Man and Superman

Theme:

Man and Superman by George Bernard Shaw explores the theme of love, marriage, creative evolution, life force, sexual attraction, and the pursuit of a spouse.

Summary:

It is a Victorian-era play in which a young woman, Ann, uses her attractiveness to manipulate John Tanner, a highly intelligent social revolutionary into marrying her.

Famous Quotes:

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

“There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart’s desire. The other is to gain it.”

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”

“Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.”

“The only man who behaved sensibly was my tailor: he took my measure anew every time he saw me, whilst all the rest went on with their old measurements and expected them to fit me.”

“Criminals do not die by the hands of the law. They die by the hands of other men.”

“He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches. ”

“The most distinguished persons become more revolutionary as they grow older.”

“Nobody could stand an eternity of Heaven.”

“Self-sacrifice enables us to sacrifice other people without blushing.”

“The more things a man is ashamed of, the more respectable he is.”

“But a lifetime of happiness! No man alive could bear it: it would be hell on earth.”

“Morality can go to its father the devil.”

“A movement which is confined to philosophers and honest men can never exercise any real political influence.”

“My experience is that one’s pleasures don’t bear thinking about.”

“I don’t say it was a bad one. But bad or good, I didn’t choose to be cut to your measure. And I won’t be cut to it.”