Then we have a discussion on war between the commander and Joan who is inspired by God and the voices orders. (You're in love with war).The west wind changes when Joan starts praying.And the boat come up and the war starts.

Scene 4 Open on a tent in the English camp-The characters are an English chaplain and a noble man. Shaw makes fun of the English. There is a discussion of nationality (still not recognized) . The secret arrangements between French and English have started already to burn Joan whom they call the witch.Again we see that Church has a more important role than State (The noble Warwick takes the second place to the bishop).

Through the conversation we know Charles will be crowned by Joan. They discuss about how accusing Joan of being a witch but the bishop says she 's a heretic because witchcraft can have a natural explanation ( cynism = period of Inquisition).

The bishop wants hypocritically declare her as heretic so it would be no longer a religious affair but of the secular authorities. The chaplain ,very naïve,call the bishop "a traitor".

One of the accuse was = she acts as if she herself were the Church and deals directly with God without intervention of the Church .Warwick says the muslims are more tolerant than catholics then he explains the danger Joan presents to the temporal power and not only to the Church because she thinks the king should give the kingdom to God and be his servant. This would abolish aristocracy. Then follows a discussion about feudalism and the power in the hands of aristocracy. So the bishop summarized Joan's crimes and declare her common enemy .This is the Age of Protestantism and even though Joan was catholic she represents the individual mind of protenstantism.Another accusation is she is promoting nationalism that the bishop sees as anti-Catholic because Church recognized only Christ's reign. The chaplain represents  the common man and he cannot understand the politics (Santa Semplicità).

Scene 5 = is the cathedral of Reims. The characters are Joan and Dourois. The Dauphin has been crowned and Joan .ANTICLIMAX of the dullness after the war.

Joan understood there is animosity towards her .She want to go on and take Paris.

She wants French to be inhabited by Frenchmen. (God help those who help themselves).

Joan's real fault is that she is ahead of her time (she is accused of being presumptuous).

COMMON SENSE = she dress herself like men.

Scene 6 Rouen-30 May 1431- (when she was burned). Everything is arranged for a trial.

From Warwick we know she was captured nine months before by Bourgandians.

Then he had bought her (ransom) 4 months before and 3 months before she had handed over to the bishop to be judged.

The Inquisitor says he cannot establish if this case is ecclesiastical or a case of politics.

We have parts of comic relief (against English) and then the arrival of the chaplain and again he provides comic relief. Another accusation was that the voices were in French (there is a list of accusation).The inquisitor makes a long speech about heresy that begins with simplicity.It's dangerous to say the truth (Heresy =declare themselves as interpreters of God). The Inquisitor absolves the inquisition of cruelty.Joan is brought in chained ,she answers to all accusations saying she acted only using COMMON SENSE.

The bishop say the voices are deceiving her if now she is there.So she signs the piper talking back all she had said .But she learns she will be in prison for the rest of life so she burns the papers saying she doesn't want to give up the joys of Nature "Council of Devil".

So she is declared a heretic and excommunicated.

The chaplain now is terrified by what he had seen and seems to have been inspired.

The scene ends with the mention of the selling of relics that took place in those days.

The executioner says that her heart would not burn and the scene ends with Warwick's prophetic words "The last of her I wonder".

EPILOGUE The last part of the play is the epilogue. The year is 1456,25 years after Joan's death. King Charles VII ( Charles the Victorious) is asleep in his bed.

We learn the accusation had fallen and a character says "a great lie is silence forever".

We get to know that it happened because otherwise Charles could have not reign being crowned by a heretic. Joan comes on to the scene and calls the King Charlie and the king tells her that he had become brave because of her.

The bishop comes in and says he has been excommunicated . The commander Doulois tells her they won the battle fighting in the way she wanted. A soldier says he is the one to put 2 sticks together to form a cross when Joan was being burned and he says she is now in the hell but thanks to his act she a year she can go out of it.

The chaplain says he had been redeemed by Joan suffering. Warwick admits that politics had been the burning.Then a gentlemen of 1920 declares Joan has been made saint.

COMIC NOTE = " Shall I rise from the dead and come back to you "? They're all horrified and disappear. END =" O God when will earth be ready to receive your Saints"?

CHURCH GOING -PHILIPPE LARKIN (1922-1985)

MODERNISMO-VITA LARKIN

VITA = Larkin era un poeta e romanziere. Ha ricevuto un importante premio "Poet Laureateship"che rifiutò.

2003 0 proclamato il poeta più amato dalla nazione inglese.

