Three Plays for Puritans (The Devil's Disciple, Caesar and Cleopatra, Captain Brassbound's Conversion) - Classic Text | Alexandria
Three Plays for Puritans, published in 1901, represents a significant collection of works by the renowned Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, comprising three distinct plays that challenge conventional morality and Victorian sensibilities. This volume, subtitled "Three Plays for Puritans," includes "The Devil's Disciple" (1897), "Caesar and Cleopatra" (1898), and "Captain Brassbound's Conversion" (1899), each demonstrating Shaw's masterful blend of social criticism, wit, and historical reimagining.
The collection emerged during a pivotal period in Shaw's career, coinciding with the fin de siècle cultural movements and the growing influence of Fabian socialism in British intellectual circles. Shaw's preface to the volume, characteristically provocative, explains his use of the term "Puritan" not in its historical religious sense, but rather as a commitment to moral seriousness and intellectual honesty in drama. This reframing of puritanism itself represents Shaw's constant effort to challenge and redefine cultural assumptions.
Each play in the collection tackles distinct themes while sharing Shaw's characteristic subversion of romantic conventions. "The Devil's Disciple" sets melodrama against the American Revolution, "Caesar and Cleopatra" offers a decidedly un-romantic take on the historical figures that contrasts sharply with Shakespeare's treatment, and "Captain Brassbound's Conversion" explores themes of justice and revenge in Morocco. Shaw's treatment of these subjects demonstrates his facility for using historical and exotic settings to comment on contemporary British society.
The collection's enduring influence can be seen in its continued performance history and its impact on political theater. Shaw's unconventional approaches to historical figures and moral questions have influenced generations of playwrights and contributed to the development of modern drama. The plays remain relevant today, particularly in their examination of empire, power, and moral responsibility. Contemporary productions continue to find new resonances in Shaw's sharp social commentary and his ability to combine intellectual discourse with theatrical entertainment, proving that these "Puritan" plays still have the power to provoke and enlighten modern audiences.