A Study Of Thematic Ironies In Three Of George Bernard Shaw’s Plays

It is generally acknowledged that George Bernard Shaw is one of the famousplaywrights in the British literature history and is considered to be the greatestplaywright in England since William Shakespeare. In1925he was rewarded theNobel Prize for his contribution to the field of literature. During his life he has left usa great wealth of51plays,5novels as well as a great numbers of comments, and hisplays have been acknowledged as the mainstream in the20th century English theaterand even created a new age of drama.Irony is the major feature of Shaw’s creation and can be found everywhere.The thesis will explore it from three of his plays. Traditionally most of the criticsanalyze irony from the angle of language, especially linguistics. But here the authorwill elaborate the application of irony used in the different themes in Major Barbara,Saint Joan and Pygmalion, which helps readers understand the purpose of hisliterature creation.Shaw expresses his ironic thoughts on religious theme, money-worship and thevices of human nature in Major Barbara. He satirizes the hypocrisy of religion, thecruelty of Mammonism, and reveals the infirmities of human nature. Then Shaw takesfull use of his talent in irony to criticize feudalism and the Church in Saint Joan withthe background of the Hundred Years’ War between England and France. The authorcollects the ironic elements in Pygmalion from the aspect of exposing the hypocrisyof the bourgeoisie and repudiating the feminine ideas in vogue that the female aremen’s appendage and unaware of their independence. The thesis aims to displayShaw’s skills in applying irony and how irony reflects in different themes.