A Study Of George Bernard Shaw And His Plays From The Perspective Of Spatial Discipline

People tend to think of George Bernard Shaw as a famous playwright,but not of his struggles and failures.Shaw devoted his whole life to fighting theatrical regulation.He obscured theatrical regulation in the guise of farcical comedy.Under the Theatre Regulation Act of 1843,many of Shaw’s serious plays were banned by the Lord Chamberlain’s censor,including Mrs.Warren’s Profession(1893),John Bull’s Other Island(1904),The Shewing-up of Blanco Posnet(1909),Press Cuttings(1909),O’Flaherty VC(1915)and The Adventures of the Black Girl in Her Search for God(1933),on the grounds of politically sensitive themes,perceived blasphemy or obscenity,or descriptions of living people.Although foreign research on Bernard Shaw and theatrical regulation has yielded a wealth of results,the relationship between Shaw and the theatrical space has not been adequately examined.Drawing upon Michel Foucault’s theory of spatial discipline,this thesis aims to analyze how Shaw accomplished his objectives by altering the literary works’ space,shaping power dynamics,and challenging disciplinary mechanisms.Furthermore,this thesis intends to encourage readers to contemplate and question power relations.The thesis is structured into three parts.The first part focuses on the origins of anti-dramatism,the reasons behind Shaw’s playwriting,and a review of national and international literature on Shaw and theatrical regulation.The second part is the main body of the thesis and comprises three chapters.The second chapter analyzes the disciplinary space on the stage during the Victorian period when examiners prohibited a large number of plays through the visible and invisible space of theaters.As a result,playwrights became victims of power regulation,losing their subjectivity due to hierarchical observation,normalizing judgment,and examination.The third chapter delves into the audience’s mental space regarding the stage.Through publishing houses,theatre productions,and Parliament as sites of rebellion,Shaw deconstructs the stereotypes of “immoral” characters created by the dominant discourse and challenges traditional theatre roles by portraying “immoral” characters in the theatrical space.This portrayal creates a rebellious image in the minds of the audience.The fourth chapter examines the expansion and fluidity of theatrical space.The year 1907 marked a turning point in Shaw’s fight against theatrical regulation as he turned to censor-free Ireland and the minstrel show to stage plays.This move shifted the theatrical space from British to Irish theatre.The final part establishes the subjectivity of the modern playwright through a New Drama genre and a harmonious relationship between the examiner and the playwright.The concluding section highlights the dual nature of space as a place of oppression and resistance.Shaw’s inverted scenes and subversive arguments aimed to deconstruct the dominant discourse and gain more power for writers.These were not mere puns but an attempt to establish the playwright’s subjectivity.The examiner utilizes the theatrical space to discipline and oppress the playwright.However,Shaw successfully resists through the fluidity of space.This embodiment of Shaw’s moral concerns about society,politics,religion,and war exposes the hypocritical morality and distorted values of the Victorian era.