George Bernard Shaw, Mrs Warren's Profession

Daniel Stuart (Texas Tech University)

Ed. by Grace Moore, University of Otago
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.08: English Writing and Culture of the early Twentieth Century , 1900-1945.
Vol. editors: Chris Baldick (Goldsmiths College, University of London), Peter Childs (Birmingham Newman University), Louise McDonald (Birmingham Newman University), Andrew Radford (University of Glasgow)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1898 - Jan 1902

Places

England (Publication/ performance)

Genres and Modes

Play

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Originally completed in 1893, but not performed until 1902,

Mrs. Warren’s Profession

is among the most noteworthy and socially significant of George Bernard Shaw’s plays. The four-act drama deals with the controversial subject of prostitution in an era when it was neither openly addressed nor adequately scrutinized. It further highlights the mitigating factors underlying the trade’s proliferation, and explores conflicting attitudes about social mobility and gender roles in late-Victorian society. Now performed routinely as a featured production of the playwright’s repertoire, it continues to be hailed among his most crucial works, cited as a precursor to more progressive trends in Western drama and seen as an important text in schools of liberal and critical thought.

The opening

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3289 words

Citation: Stuart, Daniel. "Mrs Warren's Profession". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 29 September 2023 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=3401, accessed 21 November 2024.]

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George Bernard Shaw, Mrs Warren's Profession

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