Ethical Traditions in British Drama: A Case Study of Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw
Maosheng Liu
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.13185/KK2021.003726Published Date: Aug 31, 2021
Abstract
Victorian literature, both its creation and criticism, mainly focused on the significance of morality and religion, and viewed literature as beneficial to the heart of mankind. Oscar Wilde, widely considered as an aesthete, is one such literary figure of the Victorian era who espouses the doctrine of “art for art’s sake.” His artistic style incorporates rich ethical connotations, and the interplay between aesthetics and ethics presents characteristics of both conflict and integration in his works. On the other hand, the problem plays of Henrik Ibsen, the so-called father of modern drama, exerted a profound influence on George Bernard Shaw, the great British dramatist of the twentieth century. Shaw’s creation of problem plays is directly attributable to Ibsen, and he creatively adapted the Norwegian playwright’s writing techniques for his only treatise of drama theory in 1891, The Quintessence of Ibsenism, which fully expressed his basic understanding of the dramatic arts. Aside from disagreements regarding artistic ideas, both Wilde and Shaw emphasize that the primary task of artistic creation is to reflect social problems, and that the degeneration of human morality is the root of all social ills. They also believe that traditional moral standards may not always meet the requirements of social reality, therefore it is necessary to find a set of ethics to solve social problems. In this way, both Wilde’s and Shaw’s dramas clearly reflect the ethical tradition concerning social issues.
Keywords
British drama, ethical tradition, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard ShawPlease login first to access subscription form of article
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