{"id":649,"date":"2016-10-06T14:06:19","date_gmt":"2016-10-06T14:06:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/englishlitvictorianmodern\/?post_type=chapter&p=649"},"modified":"2016-10-10T23:16:35","modified_gmt":"2016-10-10T23:16:35","slug":"study-questions-activities-and-resources-10","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-englishlitvictorianmodern\/chapter\/study-questions-activities-and-resources-10\/","title":{"raw":"Study Questions, Activities, and Resources: George Bernard Shaw","rendered":"Study Questions, Activities, and Resources: George Bernard Shaw"},"content":{"raw":"
\r\n

Study Questions and Activities<\/h3>\r\n

Major Barbara<\/h2>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Contrast Barbara with her brother Stephen.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Explain the Andrew Undershaft foundling tradition.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. What challenge does Barbara level at her father in Act I?<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Who is Barbara\u2019s grandfather?<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. Why does Bill Walker strike Jenny Hill?<\/li>\r\n \t
  6. What financial aid does Undershaft offer his three children?<\/li>\r\n \t
  7. What is Stephen\u2019s main criticism of Undershaft\u2019s treatment of his workers?<\/li>\r\n \t
  8. Does Nietzsche\u2019s definition of \"Dionysian\" (and \"Apollonian\") in Birth of Tragedy<\/i> apply to Dolly\u2019s understanding of the term? See a good handbook of literary terms such as Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms<\/i>, ed. J.A. Cuddon; or A Handbook to Literature<\/i>, Holman and Harmon; or A Glossary of Literary Terms<\/em>, M.H. Abrams.<\/li>\r\n \t
  9. Why is winning Barbara\u2019s capitulation in the wager so important to Undershaft? Why does Barbara capitulate?<\/li>\r\n \t
  10. Discuss how Shaw explores the notion of class in the play.<\/li>\r\n \t
  11. Explore Shaw\u2019s presentation of men and women as it challenges or conforms to dramaturgical conventions of gender at the turn of the 20th century as well as today.<\/li>\r\n \t
  12. Who is Mrs. Baines, and what key announcement does she make?<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    Suggested Essay or Discussion Topics<\/h2>\r\n
      \r\n \t
    1. Look up the term psychomachia<\/i> in a good reference source such as your favourite glossary or handbook of literary terms. Is Major Barbara<\/i> structured as a kind of psychomachia? If so, whose soul is being fought over? Who are the angelic and diabolical characters or tempters?<\/li>\r\n \t
    2. In what way is Undershaft a \u201cGrand Inquisitor\u201d figure? <en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Grand_Inquisitor><\/a><\/li>\r\n \t
    3. Compare characters and situations from The Importance of Being Earnest<\/i> and Major Barbara<\/i>. How might Lady Bracknell be seen as a source character for Lady Britomart?<\/li>\r\n \t
    4. One critic suggests that in addition to the Spenserean allusion, Britomart\u2019s name also suggests \u201cBritish Market.\u201d\u00a0 Refute or support with evidence.<\/li>\r\n \t
    5. Why does Shaw name Undershaft\u2019s business partner Lazarus? Be sure to read Chapter 16 from the Gospel of Luke as a starting point.<\/li>\r\n \t
    6. Discuss Charles \u201cCholly\u201d Lomax as comic character.<\/li>\r\n \t
    7. What typical characteristics of a utopia do you find in the depiction of the community of Perivale St. Andrews in Act III?<\/li>\r\n \t
    8. Discuss any particularly useful changes to the play in Gabriel Pascal\u2019s 1941 film version of Major Barbara<\/i>. Note that Shaw helped write the film script and published his screen version in 1946.<\/li>\r\n \t
    9. Explore the use of music in the play.<\/li>\r\n \t
    10. Discuss Rosalind Howard, Countess of Carlisle (1845-1921) as the source for Lady Britomart.<\/li>\r\n \t
    11. Discuss Gilbert Murray as Shaw\u2019s source for Adolphus Cusins.<\/li>\r\n \t
    12. Discuss the various comic techniques, especially characterization, that Shaw uses to keep his audience involved in the action of the play.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
      \r\n

      Resources<\/h2>\r\nMajor-Barbara-Study-Guide<\/a>\u00a0[pdf booklet by permission of the Shaw Festival, Niagara-on-the Lake]\r\n\r\nPreface to Major Barbara\r\nhttp:\/\/ebooks.adelaide.edu.au\/s\/shaw\/george_bernard\/major_barbara\/preface.html<\/a>\r\n\r\nhttp:\/\/www.rfd2.net\/britishdrama3.htm#Barbara<\/a> (from Richard F. Dietrich, British and Irish Drama: 1890-1950<\/i>. A very good overview of Major Barbara<\/i>. The entire book is online.)\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