"TIME" (giornale) fece un elogio.

Fa il bibliotecario per tutta la vita e fu dichiarato lo "scrittore più grande del dopoguerra" .Fu romanziere e critico di JAZZ.

La MORTE e il FATALISMO erano 2 temi molto importanti nella sua poesia.

Usa molto l "enjambement"ma la sua poesia non è rigida.

Era un critico della cultura contemporanea.

E'polemico verso il MODERNISMO e usa un LINGUAGGIO SEMPLICE che ritorna a quello dei romanticie fa riferimento ad oggetti concreti.

Fa parte del "THE MOVEMENT" di cui fanno parte Kingsley Amis,Thom Gunn,Donald Davie etc.

Questo movimento era una reazione contro l'estremo romanticismo di " THE NEW APOCALYPTICS" che erano irrazionali e quasi incoerenti.

La poetica di L. è detta "della quotidianità" (oggetti quotidiani).

Si rifà a T.Hardy e rapporta i grandi temi dell'umanità ,delle azioni antieroiche dell'esistenza quotidiana .

L.si discosta da Londra e ha questo atteggiamento di annotare in modo scrupoloso le emozioni di un tipico contesto provinciale,di un Inghilterra periferica. Larkin incarna forse meglio degli altri ,lo spirito del poeta provinciale. Abitava in periferia , a Wellington e diventò il "Librerion(?)" dell'Università di Leicester.

CHURCH GOING

The title implies that one frequents the Church and so he's a believer who assist to the function. The poetic voice is INTIMISTIC and uses the 1 person.

In the first line we have a contrast with the title : an irreverent way of describing what happens in a church (cerimonies,praiers,masses).

The first stanza = "another church" = objective description of church.

"up at the holy end" = irreverent expression for altar.

The poet makes us understand he is awed by the surrounding =silence is described as "unignorable".

He 's already without hat and takes off also the cycle-clips in a "awkward reverence"

The second stanza = the tone becomes objective again.

Various object are mentioned and personal reflections intrude on the realistic description.

We understand this is an Anglican Church (reading).This reading is followed by echos (they make fun of the reading).Then we have the description of him that is leaving the Church and donates a Irish sixpence and he reflects it had not been worth stopping for this place.

The third stanza = " yep stop I did" and reveals that this stopping happens often.

"wondering ..for" =great importance = 2 meanings = to look for materially and spiritually.

The following question ask both the future of the churches as buildings and as sacral places. He ask himself : "Will they become places of superstition?"and very significant is the line "but the superstition like belief must die".

He begins to list the persons that could be interested in these ruins when they will not have any significance except for some architects who will recognize them for what they had been (dealer-Christmas activities).

The poetic self poses another question-answers ,to the question posed in the precedent stanza "I wonder who will be the last..was".

This might be the poetic self represented in the future ,even though he doesn't give importance to the sacrality of these places ,he is attracted to what is called "ghostly silt" because compared to the desolation that the birth,marriage,death all separate one from the other and this place is able to keep together all the experiences of life.

The stanza ends with the strong sensation of pleasure in standing there in spite of seeing the place of what is seen objectively.

In the last stanza = the lay frame of mind of the poetic self mixes with the attraction he feels for places considered sacred such as churches.

In this stanza the word "serious" is repeated (house ,church,earth).

Some will need these places that inspire wisdom.

The poem ends on an amibiguous line,representive of the sense of uncertainty and ambiguity held by the poetic "I" as a lay man and yet in need of churches ,even if only as buildings which represent fertile ground for meditation.

The future character will gravitate to this ground because he has heard that it had been proper to grow wise in.

This poem is devoid of metaphors but is full of synecdoches.

GEORGE ORWELL (1903-1950)

He wrote reportage ,essays on popular culture, critical literary essays. He was a newspaper editor and wrote novel (famous is Animal Farm,1945 and 1984 in 1948).

His politics were anti-imperialist ,anti-capitalist, but he did not identify with any socialist institution.

ENGLAND YOUR ENGLAND

The title was " England your England" as if it was not his England and then we see he is criticising it. He criticises the ruling rich aristocratic classes but he is also proud of certain individualistic English traits .The essay was written in 1940-41 when England was in war with Germany and refers to society ,people in the 1920-30 not only in England.

In the 1 Paragraph we have the irony on war and on serving the country " As I write.kill me" then he says "They are only doing their duty".

In the 2 Paragraph he sees patriotism as a positive force but it could be ironical.

