Arms and the Man

Bernard Shaw author J P Wearing editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Published:14th Jul '08

Should be back in stock very soon

Arms and the Man cover

The most rigorous treatment of Arms available yet - students will be helped greatly by the wealth of background material in this book The definitive text, edited by leading Shaw scholars New Mermaids are first choice for A Level exam boards

Arms and the Man has proved to one of Shaw's most popular plays, challenging notions of romance, bravery, cowardice, patriotism, and loyalty. This is a fresh, up to date and accessibly written critical edition for literature and drama students."What use are cartridges in battle? I always carry chocolate instead." Cheered by some and booed by others on opening night in 1894, Arms and the Man became the first success of Bernard Shaw's dramatic career that spanned six decades and brought him world-wide renown. In this perennially popular anti-romantic comedy, a fugitive enemy soldier bursts into the bedroom of a starry-eyed young woman; he then proceeds to disabuse her and those around her of the bogus romanticised ideals they have constructed around love, war, and social status. This edition includes Shaw's definitive text and provides the most comprehensive scholarly treatment of the play to date. It radically re-examines Shaw's sources, the drafts of the play, its themes and self-fictionalising techniques, and locates it in the theatrical milieu that Shaw sought to subvert and revolutionize.

'Published with the approval of the Shaw estate, these fresh and up-to-date editions are sure to be of interest to both old Shavians and newcomers to his work.' whatsonstage.com 'The competence and breadth of Wearing's research...make this edition an obvious choice for classroom teaching and pleasure reading. Moreover, it should be the one of record for any serious scholar.' Shaw: The Annual Bernard Shaw Studies (September 2009)

ISBN: 9780713679984

Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 11mm

Weight: 154g

176 pages