      Attributions<\/h2>\r\n<\/a>Figure 1<\/a>\r\n<\/strong>George Bernard Shaw 1934-12-06.jpg by\u00a0Davart Company, New York City, USA (http:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:George_Bernard_Shaw_1934-12-06.jpg<\/a>) is in the Public Domain","rendered":"
      \n

      Study Questions and Activities<\/h3>\n

      Major Barbara<\/h2>\n
        \n
      1. Contrast Barbara with her brother Stephen.<\/li>\n
      2. Explain the Andrew Undershaft foundling tradition.<\/li>\n
      3. What challenge does Barbara level at her father in Act I?<\/li>\n
      4. Who is Barbara\u2019s grandfather?<\/li>\n
      5. Why does Bill Walker strike Jenny Hill?<\/li>\n
      6. What financial aid does Undershaft offer his three children?<\/li>\n
      7. What is Stephen\u2019s main criticism of Undershaft\u2019s treatment of his workers?<\/li>\n
      8. Does Nietzsche\u2019s definition of “Dionysian” (and “Apollonian”) in Birth of Tragedy<\/i> apply to Dolly\u2019s understanding of the term? See a good handbook of literary terms such as Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms<\/i>, ed. J.A. Cuddon; or A Handbook to Literature<\/i>, Holman and Harmon; or A Glossary of Literary Terms<\/em>, M.H. Abrams.<\/li>\n
      9. Why is winning Barbara\u2019s capitulation in the wager so important to Undershaft? Why does Barbara capitulate?<\/li>\n
      10. Discuss how Shaw explores the notion of class in the play.<\/li>\n
      11. Explore Shaw\u2019s presentation of men and women as it challenges or conforms to dramaturgical conventions of gender at the turn of the 20th century as well as today.<\/li>\n
      12. Who is Mrs. Baines, and what key announcement does she make?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Suggested Essay or Discussion Topics<\/h2>\n
          \n
        1. Look up the term psychomachia<\/i> in a good reference source such as your favourite glossary or handbook of literary terms. Is Major Barbara<\/i> structured as a kind of psychomachia? If so, whose soul is being fought over? Who are the angelic and diabolical characters or tempters?<\/li>\n
        2. In what way is Undershaft a \u201cGrand Inquisitor\u201d figure? <en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Grand_Inquisitor><\/a><\/li>\n
        3. Compare characters and situations from The Importance of Being Earnest<\/i> and Major Barbara<\/i>. How might Lady Bracknell be seen as a source character for Lady Britomart?<\/li>\n
        4. One critic suggests that in addition to the Spenserean allusion, Britomart\u2019s name also suggests \u201cBritish Market.\u201d\u00a0 Refute or support with evidence.<\/li>\n
        5. Why does Shaw name Undershaft\u2019s business partner Lazarus? Be sure to read Chapter 16 from the Gospel of Luke as a starting point.<\/li>\n
        6. Discuss Charles \u201cCholly\u201d Lomax as comic character.<\/li>\n
        7. What typical characteristics of a utopia do you find in the depiction of the community of Perivale St. Andrews in Act III?<\/li>\n
        8. Discuss any particularly useful changes to the play in Gabriel Pascal\u2019s 1941 film version of Major Barbara<\/i>. Note that Shaw helped write the film script and published his screen version in 1946.<\/li>\n
        9. Explore the use of music in the play.<\/li>\n
        10. Discuss Rosalind Howard, Countess of Carlisle (1845-1921) as the source for Lady Britomart.<\/li>\n
        11. Discuss Gilbert Murray as Shaw\u2019s source for Adolphus Cusins.<\/li>\n
        12. Discuss the various comic techniques, especially characterization, that Shaw uses to keep his audience involved in the action of the play.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n
          \n

          Resources<\/h2>\n

          Major-Barbara-Study-Guide<\/a>\u00a0[pdf booklet by permission of the Shaw Festival, Niagara-on-the Lake]<\/p>\n

          Preface to Major Barbara
          \n          http:\/\/ebooks.adelaide.edu.au\/s\/shaw\/george_bernard\/major_barbara\/preface.html<\/a><\/p>\n

          http:\/\/www.rfd2.net\/britishdrama3.htm#Barbara<\/a> (from Richard F. Dietrich, British and Irish Drama: 1890-1950<\/i>. A very good overview of Major Barbara<\/i>. The entire book is online.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

          Attributions<\/h2>\n

          <\/a>Figure 1<\/a>
          \n<\/strong>George Bernard Shaw 1934-12-06.jpg by\u00a0Davart Company, New York City, USA (          http:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:George_Bernard_Shaw_1934-12-06.jpg<\/a>) is in the Public Domain<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t

          \n\t\t\t

          Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
          \n\t\t\t\t\t\t
          \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
          CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div>