The Gadfly (play)

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The Gadfly
George bernard shaw.jpg
Written by George Bernard Shaw
Date premiered unproduced
Original language English
Subject A devout Catholic becomes a devout revolutionary.
Genre novel adaptation
Setting various

The Gadfly or The Son of the Cardinal (1897-8) is a dramatic adaptation by George Bernard Shaw of Anglo-Irish writer Ethel Lilian Voynich (née Boole)'s novel The Gadfly . It was written as a favour to the author, who was a friend of Shaw's.

George Bernard Shaw Irish playwright, critic and polemicist, influential in Western theatre

George Bernard Shaw, known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 1880s to his death and beyond. He wrote more than sixty plays, including major works such as Man and Superman (1902), Pygmalion (1912) and Saint Joan (1923). With a range incorporating both contemporary satire and historical allegory, Shaw became the leading dramatist of his generation, and in 1925 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

<i>The Gadfly</i> book by Ethel Lilian Voynich

The Gadfly is a novel by Irish writer Ethel Voynich, published in 1897, set in 1840s Italy under the dominance of Austria, a time of tumultuous revolt and uprisings. The story centres on the life of the protagonist, Arthur Burton, as a member of the Youth movement, and his antagonist, Padre Montanelli. A thread of a tragic relationship between Arthur and his love, Gemma, simultaneously runs through the story. It is a story of faith, disillusionment, revolution, romance, and heroism.

Contents

Creation

The Gadfly, a novel about a young man's embrace of revolutionary politics, had been an enormous success for Voynich. She had asked Shaw to create a dramatised version for copyright reasons, as she wished to retain control over dramatic versions of the book. [1] Shaw had to write it very quickly to assert priority. Shaw said he undertook the task for an "ancient revolutionary comrade", referring to Voynich as a "female nihilist". [1] Writing to Ellen Terry on 29 January 1898, he said he was overwhelmed with work: "What a week! Nay, a fortnight! Three first nights, two County Council election meetings, four Vestry committees, one Fabian committee, a pamphlet to write about the Southwark police business (just completed), an adaptation of a novel--, the Julius Caesar article, and one frightful headache. There's a program for you--!" [2]

Ellen Terry English actress

Dame Alice Ellen Terry,, known professionally as Ellen Terry, was an English actress who became the leading Shakespearean actress in Britain.

Plot

Arthur Burton is a devout Catholic who wishes to become a priest. While studying in Italy in the early stages of the Risorgimento he converts from Catholicism to radicalism, much to the dismay of his mentor in the priesthood. He travels to South America, and eventually returns to become a revolutionary writer under the pen name "the gadfly" .

Rival version

Shaw's version was never produced on stage. Voynich's fears were justified when a few months later an adaptation was written in America by Edward E. Rose, with popular actor Stuart Robson in the lead role. The dramatisation was described as "an illiterate melodrama" by Voynich. [3] She threatened an injunction, and Robson was forced to apologise and withdraw the play. The Los Angeles Herald reported that Voynich's view of the production was entirely accurate: "Had one a wish to deal gently with Mr. Robson it would be hard to give him any honest praise for the exhibition of incompetency to which we were treated in The Gadfly." [3]

Stuart Robson American actor

Stuart Robson was a famous comedic stage actor.

Though Shaw's version was the first, the novel was later dramatised and filmed many times.

Publication

The play was published in the 1970-4 Bodley Head edition of Shaw's Collected Plays and Prefaces. [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 Therese Bonney & R. F. Rattray, Bernard Shaw, a Chronicle, Leagrave Press, Luton, England, 1951, p.135.
  2. Archibald Henderson, George Bernard Shaw: Man of the Century, Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, 1956, p.263.
  3. 1 2 Los Angeles Herald, Volume 604, Number 8, 8 October 1899, p.13
  4. Weintraub, Stanley, Bernard Shaw: Guide to Research, Penn State Press, 1988, p.9.