In the 3 Paragraph he talks about human beings that differ from one nation to another and that the English way of life is not liked by the Americans and the Europeans but England itself differs also from one part of the country to the other.

England is changing like the rest of the world but in relation from what it had started and therefore it is important to understand what England is now before talking of what it can be in the future.

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In the SECOND PART of the essay the author talks of national characteristics in various countries: English are not artistic or musical as the Germans or the Italians, they're not intellectual and they're against abstract thought and not because they're practical.

They are however instinctive and get together in moment of crisis ; what he calls "the privateness"of the English life is translated in numerous hobbies.

They have a great liberty of the individual (probably will be lost). He talks of the popular culture of England which goes against existing rules ( gambling,drinking,using foul language). They have no definite religious belief and do not warship. They have an old fashion outlook which on sees in the comic coloured postcards. They are a gentleness civilisation and they hate war and militarism (especially lower-middle and working class). He things that the flag waving and the Rule Britannia is done by few. The common people are not consciously patriotic. The anti-militarism of the English is considered hypocritical seeing the existence of the British Empire (that working class ignores). The author declares that the parade step of a country's army is a sign of its social atmosphere and he points to the goose-step which he finds one of the most horrifying thing in the world but the English would only laugh at a such step. The gentleness of English civilisation is mixed up with the English criminal law which permit hanging by the neck and flogging.The people know is a la for rich but they have great respect for constitutionalism and legality. The belief in the law is even above the belief in the State (it doesn't exist only a power = modern idea). The English still believe in justice,liberty,truth.

The judge will never act for money.

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THIRD PART= The nation England called in various ways is made up in 1941 of 45 millions people ,of rich and poor while the Welsh and Scottish want to be called British and not English and yet the British seems the same to a foreigner.

Then he talks about the inequality between the rich and the poor in England which is greater than in other European countries.But still the people feel themselves to be a single nation= PATRIOTISM IN ENGLAND IS STRONGER THAN CLASS HATRED and when the country is in danger ,the English volunteer fights to protect the country.

Patriotism in the English takes different forms in different class but runs through them all,except the intelligentia which is Europeanised . In the middle class this patriotism constitutes a positive emotion more than in upper class and in the working class is unconscious and is translated in hatred for the foreigns.

The author again names 2 english characteristics :

the lack of artistic ability : the only art the have shown is LITERATURE which according to Orwell has no value outside in the own language except for Shakespeare.

Another lack is of philosophical faculty = the absence in English man of any need for an ordered system of thought or logic.

To foreigners ,British democracy seems a FRAUD because of the inequality of wealth: this opinion ignores the agreement between the leader and the people : England is a land of snobbery but united emotionally and it is the only great country in Europe with no concentration camp which also allows the selling of newspaper against the government .

The corruption in England is more a self deception : the English press for ex. Is dishonest because they live off advertisements and indirect censorship over the news. But the press will never be bribed with money.

English is a stuffy Victorian family with skeletons in the cupboard ,it's a family ruled by the old with it's own private language ,common memories which unites at the approach of an enemy.

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The author comments under the DECAY of the ruling class made up of the upper class :it's shown not only in domestic affairs but also in its foreign policy.

The position of the rich class in England could no longer be justified .

The ruling class cannot understand COMMUNISM but neither NAZISM and FASCIMS .

Firstly England ignored fascism but when they understand Hitler and Mussolini were against communism ,they became friendly with the 2.

It took them a long time to understand the dangers of fascism even though is on the side of rich because it had broken the sense of national solidarity .

In the years between the 2 wars the Empire was stagnant and it has effects upon the military and imperialist middle class called the "plims" and the left wing "intelligenstia".

The middle class celebrated by Kipling were now reduced to the status of clerks and young men no longer want to go to the colony.

The stagnation of the Empire gave arise to the left wing INTELLIGENTSIA which helped to weaken imperialism and British moral during the 1930.

The INTELLIGENTSIA is considered dangerous by the ruling class : the left wing do not really want to be in power,they live in a world of ideas but are cut off from the common sense.

The middle class was patriotic and proud of not being intelligent (Period of Caplitalism= 1940). The bird of TRADE UNIONS and the advancement of the science in the working class make the differences between middle class and working class less evident.

The author distinguish between before 1910 (social class = clothes,manners,accent) and after 1910 when the class distinction started to break down.

The author ends his essay by saying hat the war will end class privileges which people don't want anymore. He adds although many things will change ,English will not loose its peculiarities.